Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has recalled the lessons his band learned from touring with Guns n’ Roses in 1992 – and says Axl Rose’s band taught them how not to behave.
The notorious road trip saw Metallica frontman James Hetfield sustaining serious burns after getting in the way of a stage pyrotechnic. The crowd at Montreal’s Oympic Stadium rioted later that night as a result of Guns n’ Roses’ poor performance and shortened set.
Gn’R guitarist Slash revealed that his band made almost no money during the tour as a result of fines for starting concerts late, along with extravagant aftershow parties.
Newsted – who left Metallica in 2001 – tells Loudwire: “We chose to play first because we wanted to play on time. We deliver. If we’re going on at 8.01, we’re on at 8.01. That’s the way it’s always been. That’s why Metallica’s still touring now and crushing everybody and selling more records.
“They played after us, whenever they decided to come on stage – 30 minutes late, an hour late, two hours late, whatever the time homeboy decided to come on.”
He adds that he learned similar lessons from sharing stages with Van Halen, Dokken, the Scorpions and others, and the lesson was: “What not to do.”
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Returning to Gn’R he continues: “They showed me what I don’t ever want to become. What I would not do. Antics, pissing away of money, disrespecting people that work for you, looking down on people who look up to you. Worst thing you can do, especially in this business. I saw them do that a lot, and I didn’t like it.
“Some of the stories – jokey, funny-ass stories, those guys pulling stuff that was just not okay. As a band they were powerful for about three and a half years, and really had their sharp teeth. After that, everything fell apart.”
He finishes: “But God bless them – 30 years. Good for them!”
Metallica continue their world tour in support of 10th album Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, with dates running into the middle of next year. Guns n’ Roses recently added more North American dates to their own world tour.
