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 Dan Lorenzo: There was a long gap between the first Flotsam and
Jetsam (Jason's first band) cd and the new Echobrain cd. Were you in any bands I might of heard of between them?
Jason Newsted: (starts to laugh before I even finish question) I love it!
DL: What's new?
JN: I spent all weekend in NY making the first Echobrain video. I just got back yesterday morning (to San Francisco) and I brought it with me.
DL: What would you tell people as a forewarning who expect you to release a heavy cd?
JN: No forewarning. I do not believe in premonitionship like that. If somebody's telling you about a movie "Oh yeah, that one part" when you haven't seen it, or giving you an idea
what hey thought of it, I think that's real bullshit. I will only say that it's not Metallica. It stands on it's own completely as a band. Here's how I look at that thing, man. The first couple
reviews are going to say "former Metallica bassist" blah, blah. After that it's gonna say "Dylan Donkin's magical voice... this wonderful, psychedelic music". I've got both big
black boots kicking the door down, not just "getting my foot in the door", but twenty years of pounding it out with Flotsam and Metallica. Let the music do the talking.
DL: Some people don't have open minds, what are you going to say if some fans say "Hey dude, why did you get so mellow"?
JN: I hope they do. I hope that I turn peoples heads up, I hope that I turn them on the sides of their heads and they go "What the F is up with this guy"? And whether they return
the record or turn off the radio that is fine with me. I would rather have somebody have an opinion and really know what they want than go "Oh the Metallica bassist, I'll go buy it, it
must be good," come to the show looking to hear "Enter Sandman" played by somebody else, that kind of B.S.. I'm not really interested in those kind of people sharing our
music. If they're not really into and it and having an open mind. What would it be, dude, if I were to release, right now, a "wanna-be" Metallica record? 
DL: Embarrassing.
JN: I like Megadeth, God bless Megadeth,David Ellefson-one of the best metal bassists there's ever been, ok, so respect there, no problem, and the same with Dave Mustaine, but Megadeth was a watered down
Metallica.
DL: You think so? Don't you think Dave Mustaine was Metallica in a certain sense that he wrote so much of the music for the first Metallica album?
JN: Fuck no! No, no, no.
DL: So you think it would be too much if I said he wrote most of the best early Metallica songs?
JN: No, I think it's very possible that he wrote those riffs when they were in a basement and they made it into songs and stuff like that. That's what happens in an early stage of a
band. But he lasted 10 months in Metallica. Metallica is now in their 21st year. God bless Dave once again, but it was not Metallica. They were good, but they weren't as good as
Metallica. What would happen if I put out a rap/rock record, or a watered down Metallica? That would just be so stupid and predictable.
DL: So you have nothing bad to say about Metallica. Now I have tons of respect for James Hetfield, he seems like a great guy, but he wouldn't let you release any of the music
you've created over the years. You went from the main guy in Flotsam to a barely audible bassist on your first Metallica album. Now you are not allowed to release anything outside
of Metallica. To me, that makes James sound like an asshole.
JN: Umm, that, I think from the outside is a completely understandable standpoint for yourself and many others. Something that is very important to realize, is there has
been one rule in the instance of James Hetfield, he is the protector and guardian of the name Metallica. If anyone, anything ever comes close to chinking the armor, the
answer is the same. It does not matter if it's me or God or his mother. Metallica comes first and you do not fuck with it. I've had 13 months to think about it now and I wish we
could of talked a little more, maybe handle it as men a little more professionally. I don't have bitterness towards him. His head space, his psychological state at the time was not that
great with family and his other things. I've had a rebirth and I feel great and I'm kicking ass and I hope those guys will be doing the same soon.
DL: I'm looking at the Echobrain cd and it says "All songs written by Echobrain..." somewhat ambiguous. Was the songwriting process really a collaborative effort or is this Dylan's band?
 JN: This is, like umm, when we play live I put together a
four piece band to back up Dylan's talent. That is definitely the way it is. He is the special gifted person of this group just as Hetfield is the special gifted person of Metallica. The songs you have
were written together as a band. We wrote music and lyrics together.
DL: I know you think of your songs as "your children". Right now would it be counterproductive to release all the music you've recorded over the years?
JN: I have a grand plan my brother. I started Chophouse Records last year, and the first official release is going to be the Echobrain record. I have hundreds of hours on DAT tape of recordings. I want to do
"The Chophouse Heavy Samplers" volume 1-10, you know '90-'92, '92-'94 you know in the next six years or something.
Interview courtesy of Dan Lorenzo and
Steppin’ Out Magazine.
RELATED LINKS:
Official Echobrain Site
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