When Jason Newsted joined Metallica, he found it challenging to keep his “chin up” while being surrounded by his “collectively depressed” bandmates.

The former Metallica bassist recently shed new light on the dispiriting atmosphere surrounding the band following the death of Cliff Burton in 1986.

Key Insights on Metallica’s Struggles

• Newsted’s Happiness: Jason Newsted expressed immense joy upon joining Metallica, despite the band’s grief.
• Burton’s Impact: Cliff Burton’s death left a significant void in Metallica’s leadership and emotional support.
• Coping Mechanisms: The band attempted various methods to cope with their loss, including unhealthy behaviors.
• Touring Challenges: The pressures of touring intensified the struggle for the remaining members to process their grief.

Being Happy During Dark Times For Metallica

Metallica were trying to move on after the violent tour bus crash that claimed Burton’s life in 1986. He was just 24 at the time. They turned to Newsted to take over, mere weeks after the fatal incident.

“I was the happiest person, happiest camper, most elated individual, reaching the pinnacle of the world that I found myself in, the world I wanted to be in, the microcosm we live in, in the metal world,” Newsted said during a recent appearance on the Loudwire Nights radio show with Chuck Armstrong. “I had earned the opportunity to play the role, the ultimate role for what I dedicated my life to.”

Given the recent tragic events at the time, the rest of Metallica were in a much different mindset when Newsted came on board. This led to what he described as a “challenge” to balance his elation with his bandmates’ confusion and sadness following Burton’s death.

“I joined this thing with three of the saddest, collectively depressed, filled with anger and anguish people… They couldn’t comprehend what had happened. Nobody could, but especially they couldn’t.”

How Metallica Attempted to Cope With Burton’s Death

Newsted felt compelled to keep his “chin up” to potentially lift the spirits of the rest of Metallica. But it wasn’t always easy.

“They were never given any time to feel it or process it. One month after the event, maybe 20 days after the ashes were spread, I was playing on Cliff’s amp,” Newsted said. “I mean, 20 fucking days. We’re 23 years old. The consequences (of Burton’s death) hadn’t even formed yet.”

In Newsted’s recollection of how his joyous demeanor didn’t align with the band’s mindset at the time, fans can perhaps use this sentiment to reframe their understanding of the bassist’s infamous initiation into the group. “Nobody has boiled it down to exactly that. You can say all of these things forever and ever about all the shit and what people guess or speculate. That’s where you’ve got to start,” he asserted.

Metallica tried to soldier on for the sake of continuing to tour amid the band’s rising popularity. That meant finding alternative ways to move on from the pain of Burton’s death.

“I know my boys in those weeks tried some shit they had never tried before, inebriation-wise, to try to numb themselves, hoping it wasn’t going to be true when they woke up, if they woke up,” Newsted recalled. “I know they tried that shit. I don’t think they did after but those weeks they did.”

WATCH: Jason Newsted on Loudwire Nights With Chuck Armstrong

Burton’s Death Crumbled Metallica’s Leadership Structure

Not only was Metallica without a bass player following Burton’s death, but they were also without a leader. This made the path forward even more difficult for the remaining members of the band.

“You know, like people (say) nowadays, nothing happens unless James (Hetfield) says so. Back then, nothing happened unless Cliff said so,” Newsted explained. “They move their whole lives in every goddamn thing just to be with that guy. That’s just how much he meant.”

He described Burton as being both a leader and a “teacher” to Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett. The three found themselves without someone filling those roles at a pivotal time for the band.

“People had to get their head around that thing and the challenge of that,” Newsted said. “No matter how wonderful and gratifying and rewarding that music was, performance was, the crowd is growing, the record is selling. Fuck yeah, that was wonderful. But it just made the wheels go round, really.”

READ MORE: How Cliff Burton Turned Kirk Hammett’s Guitar Solo Into His Own

The true struggle came during the rest of the time away from the stage when Metallica was touring.

“What about the other 21 and a half hours each day when you’re fucking elbow to elbow plane, train, automobile day after day, week after week, month after month solid? We were going hard then. You know, that was a lot for young men to handle.”

Today, Newsted says he can look back on those days and be proud of how they helped him build strength and resilience.

“Fortunately, I had a strong family to come from, and if I didn’t, they (Metallica) wouldn’t have been able to rely on me.”

See where Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted rank among the Top 66 Rock + Metal Bassists of All Time below.

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