Metallica’s Robert Trujillo On Motown – That Was 100% In My Wheelhouse
Robert Trujillo of Metallica lays down some bass riffs during a performance at Ford Field in Detroit on November 12, 2023.
I’m not one of these interviewers who looks to steer artists into giving props to Detroit. I think it sounds cheesy. I’m not a fan of *Name The City* loves you and blah, blah blah. But I will tell you in all candidness, bands LOVE playing in Detroit, and a lot of Detroit music has influenced many of them. These are just the facts, and many times it comes up organically in conversation, like it did with Robert Trujillo.
During my recent conversation with Robert of Metallica, I asked him about this. I had been to the Motown Museum for the first time earlier that day and I just thought I’d ask him if that music played a part in his musical life. I did not expect the answer I got. “That was 100% in my wheelhouse.” He went on “I grew up listening to nothing but Motown. And I listened to a lot of James Brown and of course…that was kind of my early years.”
He told me about discovering rock with Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and Black Sabbath but it went back to Motown. He talked about how the metal/hard rock bass players before him were inspired by Motown bass lagend, James Jamerson. “There isn’t a bass player in rock, in metal, in sort of modern music that’s serious about their instrument, that doesn’t respect those bass lines coming out of Detroit and Motown”
“Yeah, it was really a true artistic statement that was brand new and fresh that came out of here, came out of this city” He said Jamerson put the bass much more upfront, saying so many other musicians would follow his lead as, what he called him, the forefather of the electric bass.
You can watch parts one and two of my interviews with Robert below.
Robert Trujillo On Motown, Geddy Lee And 20 Years In Metallica
Here’s part 2 of my interview with Robert Trujillo of Metallica, as we get ready for another show Sunday night with Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills.
We started off the conversation this time talking about the impact that Motown had on him. “That was 100% in my wheelhouse.” He told me about growing up listening to that music, and then being turned onto rock and metal. “There isn’t a bass player in rock, in metal, and sort of in modern music, that’s serious about their instrument that doesn’t respect those bass lines coming out of Detroit”. That led us to more bass talk and guys who inspired him.
Robert talked about Detroit’s “swagger” and all the history and music from here. “There’s a soulfulness to it.” He also talked about his love for Houdini and everything he did in the Motor City.
I had to ask him about the upcoming project he has coming out with the legendary RUSH bass player, Geddy Lee. He spoke to really getting a chance to hang with Geddy. “He wanted to know what it’s like in the world of Robert Trujillo” Robert was fired up about the whole experience “It was really, really cool.” He told a story about Geddy watching his son play at a local bar. He said people were blown away that the Canadian legend was there.
I asked him about re-recording the Ozzy Osbourne album Diary of a Madman. “That’s an interesting story,” he said, and he was off and running about that project. He said he’s always there for Ozzy and Sharon, commenting “Ozzy is my hero”.
2003 was a monumental year for Robert. He called it the year that changed his life. “So many things happened.” He spoke about joining the band and the work ethic that playing in Metallica brings. “That’s the thing about this band, it’s always 100%”. He said when he joined the band, it was about fitting in and not bothering the other guys, but just trying to learn as he went.
A huge thank you to Robert and his management Q Prime for the chance to talk with him. Also, thank you to Erin Gellert and Adan Armandriz for all the help!
Enjoy the interview below….
Meltdown started on the mighty WRIF on the evening of Halloween, 1995. Technically, his first on-air shift was the morning of November 1st. Moving to the Motor City from Buffalo, N.Y., he has built a career and family. Over his almost three-decade stint at RIFF, he's had the privilege to work with some of the biggest personalities in Detroit radio history. He boasts of being just the second-afternoon drive jock in the station's illustrious 53-year history.
Along with his love for rock music and attending concerts, he's also an avid Harley-Davidson enthusiast and hockey player. He plays year-round and manages to squeeze in a few charity games throughout the year. Meltdown writes about the Detroit Red Wings, rock music, and Detroit concert venues.
