Rob Trujillo thinks playing in Metallica is a hard job to do.
The bassist recently chatted with Bass Player and said he’s faced many challenges. He lives in Los Angeles but spends more time in the Bay Area since joining the band. He likes San Francisco for its balanced and nostalgic ’70s vibe. Rob added:
“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.”
Metallica’s bass history includes Ron McGovney briefly in 1982, followed by Cliff Burton, who joined in 1982. Burton played on albums like ‘Kill’Em All,’ ‘Ride The Lightning,’ and ‘Master of Puppets’ until his tragic death in 1986.
Trujillo’s Words On Newsted And Burton
Jason Newsted joined shortly after and stayed for 14 years before leaving in 2001. Trujillo joined in 2003 and has solidified his place in the band over more than two decades. In the same interview, Trujillo also compared Newsted and Burton, explaining:
“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.”
Rob Made A Promise To Cliff
Still, the bassist likes each band member to bring something unique to Metallica. Previously, during a feature in Bass Player, Trujillo recalled how he made a promise to Burton before he officially joined Metallica:
“When I auditioned for Metallica in 2002, I was playing in Ozzy Osbourne’s band with one of Cliff’s best friends, Mike Bordin of Faith No More. I was staying at Mike’s house in San Francisco and in the guest room at Mike’s house, where I would be practising Metallica’s music, there is a big photo of Cliff – and at a random moment at two in the morning, I looked up and saw that photo. I actually spoke to the photo. I said, ‘Cliff, I won’t let you down, I promise. I’ll give it my best shot.’ So in a weird way, I feel connected to Cliff. I feel like I know him.”
Rob praised Burton’s creativity, stage presence, and musical skills, and said he was more accomplished than the other Metallica members at the time. Burton’s ability to play piano and his knowledge of classical music made him stand out.