Ex-Metallica Bassist Jason Newsted: Guns N’ Roses Taught Me ‘What Not to Do’
In 1992, one of rock’s most ill-fated tours took off as Guns N’ Roses and Metallica embarked on a string of stadium dates. Plagued by riots, late start times from GN’R and a hellish accident that left James Hetfield with second and third-degree burns, the tour left a huge impression on then-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted.
In the 25 years since the chaotic tour, fans have heard all the stories, but Newsted said he learned a great lesson after the tour. After Jason Newsted took us on a personal tour of his ‘RAWK’ art exhibition in New York City, he sat down to recall how Guns N’ Roses taught Metallica “what not to do.”
“We chose to play first, of course, because we wanted to play on time,” Newsted remembers. “If we’re going on at 8:01, we’re on at 8:01. That’s the way it’s always been. That’s why Metallica’s still touring now and crushing everybody and selling more records.”
“[Guns N' Roses] showed me what I don’t ever want to become,” Newsted adds. “Antics, pissing away of money, disrespecting people that work for you… Looking down on people who look up to you — worst thing you can do, especially in this business. I saw them do that a lot and I didn’t like it.”
Summing up Guns N’ Roses’ career, Newsted claims, “As a band, they were powerful for about three and a half years and really had their sharp teeth and after that everything fell apart.”
Watch what Newsted had to say for yourself in the exclusive video above.
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