Bob Rock opened up to the ‘Talk is Jericho’ podcast about the last Metallica album he produced that made it into Jimmy Page‘s favorites list. He had produced and even played bass for ‘St. Anger’ during a difficult period for Metallica as bassist Jason Newsted had just left the band.
Rock shared that he had to be there for the guys as a producer and a friend, stating:
“Also, James wasn’t there for a long time. We had to punt, you know, we had to keep it going and moving, so that record wasn’t the best for my career, but it was the best in terms of I had to be there for those guys because they broke up. I just put in a couple of years and focused on being a good friend, and if that album didn’t happen, I don’t think they would’ve lasted. They had to do that album so they could just go back and be them.”
Even though ‘St. Anger’ debuted on top sales charts, including the US Billboard 200; the album was regarded as one of Metallica’s worst to date. Rock doesn’t consider the album his best, either. However, other rockers felt otherwise as Bob recalled his interactions with Jack White and Jimmy Page. He said:
“It is, great stories, though; two guys in the whole world Jack White at the ‘It Might Get Loud’ premiere, I happened to be in Toronto when it happened, came up to me and said, ‘By the way, I love St. Anger, it’s an amazing album,’ and left.
The other thing, Jimmy Page, not to drop names, but he’s a friend, anyways at the Sunset Marquis, he’s sitting eating breakfast on the other side of the pool, and somebody walked by and said, ‘I’m here to see Bob Rock,’ and Jimmy said ‘Oh, Bob’s here?’ He came over and talked to me, which blew my mind coming from Winnipeg that Jimmy Page even knows my name. He said, ‘By the way, I love St. Anger; it’s a great album.'”
You can listen to the full interview here.
