Former Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen has revealed details about the controversial bass mixing decisions on the band\u2019s 1988 album \u201c\u2026And Justice for All.\u201d He shared his insights in an interview with Radio Futuro.<\/p>\n
Rasmussen provided a detailed account of what transpired during the mixing process when asked about the lack of audible bass on the album.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the story is that Metallica flew in, listened to what they\u2019d done, and they went, \u2018No, no, no.\u2019 \u2018Where\u2019s my drum sound?\u2019 \u2018Where\u2019s my guitar sound?\u2019 And actually Lars said, \u2018Now take the bass down so you can just hear it.\u2019 They did that. You can see it on YouTube. There\u2019s plenty of videos of Steve Thompson telling about this. And then once they\u2019ve done that, he said, \u2018Take it three dB more down.\u2019 So, it\u2019s Lars and James [Hetfield] that decided, and why they did that, I\u2019ve asked them a thousand times. I do not know,\u201d Rasmussen said.<\/p>\n
The producer offered his theory about the band\u2019s motivations. He suggested multiple factors were at play.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think the reason why they turned the bass down is, like 50% of it is because they were on tour with Van Halen [at the time], I think, and they flew in and heard the mix. And I think that\u2019s the point where Lars and James realized that, \u2018We don\u2019t have Cliff anymore. It\u2019s not his bass. It\u2019s a totally different sound.\u2019 And I just think they couldn\u2019t relate to that at the point. That\u2019s probably half of it,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
Rasmussen then shared a more controversial theory about the band\u2019s treatment of bassist Jason Newsted.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut this is just me; I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s true or not. But the other half is what they hated most about Jason was that he was such a Metallica\u2019s fan, so every time they asked him anything, he just did it. So I think they took it down just to piss him off, \u2019cause they were expecting him to say, \u2018Can you turn the bass off?\u2019 And he probably never did. That\u2019s why the bass is so low. But I don\u2019t know. I mean, I don\u2019t know,\u201d Rasmussen concluded.<\/p>\n
These revelations provide crucial context to one of metal\u2019s most debated production decisions. They come from someone who witnessed the process firsthand.<\/p>\n
Rasmussen\u2019s perspective carries significant weight given his extensive history with the band. Louder Sound reported that he produced three of Metallica\u2019s most influential albums: \u201cRide the Lightning,\u201d \u201cMaster of Puppets,\u201d and \u201c\u2026And Justice for All.\u201d His long professional relationship with the band makes his insights into their creative process particularly revealing.<\/p>\n
The production choices on \u201c\u2026And Justice for All\u201d were notably unconventional for the era. Songfacts noted that Rasmussen used no reverb at all on the album. Instead, he relied on a complex setup of multiple microphones to achieve a three-dimensional sound. This stark production approach may have contributed to the album\u2019s distinctive but controversial sonic character.<\/p>\n
Rasmussen\u2019s shock at hearing the final mix remains evident even decades later. Loudwire documented his reaction when Lars Ulrich played the finished version for him. Rasmussen recalled: \u201cI just looked at him and said, \u2018What\u2019s that?\u2019 He said, \u2018That\u2019s the mix.\u2019 I said, \u2018No, it\u2019s not. You forgot the bass.\u2019 But there\u2019s no bass on there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comments shed new light on the internal dynamics within Metallica during a pivotal period in their career. They reveal how creative decisions can sometimes stem from complex interpersonal relationships rather than purely artistic considerations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen has revealed details about the controversial bass mixing decisions on the band\u2019s 1988 album \u201c\u2026And Justice for All.\u201d He shared … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3064,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n