Ex-METALLICA bassist JASON NEWSTED defends LARS ULRICH: “do not talk shit about that guy”
"Look at the scoreboard, motherfucker."
09-05-2023
During an appearance on the latest episode of the “Let There Be Talk” podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray, former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted defended Lars Ulrich against people’s criticism of his drumming abilities as well as his role in METALLICA‘s lawsuit against Napster in 2000. Although the case was settled out of court, more than 300,000 users were banned from the pioneering music file-sharing service as a result and METALLICA‘s image took a tremendous beating in the eyes of music fans.
Speaking about the fact that Lars is often dismissed as an average drummer whose skills are eclipsed by so many other lesser-known musicians, Jason said: “Anybody that says that is a fucking idiot. They have no idea what they’re talking about. The depth of this guy, his foresight, his comprehension of what the hell was going on when he was 21, 22, 23. Seriously?
“So if he can’t play the same fill as Dave Lombardo or whoever the fuck you pick for today, so what?” he continued. “Look at the scoreboard, motherfucker. Do not talk shit about that guy. He’s way ahead of you in most things, I promise you that — I promise you. If we wouldn’t have had him and his ability to anticipate, to predict, to know geography, to understand what country and what city and what did what at what time and all this stuff, no way METALLICA would be what they were. No way! So you need to get ahold of yourselves because there’s way more to it than just being able to hit a snare drum.
“So if he can’t play the same fill as Dave Lombardo or whoever the fuck you pick for today, so what?” he continued. “Look at the scoreboard, motherfucker. Do not talk shit about that guy. He’s way ahead of you in most things, I promise you that — I promise you. If we wouldn’t have had him and his ability to anticipate, to predict, to know geography, to understand what country and what city and what did what at what time and all this stuff, no way METALLICA would be what they were. No way! So you need to get ahold of yourselves because there’s way more to it than just being able to hit a snare drum.
Newsted‘s exit from METALLICA was documented in the band’s 2004 documentary, “Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster”, which followed the members of the group through the three most turbulent years of their long career, during which they battled through addiction, lineup changes, fan backlash, personal turmoil and the near-disintegration of the group while making their “St. Anger” album.
During a fall 2021 chat with Apple Music‘s Zane Lowe, Ulrich opened up about Newsted decision to leave the band more than 20 years ago.
“If you think about it, Jason is the only member of METALLICA who’s ever left willingly, and that in itself is a statistic,” Lars said. “And the resentment from James (Hetfield, METALLICA frontman) and I was just so… We felt like you can’t do that. You can only leave if we want you to leave. And then we weren’t equipped at the time to do a deep dive into why he was leaving. And so, of course, now you can see 20 years later, it makes complete sense.
Newsted‘s exit from METALLICA was documented in the band’s 2004 documentary, “Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster”, which followed the members of the group through the three most turbulent years of their long career, during which they battled through addiction, lineup changes, fan backlash, personal turmoil and the near-disintegration of the group while making their “St. Anger” album.
During a fall 2021 chat with Apple Music‘s Zane Lowe, Ulrich opened up about Newsted decision to leave the band more than 20 years ago.
“If you think about it, Jason is the only member of METALLICA who’s ever left willingly, and that in itself is a statistic,” Lars said. “And the resentment from James (Hetfield, METALLICA frontman) and I was just so… We felt like you can’t do that. You can only leave if we want you to leave. And then we weren’t equipped at the time to do a deep dive into why he was leaving. And so, of course, now you can see 20 years later, it makes complete sense.
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