Jason Curtis Newsted is an American
bassistThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
known for his work with
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
VoivodVoivod are a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Quebec, Canada. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s...
and
Flotsam and JetsamFlotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...
. Joining Metallica in 1986 after
Cliff BurtonClifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
's death, Newsted remained a member until 2001, making him the band's longest-serving bassist. After he left Metallica, he continued with his project
EchobrainEchobrain was an American rock musical group, who came to prominence as the first offering from former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted since leaving that band. Echobrain was formed in 2000 by Newsted, Brian Sagrafena and Dylan Donkin who had close contact with one another throughout the late-90s...
, played with
Ozzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and joined heavy metal band Voivod. Newsted uses the pseudonym
Jasonic, which serves as both his alias in Voivod and the name of his music publishing company. He is also the founder of the Chophouse Records studio and label based in California.
Flotsam & Jetsam
The early part of Newsted's music career had him performing bass for
Flotsam and JetsamFlotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...
and their 1986 album
Doomsday for the DeceiverDoomsday for the Deceiver is the debut album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released in 1986. It is the only album by Flotsam and Jetsam which features Jason Newsted before his departure for Metallica. Most lyrics were written by Newsted. The album was re-released in 2006, including a re-mastered...
. Newsted wrote the majority of lyrics for the album as well.
Metallica
Following the death of Metallica's bassist
Cliff BurtonClifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
in September 1986 on the Europe leg of the Damage Inc. Tour, the group began a search for a new bassist. Newsted auditioned along with roughly 39 other musicians and in winning the role, his first live performance with Metallica was at the Country Club in Reseda, California. He was often subjected to pranks and ridicule which increased as time went on.
His debut with Metallica was on its extended play
The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-RevisitedAt the end of "Last Caress"/"Green Hell" are a few bars of Iron Maiden's song "Run to the Hills", but is played out of key. Iron Maiden responded to this on a b-side cover of the Montrose song titled "Space Station No...
in 1987. This was followed by his first studio album with the band,
...And Justice for All...And Justice for All is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on August 25, 1988 through Elektra Records. It is the first full-length Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted following the death of Cliff Burton in 1986...
(1988), which was subject to controversy and criticism for its poor production, among other issues, for its murky bass sound. Newsted claims this was further
hazingHazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
on the part of
Lars UlrichLars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
and
James HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
, although both Ulrich and Hetfield claim they were also disappointed with the production of the album. In addition, they claim that most/all of Newsted's bass lines closely followed the rhythm guitar lines to the point of being indiscernible from each other. Nonetheless, the album peaked at number 6 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and projected the band to higher success.
Newsted performed on
...And Justice for All (1988), the self-titled
MetallicaMetallica is the self-titled fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Mainly produced by Bob Rock, it was released on August 12, 1991 through Elektra Records to critical acclaim...
(1991), which is the best-selling Metallica album to date and made the group a world-known band,
LoadLoad is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Released on June 4, 1996 through Elektra Records, it sold 680,000 units in its first week and debuted at #1 on Billboard 200. The album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is certified 5x platinum by the RIAA...
(1996) and
ReLoadReLoad is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 18, 1997 through Elektra Records. The album is a sequel or counterpart to the band's previous album, Load. It debuted number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 417,000 copies in its first week....
(1997). The live concerts
Live Shit: Binge & Purge-San Diego:Recorded at the San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, California on January 13 and 14, 1992.-VHS one/DVD one:#"20 Min. MetalliMovie"#"The Ecstasy of Gold"#"Enter Sandman"#"Creeping Death"#"Harvester of Sorrow"#"Welcome Home...
and
Cunning StuntsCunning Stunts is a concert video by heavy metal band Metallica released in 1998. It was released in DVD and VHS formats. The title is also a spoonerism of the term Stunning Cunts....
were produced in 1993 and 1997 respectively, and
S&M-Video release:Metallica also filmed and released the concert in DVD and VHS with direction by Wayne Isham. The VHS set has only the concert video, while the double DVD set has 5.1 sound , 41 minute documentary about the concert, and two "No Leaf Clover" music videos: "Slice & Dice" version and the...
in 1999. Newsted also played bass on the song "
I Disappear"I Disappear" is a song by the heavy metal band Metallica released as single only in Germany. The song was recorded as a contribution to the Mission: Impossible II Soundtrack and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks for seven weeks in summer 2000. It does not appear on any of...
