Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has left Echobrain and has
been replaced by De'Briahs four-stringer Adam Donkin, brother of
guitarist/vocalist Dylan Donkin.
"The ball is now pretty much in their court," Newsted told Mercury
News. "I've pretty much paved the way. Now, it's up to them to earn
their way back up to that. All the money I put into it, I'll never
see again, but it felt so good," Newsted said of the trio, which
will continue to release albums through Jason's Chophouse Records.
Newsted also commented on the possibility of his returning to
Metallica, as has been constantly rumored since his departure back
in January 2001.
"Six months ago, I might have told you that things are looking OK
about me returning to the group," he said. "Now I'm not really
interested." If Metallica mainman James Hetfield called, "and said,
'I really want you to help me make that music' and addressed it that
way no lawyers, attorneys, managers I would consider it," Newsted
said. "But it would have to be him calling me. I don't ever want to
say it could never happen.'"
According to Jason, he has returned to listening to Metallica as a
fan again. His favorite album is 1984's Ride the Lightning, recorded
before his tenure with the group. "They made the biggest jump in the
least amount of time. It was when they finally discovered they were
something to be reckoned with. It was all so incredibly epic sounding.
Cliff Burton's writing is still timeless, monstrous."
With regards to Metallica's heavily-publicized fight against Napster,
Newsted stated the following: "I don't mind sharing my music. I gave
away the first 2,000 Echobrain CDs. But with Metallica, that was their
art. Would anybody, a painter, a photographer, would they give you a
painting free and let you copy it and sell the lithographs for $2,000
apiece?'
"We were in a position, unlike almost every other contemporary artist,
where we had an exclusive contract since 1990. We didn't need to use
the record company as a bank and Metallica has funded everything it's
done, every album, every video. That's why we were so vigilant. No one
else has their own music to protect.
"Most kids are just stealing from a record company, which gets 85%
of the dollar. Not many people make money on music to the point where
you can eat. Not even the people you see on MTV who look like they
are doing so well
"You may think we have too much money for your taste, but we worked
really hard to get to where we are, harder than 97 percent of the
bands that ever existed," Newsted said. "Do you think it's special
enough to pay for? Then it's only fair to pay for it."
Source: AllMetallica.com / Blabbermouth
/by EncycMet/
