Metallica Bassist Robert Trujillo Says Being in a Band is 'About the Relationship'

Metallica Bassist Robert Trujillo Says Being in a Band is ‘About the Relationship’

2022-07-05

Robert Trujillo of Metallica – Story by Anne Erickson, photo by Ken Settle

Robert Trujillo of Metallica says being in a band is much like the dynamics of a family, and to treat band members with the same respect

Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo has plenty of experience as a musician, both in Metallica and in his previous bands, such as Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves and Ozzy Osbourne’s band. So, what’s Trujillo’s advice to up-and-coming musicians?

Speaking on “The Ex-Man with Doc Coyle” podcast, Trujillo gave some advice for newbie musicians, which includes his 12-year-old son, Tye, who is also a bass player and has even toured with Korn. Listen to the full interview below.

“When you’re in a band, it’s about the relationship,” Trujillo said. “Creative people can be very complicated as people in life as individuals. “It’s one thing to be able to play. You’ve got to be able to play… (because) that gets you through the door. But, then you’ve got to be able to be a solid individual with these guys that are going to become your new family. A lot of times, you’ll have sort of a role in that band that you may not have in other situations. That is imperative that you sustain your responsibility, not just as a player, which goes without saying, as a friend, as support,” Trujillo said.

He added that since a band is often like one big family, musicians should treat their bandmates much like they treat their family members. “I try to stress that to Tye, my son, because he’s in a couple of bands and he’s having the time of his life,” Trujillo said. “I said, ‘Just remember, when you go on the road, you want to be balanced and you want to balance the people that are around you. You want to be responsible and take care of your end of the deal.”

In other news, Metallica are currently working on their follow-up to “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct.” No word yet on a release date, but band members have assured fans it’s not years away.

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Anne Erickson

Meet the expert - Author, writer and editor Anne Erickson is a Detroit-based music reporter and radio host. She has written for the USA Today Network, Consequence.net, Blabbermouth.net, Loudwire.com and many more. Anne holds a master's degree from Michigan State University. Contact Anne at anne@audioinkradio.com.