" in 2000.
During his time in Metallica, Newsted played the bass guitar and also sang backing vocals on a number of Metallica songs. During the tours after 1991, he would often sing parts of "
Creeping Death-Covers:* New Jersey Hardcore band Shattered Realm includes a cover of "Creeping Death" on the reissue of their 2002 album "Broken Ties Spoken Lies"* Plays Metallica by Four Cellos by Apocalyptica.* During Ozzfest 2002 by Drowning Pool....
", "
Whiplash-External links:*...
" and "Seek and Destroy", and he performed lead in most songs for three shows at the
Summer Sanitarium TourThe Summer Sanitarium Tour was Metallica's packaged tour in the Summer of the year 2000. Taking place in "stadiums, arenas, and yes, even speedways," the tour was one of the top grossing tours of the Summer. It was also the final tour for long-time bassist Jason Newsted who quit the band in January...
where Hetfield was recovering from injury.
He is known for his bass solo which included parts of "My Friend of Misery" (which Newsted had originally written as an instrumental) and bass parts from his former band,
Flotsam and JetsamFlotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...
.
He has co-written three Metallica songs:
- "Blackened
"Blackened" is a song by the American thrash metal band Metallica. It is the opening track on its fourth studio album, ...And Justice for All....
" (...And Justice for All)
- "My Friend of Misery" (Metallica)
- "Where the Wild Things Are" (ReLoad)
Departure from Metallica
During a meeting between the members of Metallica in January 2001, Newsted, who was unhappy with the direction Metallica was taking, proposed that the band should take a year-long hiatus, and he would use that time to focus on his side-project
EchobrainEchobrain was an American rock musical group, who came to prominence as the first offering from former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted since leaving that band. Echobrain was formed in 2000 by Newsted, Brian Sagrafena and Dylan Donkin who had close contact with one another throughout the late-90s...
. By 2001 James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich at this point were married and had children. As Newsted had no interest in being married or having children, he felt focused on music, even if it meant through side-projects. When the other band members objected to Newsted's proposals, he decided to quit the band. And on January 17, as plans were being made for the band to enter the recording studio to record its eighth studio album
St. AngerSt. Anger is the eighth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on June 5, 2003 through Elektra Records. It was the band's last album released through Elektra. The album marked the end of the longest timespan between studio albums from Metallica, with nearly six...
, Newsted announced his departure. Newsted's statement revealed his departure was based on "private and personal reasons and the physical damage I have done to myself over the years while playing the music that I love." During a
PlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
interview with Metallica, Newsted revealed that he wanted to release an album with Echobrain. Hetfield was against the idea and said, "When someone does a side project, it takes away from the strength of Metallica." Newsted countered his statement by citing Hetfield's contributions to other musical outlets. Hetfield replied, "My name isn't on those records. And I'm not out trying to sell them" and pondered questions such as "Where would it end? Does he start touring with it? Does he sell shirts? Is it his band?". Newsted's departure from Metallica, along with Hetfield's decision to go to rehab a few months later, nearly led to a breakup of the band. After Hetfield rejoined Metallica, the band finished recording
St. AngerSt. Anger is the eighth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on June 5, 2003 through Elektra Records. It was the band's last album released through Elektra. The album marked the end of the longest timespan between studio albums from Metallica, with nearly six...
, with record producer
Bob RockRobert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...
filling in the bass slot.
Robert TrujilloRobert Trujillo is an American bassist who currently plays bass in Metallica. He has also played in Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Black Label Society, and with Jerry Cantrell and Ozzy Osbourne.-Career:...
became the band's new bassist in 2003.
Newsted has stated that he has never regretted leaving the band. "I tell you very honestly, one billion percent, I have never regretted leaving Metallica. It was the right thing for everyone. It was the right thing to do for the camp, that’s it. I’ve never told anyone that I wanted to go back or anything like that, not once. I made up my mind. It was not an easy thing to do, but it was something I had to do. I thought about it very much before I pulled the trigger and because of that, I have never looked back. The past is where it's supposed to be." It was stated in the film
Some Kind of MonsterSome Kind of Monster is a 2004 documentary film featuring the American heavy metal band Metallica. It shares its name with the song "Some Kind of Monster" from Metallica's 2003 album St. Anger....
that there was a rumor for Newsted to possibly rejoin the band, but it was proven false.
