https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/entertainment/2022/04/14/metallica-former-bassist-jason-newsted-current-band-loves-jupiter-florida/7269326001/

Bassist Jason Newsted on why he really quit Metallica … and why he is still awaiting ‘The Call’
Wendy Rhodes
Published 5:01 a.m. ET April 14, 2022

Don’t let the resting scowl face fool you. Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted is funny as hell.

[...]

Celebrating 30 years in 2022, The Chophouse Band is a far cry from the head-banging rock that defined Newsted’s time with Metallica and Ozzy. His “song bible” today, he said, is composed of music from his “heroes,” such as Neal Young, Tom Waits, Bob Seger, and his go-to favorite, the Man in Black.

“It’s Johnny Cash with long, sharp teeth,” Newsted said, making little fangs with his fingers.

The music, which Newsted calls “right close to bluegrass all the way to some pretty scary metal stuff and everything in between,” is also a far cry from the good-time rock music of Van Halen, which Newsted came within an inch of joining six months ago.

Alex Van Halen had already tapped Joe Satriani to replace Eddie Van Halen, Newsted said, and the two were searching for a bass player for a possible Van Halen tour.

Newsted said he agreed to go to California to jam with the guys and see if it felt right, but, in his heart of hearts, thought it would be impossible to do justice to Van Halen’s legacy.

“How could you?” he said. “There’s nobody that can top it, so how do you show it honor? I didn’t want it to be viewed as a money grab. And then it kind of just all fizzled.”

Newsted keeps plenty busy with The Chophouse Band, he said, so much so that he does not even partake of social media, which he called a “time suck.”

[...]

Wouldn’t it be a Van Halen TRIBUTE tour

Not sure I believe this. I could never see Al playing live again unless it was a tribute gig to Ed playing alongside Wolf.

I think the day Ed passed VH ended.

Straight up nonsense.

ModelCitizen: Straight up nonsense.

Exactly…. absolute total garbage Alex would never do that it doesnt even make sense….. total crap

vhrob: Exactly…. absolute total garbage Alex would never do that it doesnt even make sense…..total crap

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I know next to nothing about Jason Newsted. Is he the type of person to make this up?

ron: I know next to nothing about Jason Newsted.Is he the type of person to make this up?

Not sure but given what VH is like and how they dont EVER do anything like this and Alex’s silence this is the furthest thing from the truth I would EVER believe…. doesnt even make sense… but who knows I am not buying it

Rob

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/joe-satriani-van-halen-tribute-tour/

Joe Satriani Details Prospective Van Halen Tribute Tour
Bryan Rolli
Published: April 18, 2022

Joe Satriani revealed he has been in talks with Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth about a potential Van Halen tribute tour.

“I’ve been talking with Alex and Dave for about a year about doing something — a tour, something like that — that was going to be a true tribute to Eddie and the Van Halen legacy,” the guitarist told the Rock of Nations With Dave Kinchen podcast.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3adBB5phk1bLvqGrkaRT8k?si=8c09f1c7511243a6

Satriani admitted the tour sounded daunting, but he was up to the task. “For me, it was a terrifying prospect of doing something like that, but I realized that it was something that would be a real labor of love for me,” he said. “I was just so honored to take on the challenge.”

The guitarist’s comments support claims that Jason Newsted made last week about a Van Halen-related tour. The former Metallica bassist turned heads when he told The Palm Beach Post that he had received an invitation from Alex Van Halen to jam with him and Satriani. “There’s nobody that can top it, so how do you show it honor?” Newsted said. “I didn’t want it to be viewed as a money grab. And then it kind of just all fizzled.” Satriani said he was surprised to hear Newsted reveal the pending tour plans.

“These things are always happening in the music industry, and you’re supposed to keep very quiet about it because sometimes they don’t work out,” he said. “There’s usually about 10 crazy ideas that float around, and musicians are always like, ‘OK, I won’t say anything about this, because it may not work out. I don’t want to hurt this person’s feelings or disrupt any other business plans. So yeah, we were all pretty shocked that Jason wanted to go public with it because we were all sworn to silence.”

When asked whether Sammy Hagar was being considered for the tour, Satriani suggested it would account for all of Van Halen’s catalog. “The thought of representing all the eras of Van Halen, that’s pretty daunting,” he said. “Just from a guitar player’s point of view, Eddie progressed remarkably as a player and as an inventor, and those two things, they kind of went together from Van Halen 1 all the way to the last album. And when you sit down to actually learn it and pull it off, you go, ‘Wow, not only do I need talent, but I need certain gear,’ because certain things won’t work unless you’ve got this amp and it’s doing that. So that’s also another thing to deal with.”

Despite Newsted’s comments, it sounds like the tour has not been ruled out entirely. “It’s very complicated, and all I can really say about it is that if it does happen, I know we’ll make it the greatest thing ever for the fans, and we’ll all celebrate together,” Satriani said. “Not only the great Eddie Van Halen but the legacy that that band created, the amazing amount of music and the goodwill and good vibes they created as a band.”

So many questions to this strange idea.
I wonder now if Al will replace Jason as he leaked the information out.
Was Mike never in the picture because of his ties with Sammy.
So if Dave was in the picture also does Al still hold a grudge against Sammy.
Was Wolf not involved because he’s doing his own thing surely he’d make a guest appearance.
May be Sammy & Gary would make appearances..
Knowing the VH camp how they hate things leaked I wonder if the whole thing gets scraped.
Would it only be a few shows.
But as we know with VH never say never.
Very strange

They’d have to work it in around what other musicians have locked in.

Joe starts touring in September for 3 months, then he’s in Europe next year starting in April.

PT5150: Joe starts touring in September for 3 months, then he’s in Europe next year starting in April.

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All this talk seemed to be for last year.

ron: All this talk seemed to be for last year.

Yup I wonder if it all fizzles out now that it’s out there…

I just don’t like the idea of this project,to me it’s no Edward no ticket

Dave’s view via VHND

https://www.vhnd.com/2022/04/18/exclusive-rumored-van-halen-celebration-tour/

unchainedheart: I just don’t like the idea of this project,to me it’s no Edward no ticket

It’s just a tribute show. Kind of like the Freddie Mercury thing. Just sounds like they might be touring it as apposed to doing the one show, which is probably a good idea in this current climent.