Jason Newsted Remembers Cliff Burton 40 Years On

Newsted on Burton’s Brilliance

Jason Newsted reflects on Cliff Burton’s musical gifts more than four decades after Burton’s passing. In an interview with Heavy Consequence, Newsted describes Burton as a prodigious talent who could “wake up and do it,” and notes the awe he felt watching Burton play in 1985. He frames Burton’s early proficiency as something that made others strive to match him, even as it intimidated him as a bassist fan.

Newsted discusses the Metallica decision to relocate to San Francisco to recruit Burton, emphasizing how strongly James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich believed in Burton’s abilities. He recalls Hetfield and Ulrich moving their lives to join a band with Burton “before they even made a fucking record… He was that fucking good.”

Beyond Burton’s impact as a live player, Newsted speaks to the ongoing affection from metal fans who continue to honor Burton’s contributions 40 years after his death, noting the “fantastical” nature of his work in a brief career.

As for Metallica, the article notes that with Robert Trujillo on bass, the band has plans for a Life Burns Faster residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere beginning October 1, 2026, and a new North American leg of their M72 World Tour planned for 2027. The piece also points readers to a video of Newsted sharing his memories of Burton.

Source: Consequence

Photo by Wallace Silva on Pexels