Despite his departure from Metallica, Newsted remains close with the other band members. On April 4, 2009, Newsted joined Metallica for its induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in Cleveland,
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He also performed three songs at the event, "
Master Of Puppets-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...
","
Enter Sandman"Enter Sandman" is a 1991 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich...
", and "
Train Kept A-Rollin'"Train Kept A-Rollin" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, and Lois Mann. Bradshaw first recorded the song as a jump blues in 1951—his best known recording. After a rock and roll version of the song was recorded and released by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio in 1956, numerous...
" with Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, and
Jeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
,
Jimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
,
Joe PerryAnthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
,
Ron WoodRonald David "Ronnie" Wood is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and current member of The Rolling Stones. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar....
, and
FleaMichael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...
.
Ozzy Osbourne Band
Newsted joined Canadian
thrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band
VoivodVoivod are a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Quebec, Canada. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s...
in 2002. Coincidentally, he was also Trujillo's replacement in Osbourne's band (having switched sides) during
Ozzfest 2003, which included Voivod as a Second Stage act. During an
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
interview, both Osbourne and Newsted showed extreme enthusiasm in writing a new album together, with Osbourne comparing Newsted to "a young
Geezer ButlerGeezer Butler is an English musician and songwriter. Butler is best known as the bassist and lyricist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He was also involved in Heaven & Hell from 2006 to 2010.-Career:Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, with old friend John "Ozzy" Osbourne in the autumn of...
." However, this would not come to fruition as Newsted left Osbourne upon finishing tour duties in late 2003. He would soon be replaced by
Rob ZombieRob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
bassist
Rob "Blasko" NicholsonRob "Blasko" Nicholson is a Heavy metal bassist who was born on November 24, 1969. His influences include the metal bands Iron Maiden, Motörhead, and Corrosion of Conformity...
.
Newsted then focused solely on Voivod where, much like Echobrain, the group was funded entirely through him. They recorded two albums before Newsted's participation in Rock Star Supernova, a
supergroupIn the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
created through the
reality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series,
Rock Star: Supernova, in 2006.
Voivod
The last incarnation of Voivod featured three of the four founding members:
Denis BélangerDenis "Snake" Bélanger is the vocalist of the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod.He helped co-found the group in 1982, and appeared on nine albums - War & Pain, Rrröööaaarrr, Killing Technology, Dimension Hatröss, Nothingface, Angel Rat and The Outer Limits...
(aka Snake, vocals),
Denis D'AmourDenis "Piggy" D'Amour was the guitarist for the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod from its inception in 1982 until his death from colon cancer in 2005, aged 45. His approach to music was anarchic and experimental rather than strict and theoretical. He was trained in classical violin as a child...
(aka Piggy, guitars), and
Michel LangevinMichel "Away" Langevin is a founding member and drummer for the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod. He has been a constant member of the band since its formation in 1982...
(aka Away, drums), with Jason Newsted (aka Jasonic) on bass guitar. Guitarist D'Amour died at the age of 45 on August 26, 2005 due to complications from colon cancer. The record
Katorz (a phonetic spelling of
quatorze, the French word for fourteen), released in July 2006, was based around riffs found on D'Amour's laptop.
A December 2008 update on Voivod's website noted that Newsted played "all the bass tracks" on their latest album
InfiniInfini is the fifteenth album, and the twelfth studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod, which was released on June 23, 2009. It is their last album to include contributions by their late original guitarist Piggy.-Track listing:...
, which was released on June 23, 2009.
Rock Star Supernova
Supernova formed the basis of the second season of the Rock Star television program on CBS in the quest to find a lead singer. The show began online on the Rock Star web site on MSN on Monday, July 3, 2006 with an Internet exclusive weekly episode and premiered on CBS on that Wednesday, July 5. Votes were cast via the Rock Star website. On September 13, 2006, Lukas Rossi was crowned the winner.
