Former Metallica bassist and Newsted frontman Jason Newsted is getting back into making heavy metal. During a Q&A session with Gator 98.7 FM's Gator Garage, Newsted reveals he just wrapped up the first Chophouse Band record since their formation over 30 years ago, and is turning his eye once back to the world of headbanging.

Newsted said he's been auditioning guitarists for the project, and already has a drummer more than capable of playing some fast double bass.

"Actually, I spent six months of last year putting together The Chophouse Band Volume 1. The Chophouse Band has been together [and] making music since 1992. So it was our first album after 30 years. I spent a lot of time on that. And then, once I got that under my belt, I'm kind of stepping back into the heavy now.

"So the last couple of weeks I've been auditioning guitar players for a heavy project. I'm back on bass and singing with a metal drummer — double bass, you know; getting' loud again. So I've got a couple of irons in the fire. I'm putting two new projects together right now — but loud."

A bass player of the highest order. I remember reading that he chose not to marry or have a family but dedicate his life to music, same as Steven Wilson.

A bass player of the highest order. I remember reading that he chose not to marry or have a family but dedicate his life to music, same as Steven Wilson.

Either you're misremembering or he changed his mind because Jason has been married for 11 years now.

He changed his mind in 2012.

I want to hear this. If there's any Metallica member left with some decent ideas still, I bet it's Jason.

Pretty curious as to what this will sound like. The album he put out under the Newsted moniker was pretty good so I think he can certainly still write good material.

Even when he was in Metallica, I'm kinda struggling to recall albums with as strong a Bass presence as what Cliff had and that's with skipping the 'Justice' album to give him time to try and add his own touches more. There's maybe a few on the black album, but I struggle to outright point to them specifically.

I honestly don't even remember Newsted's work under his name. I have the first album he did with Voi Vod, and pretty much totally forgot about him after that. I just don't equate him with being a good songwriter. Or even a good co-writer.

Didn't he leave the metal scene as a result of no longer being able to keep up with the playing (be it because of injury or something else)? Or am I thinking of someone else?

IIRC he stated that he couldn't perform at the level he used to with Metallica anymore.

Looking forward to what my favourite Metallica bass player has to offer in the future!

Clearly, you need to listen to the first Flotsam and Jetsam album. Great album and he's the main writer on it.

Clearly, you need to listen to the first Flotsam and Jetsam album. Great album and he's the main writer on it.

I find it stunning that the first Flots record is still glossed over by Metallica and even Jason Newsted fans to this day. It's easily the best thing he ever wrote, and as you said, he wrote a lot of the music, and I believe he wrote all the lyrics too. He went from effectively being the primary driving force of one band, to being barely more than a hired hand at Metallica.

I liked the Metal album he did and will look forward to this. It was unfortunate that he was unable to contribute much with Metallica. The stuff he did get credits on Blackened, My Friend of Misery, and Where The Wild Things are were all good tracks. I remember reading he had a lot of stuff for the Load sessions but was pretty much pushed aside for the stuff Hetfield had.

I hope it has a better name/title than Newsted/Heavy Metal Music. He might as well have called it Blandy/McBlandington.

Also, if he tours, he needs to play some Metallica songs live. When he last toured he should have at least played Blackened.

He played "Whiplash" a few times.