Rob Trujillo Says He Wasn’t Expecting To Get The Metallica Gig

Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo recently appeared as a guest on the latest episode of The Ex-Man With Doc Coyle podcast and stated that he didn’t expect to get the gig when he auditioned for Metallica.

Robert Trujillo first came into prominence during his tenure within Suicidal Tendencies from 1989 to 1995. He was also a member of the band’s side project, Infectious Grooves. After leaving Suicidal Tendencies, the bassist began working with Ozzy Osbourne in the late 1990s. He was the co-writer of a few songs on Ozzy’s eighth studio album, ‘Down to Earth.’

Later on, Trujillo also worked with Jerry Cantrell on his second solo album, ‘Degradation Trip,’ released in 2002. He played all the bass parts on the record. Metallica bassist Jason Newsted left the band in 2001, so the band searched for a new bassist to replace him permanently. After three months of auditions, they chose Robert Trujillo as the group’s latest member. Trujillo has performed with Metallica since then.

During a recent appearance, the bassist said he was already working with Ozzy when he went to the audition for Metallica. He thought it would be a good experience for him to jam with them, so he tried to have fun as much as he could. Thus, he never expected he would get the Metallica gig. He assumed he would go back to play with Ozzy after the audition. He feels blessed to be able to be a part of the band. Yet, he knows it also requires hard work, so he always tries to do his best to help his bandmates.

Trujillo speaking on his Metallica audition:

“When I came up, I was already working with Ozzy, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna go up there and have fun,’ and that was it. I didn’t expect to get the gig. The goal was to go up there, jam with them, have fun, and come home and go back to play with Ozzy. So, I wasn’t expecting to get the gig.

Ozzy was my hero. I got to say that I am the luckiest dude ever because I’ve got to create, record, perform with Ozzy, and create, write, perform, record with Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies, record and perform with Cantrell, who is another hero of mine, one of the best composers on the planet.

And then, of course, same with Metallica. So I feel blessed, but at the same time, it is hard work. You don’t get handed this stuff. You gotta be able to play and be someone that’s going to help the family, the team. You gotta be that guy in any band. These are important things to understand.”

You can listen to the full podcast below.