Shoulder injury
On October 23, 2006, Newsted was injured while attempting to catch a falling
bass ampBass instrument amplification, used for the bass guitar, double bass and similar instruments, is distinct from other types of amplification systems due to the particular challenges associated with low-frequency sound reproduction. This distinction affects the design of the loudspeakers, the speaker...
head. The accident resulted in a torn anterior labrum in his left shoulder and a rotator cuff and biceps tear in the right. He was scheduled for immediate surgery, and underwent a lengthy rehab process. During this time he was unable to play, and began to express himself through painting. On January 4, 2007, he was back playing his bass again.
Art career
While recovering from his shoulder injury, Newsted found solace through painting. Newsted has turned out a number of large original works of art over the last half a decade. Jason Newsted says that he went "from making crazy and colorful music to making crazy and colorful paintings." His first gallery show opened on May 4, 2010 at Micaëla Gallery in San Francisco.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction
On April 4, 2009, Newsted was present with
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and played with the band alongside current bassist
Robert TrujilloRobert Trujillo is an American bassist who currently plays bass in Metallica. He has also played in Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Black Label Society, and with Jerry Cantrell and Ozzy Osbourne.-Career:...
at the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
induction ceremony in Cleveland. It was his first performance with the band in nearly 9 years, their last performance together having taken place at the 2000 VH1 Music Awards. Both Newsted and Trujillo performed onstage at the same time, which was a first for the band.
WhoCares
In October 2010 it was announced that Newsted would be joining a
supergroupIn the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
with singer
Ian GillanIan Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
and former keyboardist
Jon LordJonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
from
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, guitarist
Tony IommiAnthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
from
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, second guitarist Mikko Lindström from HIM and drummer
Nicko McBrainMichael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
from
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. The band was called WhoCares and plans to record a new charity single entitled "Out of My Mind".
The charity single also features another new track entitled "Holy Water". The single is available as digital download or in CD format, and it was released on 6 May 2011.
Bass guitars
- Aria
Aria is a Japanese manufacturer of acoustic and electric guitars and basses.- History :Aria was formed in Japan in 1953 by Shiro Arai as Arai and Company. They began retailing acoustic guitars in 1960, although the company didn't actually start manufacturing their own until 1964. Aria arranged for...
Pro II SB1000 (originally owned by Cliff BurtonClifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
, used on the Damage, Inc. TourDamage, Inc. was the third concert tour by the American thrash metal band Metallica. It began on March 27, 1986 and ended on February 13, 1987. The name of the tour is inspired by the last song on the group's third studio album, Master of Puppets. Metallica supported Ozzy Osbourne in the shows from...
, and now resides in Metallica's current recording studio)
- Fender 1958 Precision
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
Bass (recording/studio bass) - Sunburst w/anodized gold pickguard (4-string)
- Sadowsky
Sadowsky Guitars Limited is a Queens, New York based high-end guitar, bass guitar, and preamp manufacturer. The company took its name from the company founder, Roger Sadowsky. Sadowsky is an alumnus of SUNY Geneseo, and built the business from the ground up, in 1979, after 7 years of guitar...
- Black Vintage with Ash body
- Sadowsky - Black Vintage (x2)
- Sadowsky - PJ - Cherry Sunburst and Caramel Sunburst
- Sadowsky - Vintage - Lake Placid Blue (4 string and 5 strings)
- Sadowsky - Vintage - Cherry Sunburst
- Sadowsky - Black Vintage - 24 Fret (x2)
- Alembic
Alembic was founded in 1969 and is a manufacturer of high-end electric basses, guitars and preamps.-History:Ron and Susan Wickersham founded Alembic, Inc. in 1969...
- Elan - Converted to Series II electronics - Formerly featured J/P/J pickup configuration (can be seen in this form during the ...And Justice For All tour) - Black (5-string)
- Alembic - Europa - Series II electronics - Black (5-, 6- and 10-string)
- Alembic - Spoiler - Converted to Series II electronics - Black (4-string)
- Alembic - Persuader - Converted to Series II electronics - Black (4-string) - Formerly sporting a clear gloss natural finish and two J-Bass pickups, it was repainted black when Jason sent the bass back to Alembic to have Series II electronics installed; it is erroneously referred to as a Spoiler, though Jason DID have a black Spoiler made for him as well and both basses are nearly identical; the only telltale sign being the location of the bird-shaped bridge.
