Former Metallica bassist and Newsted frontman Jason Newsted is getting back into making heavy metal. During a Q&A session with Gator 98.7 FM’s Gator Garage, Newsted reveals he just wrapped up the first Chophouse Band record since their formation over 30 years ago, and is turning his eye once back to the world of headbanging.
Newsted said he’s been auditioning guitarists for the project, and already has a drummer more than capable of playing some fast double bass.
“Actually, I spent six months of last year putting together The Chophouse Band Volume 1. The Chophouse Band has been together [and] making music since 1992. So it was our first album after 30 years. I spent a lot of time on that. And then, once I got that under my belt, I’m kind of stepping back into the heavy now.
“So the last couple of weeks I’ve been auditioning guitar players for a heavy project. I’m back on bass and singing with a metal drummer — double bass, you know; getting’ loud again. So I’ve got a couple of irons in the fire. I’m putting two new projects together right now — but loud.”
Newsted has previously mentioned that despite their performances being largely acoustic, the new Chophouse Band record will certainly be an all-out rock record.
As for the metal band, who knows who’ll be in that. Maybe Newsted and his former Metallica bandmate Lars Ulrich have actually made amends and have a new band together? Probably not given Metallica‘s insane upcoming schedule with their new record, but hey – stranger things have happened, and Newsted has made it clear that he’d be down for it.
This is also great news for anyone who’s ever heard Jason‘s shortlived project Newsted in the early 2010s. Despite only having one record before calling it quits, Newsted put out some certifiable metal bangers that still hold up very well over a decade later.
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