Jason Curtis Newsted is an American musician who was the bassist of American heavy metal band Metallica from 1986 to 2001. Beginning his career with thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam from 1981 to 1986, he successfully auditioned with Metallica to succeed the deceased Cliff Burton. Newsted performed on the albums ...And Justice for All (1988), Metallica (1991), Load (1996), and Reload (1997), the most album appearances among Metallica's bassists.