- ESP
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Horizon Bass - Red (5-string) - Jason added a Metallica logo decal and a decal of the Jump In The Fire demon.
- ESP B-1 - Black (4-string)
- 1981 Spector
Spector is an American based company that manufacturers bass guitars. Founded in 1974 by self-taught luthier Stuart Spector, Spector's first few instruments were essentially crude experiments in instrument design and craftsmanship...
NS-2 - Black, used in studio only (4-string) - According to Jason, this bass once belonged to Phil SoussanPhil Soussan is a bass guitarist, songwriter and producer who has gained notoriety as a member of a host of famed rock and roll bands, including some who have been fronted by such vocalists as Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Vince Neil, Johnny Hallyday and John Waite, as well as a membership in Beggars...
.
- Stuart Spector Design JN-4, JN-5, and JN-6 Signature Models - Transparent black satin (4-, 5-, and 6-string) - Extremely rare, modified SD body shape, quilted maple top, piezo pickup option, and red fiber optic side markers. Jason used these basses live from 1994-1995.
- Guild
The Guild Guitar Company is a USA-based guitar manufacturer founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a guitarist and music-store owner, and George Mann, a former executive with the Epiphone Guitar Company...
acoustic bass
- Wal
Wal is a brand of electric bass manufactured by Electric Wood Ltd. in High Wycombe, England. It was started in 1974 by electronics expert Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens...
MKII - Black w. Gold hardware (4- & 5-string, 5-string as seen in Metallica's video for "One")
- Hamer
Hamer Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars. Founded in 1973 by vintage guitar shop owners, Jol Dantzig and his business partner Paul Hamer. Early instruments featured guitar designs based on the Gibson Explorer and Flying V...
12-string bass (used on Wherever I May Roam"Wherever I May Roam" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the fourth single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica.-Music:...
"and other minor key pick-bass stuff," according to Jason)
- Zon
Zon Guitars is a manufacturer of bass guitars founded in 1981 by Joseph Zon.-Background:The company is known for its bass guitar models which feature non-traditional designs and materials. The brand is most closely associated with endorser and player Michael Manring, who collaborated with the...
Legacy Elite fretless 5-string & Sonus Special 5-string
- Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
4003 - White (4-string)
- Dingwall Voodoo Bass
Effects
- Boss
Boss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
Flanger BF-2
- MXR
MXR, also known as MXR Innovations, was a manufacturer of guitar effects units, co-founded in 1973 by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood . MXR was based in the United States in Rochester, New York. MXR Innovations, Inc. was incorporated in 1974...
Phase 100
- Mu-tron III Bass Pedal
- Tech 21
Tech 21 is a New York based manufacturer of guitar and bass effect pedals, amps, and DI boxes which allow the user to emulate the tone of many popular guitar amps and record those sounds directly into a mixer....
SansAmp Bass Driver DI
- Tech 21 XXL Overdrive
- Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
G-5 Bass Synth Processor
- Electro-Harmonix
Electro-Harmonix is a New York-based company that makes high-end electronic audio processors. The company was founded by Mike Matthews in 1968. They are most famous for a series of popular guitar effects pedals introduced in the 1970s and 1990s....
Big MuffThe Big Muff is a fuzzbox produced in New York City by the Electro-Harmonix company, along with their Russian sister company Sovtek, primarily for use with the electric guitar...
- Alesis
Alesis is a company based in Cumberland, Rhode Island, that designs and markets electronic musical instruments, digital audio processors, audio mixers, digital audio interfaces, recording equipment, drum machines, professional audio and electronic percussion products...
Midiverb II
- BBE Sonic Maximizer
- Morley
Morley Pedals is the name of a guitar effects pedal company, famous for manufacturing wah-wah pedals and other treadle type effects for guitar. Morley pedals use electro-optical circuitry rather than a potentiometer to control the effect. The foot treadle controls a shutter inside the pedal that...
Power Wah Boost
Amplifiers
- Mesa/Boogie 1x15 combo
- Mesa/Boogie with SWR Heads
- Gibson
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
Skylark Guitar amp
- Fender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
Folded Horn 1x18
- Ampeg
Ampeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...
