Former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted spoke to Billboard.com about his decision to shelf NEWSTED, the heavy metal project he operated between 2012 and 2014. "I was trying to take on too much stuff at once," he said. "You can only do so much and make it work right. I won't call it over 'cause I did write a whole 'nother record, but it just hasn't been put together. It hasn't been recorded all the way. It's not ready for the people. That's something that's just on the backburner right now." In addition to Jason, NEWSTED's lineup included Mike Mushok (STAIND) on guitar, Jesus Mendez Jr. (THE NAPOLEON BLOWNAPARTS) on drums and Jessie Farnsworth on guitar. Jason in February 2014 canceled an appearance at Australia's Soundwave festival with NEWSTED, citing "private and personal circumstances." The cancelation followed more than a year of intense touring and promotional activity surrounding the release of NEWSTED's "Metal" EP and follow-up album, "Heavy Metal Music", both of which were positively received by the critics and fans alike. After staying mostly out of the public eye for the past couple of years, Newsted rejoined Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD on stage during their June 8 concert at Slim's in San Francisco, California. He has since announced the formation of a couple of new acoustic projects, with five West Coast dates booked for September and plans for more around the country. Jason left METALLICA back in 2001 but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.
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