Though renowned record producer Bob Rock is primarily a guitarist, in 2001 he took on one of the most challenging bass gigs in rock history: filling in for Metallica after bassist Jason Newsted’s departure. Rock played all the bass guitar parts on Metallica’s 2003 album St. Anger, keeping the band’s album project moving forward during a critical time. This was a monumental task for Rock, considering he had never really played bass before.
Despite having only performed three live shows with drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and vocalist James Hetfield, Rock became an integral part of Metallica’s bass legacy in the studio. “Please – tell all the bass players of the world to go easy on me, man,” Rock joked in an interview with Bass Player. “I did my best to represent you well!”
Following in the footsteps of notable bass players like Jason Newsted and Cliff Burton—who tragically passed away in a 1986 tour bus accident—Rock had big shoes to fill. However, his extensive experience as a guitarist and record producer gave him the confidence to step up and meet the challenge head-on.
In the early 1980s, Rock played guitar for the band Payola$ before establishing himself as one of rock’s most sought-after producers, working on hit albums for artists like Loverboy, Mötley Crüe, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, and the Cult.
Rock had been working closely with Metallica since their 1991 self-titled Black Album, which propelled the band to mainstream success with tracks like “Enter Sandman” and “Nothing Else Matters.” Though Rock had no prior bass experience, his willingness to fill in meant St. Anger could move forward without waiting for a permanent replacement.
Rock recalled, “Years ago, Lars, James, and I were going through a song we did for the Mission Impossible soundtrack [‘I Disappear’], and I played bass because Jason wasn’t there. So after Jason left, rather than auditioning new bass players, they said, ‘Why don’t you just play bass like you did on the Mission Impossible thing?’” And so, Rock stepped into the role, and his bass contributions to St. Anger were solidified.
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