by Former Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen has revealed details about the controversial bass mixing decisions on the band’s 1988 album “…And Justice for All.” He shared his insights in an interview with Radio Futuro.
Rasmussen provided a detailed account of what transpired during the mixing process when asked about the lack of audible bass on the album.
“And the story is that Metallica flew in, listened to what they’d done, and they went, ‘No, no, no.’ ‘Where’s my drum sound?’ ‘Where’s my guitar sound?’ And actually Lars said, ‘Now take the bass down so you can just hear it.’ They did that. You can see it on YouTube. There’s plenty of videos of Steve Thompson telling about this. And then once they’ve done that, he said, ‘Take it three dB more down.’ So, it’s Lars and James [Hetfield] that decided, and why they did that, I’ve asked them a thousand times. I do not know,” Rasmussen said.
The producer offered his theory about the band’s motivations. He suggested multiple factors were at play.
“But 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’s the point where Lars and James realized that, ‘We don’t have Cliff anymore. It’s not his bass. It’s a totally different sound.’ And I just think they couldn’t relate to that at the point. That’s probably half of it,” he continued.
Rasmussen then shared a more controversial theory about the band’s treatment of bassist Jason Newsted.
“But this is just me; I don’t know if it’s true or not. But the other half is what they hated most about Jason was that he was such a Metallica’s fan, so every time they asked him anything, he just did it. So I think they took it down just to piss him off, ’cause they were expecting him to say, ‘Can you turn the bass off?’ And he probably never did. That’s why the bass is so low. But I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know,” Rasmussen concluded.
These revelations provide crucial context to one of metal’s most debated production decisions. They come from someone who witnessed the process firsthand.
Rasmussen’s perspective carries significant weight given his extensive history with the band. Louder Sound reported that he produced three of Metallica’s most influential albums: “Ride the Lightning,” “Master of Puppets,” and “…And Justice for All.” His long professional relationship with the band makes his insights into their creative process particularly revealing.
The production choices on “…And Justice for All” 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’s distinctive but controversial sonic character.
Rasmussen’s 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: “I just looked at him and said, ‘What’s that?’ He said, ‘That’s the mix.’ I said, ‘No, it’s not. You forgot the bass.’ But there’s no bass on there.”
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.
