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Is Newsted a good bassist?

#21
In general(not in this thread per se), I hear guys saying that Newsted's playing was too simple, like it was a bad thing. Since when did playing super technical stuff be the judge of whether someone is good or not. Personally, I think the simpler the better, especially for Metallica! The bass player from Nuclear Rabbit(I'm sure no one has really heard of this band) is a technical stud, but that does not necessarily mean that his style will make Metallica or their songs any better. I think that Newsted was doing just fine with Metallica. They just needed to give him a little more mixing space, but that would have gotten in the way of the others ego's. On a side note, I heard the new Voivod album, and I think that his playing was pretty good. I'm sure he was able to influence a bit more bass in the songs considerring it was recorded on his label.
 
#22
Yeah he's good enough that we're talkin' about him and he ain't stayin' up talkin about us! Seriously he has his own record label and he could walk away from the biggist hard rock band in the world. Regardless of how good he is or isn't he's one smart cookie.
I aggree with the previous post about playing simple. Listen to Rob on the St. Anger rehersals. I know he's workin' with someone elses basslines but it's a long way from Infecious or Suicidal in terms of flash. The songs are served just the same which is what it's all about.
Execept his solos Cliff was very much about the song too. Lets face it next to that guy's solos most anyone would pale in comparison. But playing old Metallica songs isn't rocket science. I think Cliffs' knowledge of theory was invaluable to bringing their early material along!
Jason's playing is very solid and he has more Sadowsky basses then all of us! Plus he had the integrity to stand up for himself.
Robert
 
#23
Originally posted by basspro2
No I dont. Saw him in The Deepest End with the other bass gods and he was way out of his league.Check out this dvd and you be the judge

My 2 cents
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First of all, The Deepest End is a must see DVD. As for Newsted, he was doing his thing just fine. War Pigs, I thought, was one of the highlights. Comparing Jason Newsted to the likes of Victor Wooten et al is not fair.

Also, check out the video extras on the DVD. He (Newsted) comes off like an awfully humble and likable guy. You could see he knew he was following some greats. He also admitted to being really nervous before the show.

Tom
 
#24
Originally posted by RicPlaya
Well I started listening to it in my car and I could not hear the bass at all!
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hmm if you listen carefully enough you can hear it. its a fun song to play ;) and jason is a great player and i wish they would have turned up his volume a bit more on the records since at the shows he was amazing. Does he hold a candle to cliff? no but in my opinion no body does i worship the guy :p but if any of you went toozzfestyou saw IMHO jason made ozzy live much much better and vovoid wasnt bad on second stage. But then again i guess it comes down to personaly preference. Radio friendly songs from 91' and up or there older stuff yes i know AJFA is jason to but it still slightly sounded the metallica we all knew and loved.
 
#26
If you check out Binge and Purge, and SnM you can hear and see he's a great bassist. He's there like a rock, doing his job, headbanging like hell. I like him alot, he also has this great -grunt- voice, on Master of Puppets the -Die-die-die- frase, well, he sings the DIE and I think it sounds great (not like the coughing nowadays from Kirk and Robert). He also sang a frase from Seek n Destroy live. One night James was sick and Jason did the entire vocal part of the show. Pretty amazing me thinks...He just didn't had luck. He had to replace the rest of the bands best friend, and James and kirk, beeing guitar dudes,they don't like too much bass anyway...
The mix on ...And Justice for All sucks all the way IMO, just listen to the drums...

I think it's a bloody shame that he has left, just look at the new bassplayer, a runaway Neanderthaler that is...

He's a great player, otherwise Ozzy wouldn't have hired him.
 
#27
Jason is one of my favourite bassists. I think some people are just getting wrapped up in guys like Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten (who are two of my favourite artists) who play in a completely different setting than most bassists. Jason is extremely skilled/talented, he does exactly what a bass player is there to do. He's tight with the drummer and always provides a foundation for the music to build on, but when you listen to him he really does some great stuff, it's always unique without being overbearing.
 
#28
Originally posted by BrettAM
Jason is one of my favourite bassists. I think some people are just getting wrapped up in guys like Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten (who are two of my favourite artists) who play in a completely different setting than most bassists. Jason is extremely skilled/talented, he does exactly what a bass player is there to do. He's tight with the drummer and always provides a foundation for the music to build on, but when you listen to him he really does some great stuff, it's always unique without being overbearing.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 110%, he is a solid as a rock.
 
#31
IME Jason kicks Cliff's ass, but nobody wants to admit it because he is well like.......not with us anymore.......but download The Tower of Strenght bass solo by Jason....and you'll forget Cliff in a sec.

The problem was, that with AJFA they "Forgot" to crank him up in the mix.......and that Hetfield is kind of a paranoïd guy....he wants everything perfect....so he wrote all the basslines.......that's why they are all really simple........
 
#34
Ehm......I downloaded it from Soulseek....its kinda hard to find....he plays a part of it in his live solo of 2-13-87 (the complete solo is about 9 minutes) And its with distortion, and it sounds just so much better than Cliff....(same distortion, russian Big Muff).....Cliff was about always so high on cocaïne that he always played something else...........
 
#36
So....Hatfield kept Newsted's sound down so as to not compromise the sound of the guitars.

How then do Creed's albumns, for example, maintain every bit the guitar heaviness of Metallica (or more so!)but yet you can CLEARLY hear each note and run that the bass player is doing?
 
#37
Well, even though he's not a thecnical genious, he was the right bass player for Metallica. If you say that you can't hear any bass on the black album or the loads, then you obviously aren't paying attention. Especially on the loads, the bass are the foundation of many of the songs.

He sure ain't no wooten,miller or claypool for that sake. But that isn't always the most important thing. He always plays tight, and his tone are good and clean. Just listen to his solos. They aren't that fast or thecnical, but the sound good and clean.

Speaking of the new Metallica bassist, he's not the same kind of player as Jason at all. Rob's technick are way better. They are totally different players. Just listen to some Infectious Grooves. I love Robs playing, he is a very good slapper, and his tone are very powerful.

And BTW, he stated Jaco as his most important influent.
That's ten points for Rob.
 

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