Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted was asked if he can live off the royalties from 'The Black Album'

May 4, 2017

[Photo credit: Instagram]

Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted was recently asked by Metal Injection if he'd be able to live off royalties from The Black Album for the rest of his life.

Speaking about Metallica's self-titled 1991 record, usually referred to as The Black Album, Newsted discussed the enduring popularity of the release:

“[T]he sales of the record is something that's never been seen before, it's this thing that won't go away, and everything we couldn't ever have predicted, so that's plain and simple, that's information for anybody to know or find.”

When elaborating as to whether he could survive from The Black Album's royalties without ever having to work again, Newsted told the site that he was already well taken care of by Metallica's camp prior to The Black Album's release, upon his joining the band as an official member in 1987:

“But early on, when I joined the band in '86 and they were already headed up by some very together people. Some very together team of management and other people that handled their business. From day one, even when I was just a hired gun before I started getting a cut—it took five and a half months before I started getting a full cut. So the first five and a half months, I was just a session guy. So by April of '87, which was… yeah, check THAT shit out. Thirty years ago this month, I joined as a full member taking a full cut.

“So, from that time, the persons that handled them and guided them, also took me under their wing and guided me. OK? And the people that know what goes on with investments. So, when we did what we did and were able to hit what we hit, and hit that stride, and we were able to take it to the people when there were that many 12- to 16-year old male individuals on the planet that we played our metal to and they came and checked out the stuff and we made some bucks and CDs still sold and T-shirts still sold, and we really invested money. That's all.

“It's cool that the record's selling and that's great, but I mostly do things for other people with that money. So […] The Black Album really didn't have to sell anymore either, because somebody helped me early on in my career.”

As inferred in the above quote, it would appear that Newstead isn't hurting, and he even says he helps others with the continuing proceeds that he apparently receives from The Black Album's ongoing sales.

To put that in perspective, the 16x multi-platinum Black Album reportedly still sells anywhere between 2,000-5,000 copies a week. (via Metal Injection)

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