Reason Metallica's Jason Newsted Ended Band

William Lee | 10-02-2019

The reason former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted put his namesake solo band on ice has been revealed by a member of the group, Staind guitarist Mike Mushok.

Newsted had two releases, the "Metal" EP and "Heavy Metal Music" and touring in support of the efforts but then in early 2014, Jason pulled the plug on an appearance at the Soundwave festival in Australia for "private and personal circumstances."

Mushok was a guest on The Jasta Show and explained the reason that the former Metallica star ended the band, "I think he was happy with it [creatively.) I think the touring thing was hard. I don't think it was exactly what he expected it was going to be.

"But listen, it was fun. I really enjoyed him. I really enjoyed our time together and playing. We're still friends; we still communicate... We were playing smaller places, but the shows were always good; they were always fun.

"I just think it cost him a ton. Because he was footing the bill for everything. So I think that at the end of the day, he's, like, 'I'm doing this because of my passion for it and what I love, but I'm bleeding here.' We had this European tour that I think cost him a bunch."

Mushok added, "Jason is a hard worker, man. We would practice 10 hours, he'd record the whole thing, and when we were done, he wouldn't walk out of the control - he'd sit there and listen to it. I'm, like, 'Dude! Come on, man.' I mean, there's a hard work - I'm a hard worker, but this guy was next level." Listen to the full interview here.