1974 SVTThe Ampeg SVT is a bass amplifier made by Ampeg. The SVT, which stands for "Super Valve Technology", was designed by Bill Hughes and introduced in 1969. The SVT bass head produced 300 watts at a time when most amplifiers made less than 100. The SVT has been through many design changes over the...
head
- Ampeg SVT cabinets
- Ampeg SVT II-Pro (x4)
- Ampeg 1980s SVTs
- Ampeg SVT 8"x10" pro speaker cabinets
- Ampeg ISO Vent 10"x15" speaker cabinets
- Ampeg B-15 combo amp
Philanthropy
In 2004, Newsted signed on as an official supporter of
Little Kids RockLittle Kids Rock is a nonprofit organization that provides free instruments and lessons to children in under-served public schools. The organization is supported by a number of music industry luminaries including Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Joe Satriani, BB King, Jason Newsted, Linkin Park's Brad Delson,...
, a non-profit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in underserved public schools throughout the U.S.A. Newsted sits on LKR's Honorary Board of Directors.
Echobrain
- Echobrain (2002)
- Strange Enjoyment (2002) (EP)
- Glean (2004) (writing credit on one song, producer)
Flotsam and Jetsam
- Doomsday for the Deceiver
Doomsday for the Deceiver is the debut album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released in 1986. It is the only album by Flotsam and Jetsam which features Jason Newsted before his departure for Metallica. Most lyrics were written by Newsted. The album was re-released in 2006, including a re-mastered...
(1986)
- No Place for Disgrace
No Place for Disgrace is the second studio album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was recorded between December 1987 and February 1988, and was released later in 1988. This is the band's major label debut on Elektra Records. It is the first Flotsam And Jetsam album to feature bassist Troy Gregory, who...
(1988) (writing credits on three songs)
Metallica
- The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited
At the end of "Last Caress"/"Green Hell" are a few bars of Iron Maiden's song "Run to the Hills", but is played out of key. Iron Maiden responded to this on a b-side cover of the Montrose song titled "Space Station No...
(EP) (1987)
- ...And Justice for All
...And Justice for All is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on August 25, 1988 through Elektra Records. It is the first full-length Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted following the death of Cliff Burton in 1986...
(1988)
- Metallica
Metallica is the self-titled fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Mainly produced by Bob Rock, it was released on August 12, 1991 through Elektra Records to critical acclaim...
(1991)
- Live Shit: Binge and Purge (1993)
- Load
Load is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Released on June 4, 1996 through Elektra Records, it sold 680,000 units in its first week and debuted at #1 on Billboard 200. The album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is certified 5x platinum by the RIAA...
(1996)
- ReLoad
ReLoad is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 18, 1997 through Elektra Records. The album is a sequel or counterpart to the band's previous album, Load. It debuted number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 417,000 copies in its first week....
(1997)
- Garage Inc.
-Disc two:These tracks are a collection of B-sides from artists Metallica were inspired by, throughout the early years of the band.-Personnel:* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar on "Whiskey In the Jar"...
(1998)
- S&M
-Video release:Metallica also filmed and released the concert in DVD and VHS with direction by Wayne Isham. The VHS set has only the concert video, while the double DVD set has 5.1 sound , 41 minute documentary about the concert, and two "No Leaf Clover" music videos: "Slice & Dice" version and the...
(1999)
- Six Feet Down Under
-Personnel:* James Hetfield - lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Lars Ulrich - drums* Kirk Hammett - lead guitar, backing vocals* Jason Newsted - bass, backing vocals on tracks 1-6* Robert Trujillo - bass, backing vocals on tracks 7-8...
(2010)
Voivod
- Voivod
Voivod is the thirteenth album, and tenth studio album, by Canadian thrash metal/progressive metal band Voivod and the first to feature, since 1993's Outer Limits, returning vocalist Denis Bélanger and bassist Jason Newsted , formerly of Metallica...
(2003)
- Katorz
Katorz is the fourteenth album, and the eleventh studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod, and was released on July 25, 2006. The name of the album is phonetic for "quatorze", the French word for fourteen....
(2006)
- Infini
Infini is the fifteenth album, and the twelfth studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod, which was released on June 23, 2009. It is their last album to include contributions by their late original guitarist Piggy.-Track listing:...
(2009)
External links