by Scott Reeder recently opened up about his audition experience with Metallica and how he ultimately lost the bass player position to Rob Trujillo. He shared the story in an interview with Guitar World.
The bassist recalled receiving an unexpected phone call from Lars Ulrich while working on his ranch. This led to a second audition opportunity with the legendary metal band.
“I got another call, it had to be at least a year later, from Lars Ulrich,” Reeder said. “My wife and I have a 50-acre ranch, and I was outside shoveling some moldy hay into a wheelbarrow, and my wife comes out holding the phone… she thought it was a prank phone call. We used to get prank phone calls from Maynard [James Keenan] from Tool. She’s all, ‘Says it’s Lars Ulrich,’ and she’s rolling her eyes. I grabbed the phone, and it was f*cking Lars Ulrich.”
Reeder explained how he prepared for the audition and the positive atmosphere during his time with the band.
“He said, ‘Hey, man, we’ve got to make a move here. We’ve got to pick a bass player, and would love it if you could come up and jam for a few days,’” Reeder continued. “I was like, ‘F*ck, yeah.’ I didn’t take the first audition for that weekend. I said, ‘Let me hold off for a week, and I’ll learn some stuff.’ I think I had a week to work on stuff; I probably learned 20 songs, and went to the headquarters, and we had a meeting around the table.”
The bassist described how the band delivered the news that they had chosen someone else. He emphasized the respectful way they handled the situation.
“We said our goodbyes, and the vibe was that I was going to come back at some point,” he said. “Kirk [Hammett] said, ‘We haven’t seen the last of you, Reeder.’ And then, they called me, probably about a month later, a conference call with all the guys. They said, ‘Hey, man, hope you’re doing okay. Just want to let you know we have our guy. But you’re family for life. You’re going to be a part of anything you want to be a part of. Let us know.’ So, that was it. James called me back about a half an hour later, ‘You sure you’re alright, man?’”
Reeder’s audition was part of a larger search that Metallica conducted following Jason Newsted’s departure from the band in early 2001. The position ultimately went to Rob Trujillo, who has been Metallica’s bassist since 2003.
Music Radar reported that Reeder was a well-established bassist in the stoner rock and heavy metal scene before his Metallica audition. He was primarily recognized for his work with influential bands such as Kyuss, The Obsessed, and Unida. These bands were noted for their heavy, desert rock sound. Reeder had built a strong reputation as a prominent bass player in that genre.
The audition process was highly competitive and included several notable bass players from prominent bands. Music Radar noted that other candidates included Chris Wyse, Eric Avery, Jeordie White (Twiggy Ramirez), and Danny Lohner. This made it one of the most scrutinized bassist searches in rock history. Rob Trujillo, who was known for his work with Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, and Ozzy Osbourne, ultimately won the position after an intense audition process.
The search for a new bassist came during a difficult period for Metallica. This was documented in the film Some Kind of Monster. Ultimate Guitar revealed that after Newsted’s acrimonious exit in early 2001, the band underwent internal tension. They sought a bassist who could fit in both musically and personally. The auditions reflected Metallica’s high standards and the pressure to find the right member to help stabilize the band and move forward.
The respectful manner in which Metallica handled Reeder’s rejection, including James Hetfield’s follow-up call to ensure he was okay, demonstrates the band’s professionalism during what was clearly a challenging decision-making process for all involved.
