“Why don’t you get the job?”

Eric Avery, bassist for Jane’s Addiction, recently opened up about his unexpected experience when he auditioned to replace Jason Newsted in Metallica in 2003. Although he didn’t get the job, the audition left a lasting impression on the musician.

A memorable audition for a highly coveted position

In 2003, Eric Avery took a chance on joining Metallica after Jason Newsted left in 2001. Although the role ultimately went to Robert Trujillo, who remains the band’s bassist to this day, Avery shared his thoughts on the experience during a recent interview with Bass Player. At 59, Avery admits he never thought he’d get the job: “I saw it mainly as a story to tell my grandchildren,” he declared.

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Flea’s influence in the process

Avery reveals that it was Flea, the famous bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who pushed him to consider the opportunity more seriously. “It was Flea who made me believe I could actually get the job,” raconte Avery. “I was talking with him a few days before the audition, and he said, ‘Why don’t you get the job?’ I told him, ‘I’m not the right guy. I’m not Metallica’s new bassist.’ Flea then replied: ‘Why not? They write great music and you’re a great bass player.’” Until this conversation, Avery had never viewed the audition as a real opportunity, but rather a chance to perform iconic tunes with a legendary band.

The “garage rock” atmosphere of the audition

One of the most surprising aspects of the audition, according to Avery, was the relaxed and raw atmosphere of the process. “They brought me in and treated me like a star, which was really lovely,” Avery remembers. “When we started playing, I was shocked at how simple it was: guys with amps, facing each other, like we were in a garage. It was like hearing Metallica playing in their garage, and we were all 20 years old.” During the audition, Avery and Metallica played iconic songs like Master Of Puppets, For Whom The Bell Tolls et Fuela moment he found particularly amusing.

The fate of Metallica and Avery

Although the chance to join Metallica passed Avery’s nose, his audition can be seen in the 2004 documentary Some Kind Of Monster, which also features other candidates including Pepper Keenan (Corrosion Of Conformity), Danny Lohner ( Nine Inch Nails) and Scott Reeder (Kyuss). Robert Trujillo, who was ultimately cast, recently revealed that he spent the night before his audition drinking until 5 a.m. with drummer Lars Ulrich.