Robert Trujillo Calls Playing Bass With Metallica “The Most Demanding Gig There Is”
Robert Trujillo may be the most recent member to join Metallica, but that’s all relative because it’s been two decades now that he’s been providing the bass for the metal legends. Being the fourth person to pick up the bass guitar for Metallica, he follows in the footsteps of the great Jason Newsted, the late Cliff Burton, and the guy whose name you can’t remember without Wikipedia, Ron McGovney. While Trujillo has had some demanding jobs, coming out of Suicidal Tendencies, apparently he considers Metallica to be one of the toughest gigs in rock music.
In a recent interview with Bass Player, Trujillo talked about how playing bass in Metallica is one of the biggest challenges of his career:
“But the biggest challenge has been with my bass playing. I’m not being disrespectful to all the bass players out there, but there aren’t many bassists that could do this job. Playing with Metallica is the most demanding gig there is.”
Trujillo is apparently a huge admirer of his predecessors Burton and Newsted, and had nothing but praise for their contributions to the band:
“Cliff was amazing for Metallica. His ideas, his presence, and where he was taking the bass and taking metal, were so special. And his stage presence – he was such a physical player. He played what he felt, and that was the bottom line. His approach was, ‘I’m gonna play what I feel, and if you don’t like it, screw you!’”
Then regarding Newsted he said:
“I really appreciate Jason Newsted. Considering he’s a pick player, and the speed and dexterity involved in this music, I think it’s a tall order. But he was really keeping it and holding it down, keeping it solid – more simple than Cliff, but in a good way.
“I love the fact that we’re all different. We all have our thing that we’ve brought to the band, but I also have my own style and I like to express that.”
Funnily enough, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett recently said that Metallica’s songs are very easy for him to play after his more than 40 years with the band. Maybe Trujillo will find Metallica to be a breeze if he spends another two decades in the band, playing behind an 80-year-old James Hetfield.
To check out Trujillo fulfilling his demanding role in Metallica, here’s where to catch them on the rest of the M72 tour:
JUL 12 & 14, 2024 – MADRID, SPAIN – ESTADIO CÍVITAS METROPOLITANO
AUG 2 & 4, 2024 – FOXBOROUGH, MA – GILLETTE STADIUM
AUG 9 & 11, 2024 – CHICAGO, IL – SOLDIER FIELD
AUG 16 & 18, 2024 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. BANK STADIUM
AUG 23 & 25, 2024 – EDMONTON, CANADA – COMMONWEALTH STADIUM
AUG 30 & SEP 1, 2024 – SEATTLE, WA – LUMEN FIELD
SEP 20 & 22, 2024 – MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – FORO SOL***
SEP 27 & 29, 2024 – MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – FORO SOL***
