Jason Newsted joined in for a conversation with Metal Hammer as he reminisced auditioning for Metallica and landing the gig back in 1986. Jason had joined the band after the death of Cliff Burton. Pearl Jam ‘Regretfully’ Move 2022 Tour Dates
Jason Newsted reflects on meeting Cliff Burton’s mother; recalls the audition
Newsted recalled that the audition took place 35 years ago and talked about his experience of meeting Burton’s mother. Here is what he had to say about the audition:
“Just to be amongst them was very special. I went in totally prepared and confident. That evening, it was the third day that I played with the boys, I think I stayed overnight in San Francisco for the first time. That third night, they had ‘the elders’ come in for their blessing. So [Lars Ulrich’s father] Torben Ulrich, the Burtons, a couple of the crew guys, people that had been there from the get-go…We got through about six tunes: ‘Master [of Puppets],’ ‘Fade to Black,’ ‘[For Whom the] Bell Tolls,’ the masterpieces!
He added:
“So I am just composing myself for a second, putting my bass down, turning off Cliff’s amp – I’m playing fucking Cliff’s amp, dude! Jan [Burton, Cliff’s mother] comes walking in the room by herself, and she grabs me, and gets my attention. She says, ‘Great job, son,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh f**k!’ She embraced me, and it seemed like it was quite a while, and she said, ‘You’re the one, you must be the one. Please be safe, we love you,’ and she gave me a kiss. That was 35 years ago, and I’ll never, ever forget it.”
