Ex-METALLICA Bassist JASON NEWSTED Opens Up About Throat Cancer Diagnosis: 'I Got My 'Free And Clear' About Three Weeks Ago'

During an appearance on an upcoming episode of Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted opened up about a health scare he had last year when he was diagnosed with throat cancer. After Delray noted that Newsted was invited to take part in the final edition of Dean's legendary Bon Scott/AC/DC tribute show this past February, the 63-year-old Newsted, who recently announced that he will embark on the first-ever North American headlining tour with his THE CHOPHOUSE BAND this summer, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET from video clip provided by Dean Delray): "If I could have been there, I would've been there. And so I will talk about this a little bit. I decided that this week, as I'm beginning to roll out the promotion for the shows and stuff and let everybody know I'm gonna be back around, and you already know it — you're, probably, in the 24 people that I told.

"So, let's see — in one week, it's gonna be a year. So one week from today, it'll be a year. May 8th of 2025, I underwent a procedure for throat cancer. And so they took a bunch of shit outta here and then they went in with lasers this way and took a bunch of shit out. So the cavern inside my head is different than it was, but we got it early. And I got my 'free and clear' about three weeks ago. So I beat it."

Newsted added: "I promised myself I was going to rest, and that was the first time I've done that in my life. I'm usually just on or off. And so I promised myself I was gonna take the gravity off and lay down for the right amount of hours. And there's no way, with my arrogant, spoiled ass that I would've stopped smoking weed, that I would've stopped drinking, that I would've stopped doing all the things. But the great spirit got my attention and said, 'That's not good right now, man.' And so it pulled me off it. And so now I'm more clear-headed than I've been in my entire adult life. And so there's blessings within everything. The lemonade I'm making this summer, bro — mm. Sweet. Ooh."

JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND will play eight headlining dates in cities including Northampton, Albany, Alexandria, Grand Rapids, Knoxville and more (full dates below). The group will also support iconic Atlanta country rock outfit BLACKBERRY SMOKE for 10 shows in July.

This 18-date run will kick off on July 1 at Northampton's Iron Horse Music Hall, and visit major markets across the South, Midwest, and East Coast, and conclude with a two-night stand at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on July 24-25.

Since 1992, JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND have performed periodically at select benefit shows and charity gigs, supporting causes like veterans' relief and animal rehabilitation, as well as youth music and arts education programs.

Newsted leads the 2026 JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND lineup, in which he is joined by Jesse Farnsworth (guitar, vocals),Jimbo Hart (bass, vocals),Humberto Perez (guitar) and Robert John-Tucker (drums, vocals).

JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND play a gritty brand of outsider Americana, with roots outstretched into traditions of bluegrass, folk, soul, rock, and a bit of heavy metal. At the same time, Newsted's lyrics cut deep as he threads personal stories into the fabric of this music, presenting perhaps the most intimate and uncompromising portrait of who he is thus far.

When the tour was first announced in April, Jason said: "I've realized that this is where I can place my energy effectively now. THE CHOPHOUSE is the continuation of my ambassadorship of American music. THE CHOPHOUSE BAND plays everything from bluegrass to fucking slabs of metal. We're covering a lot of ground. There could be country flavor to a song, but it'll still have sharp teeth. We are looking forward to an exciting summer!"

Tour dates:

July 01 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall
July 02 - Albany, NY - Empire Underground
July 03 - Lititz, PA - Mickey’s Black Box
July 05 - Wayne, PA - 118 North
July 06 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
July 09 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater*
July 10 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center*
July 11 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium*
July 12 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
July 15 - Lewiston, NY - Artpark*
July 16 - Utica, NY - Saranac Brewery*
July 17 - Farmington, PA - Timber Rock Amphitheater*
July 18 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall*
July 20 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
July 21 - Newport, KY - Southgate House Revival
July 22 - Knoxville, TN - Open Chord
July 24 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium*
July 25 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium*

* Supporting BLACKBERRY SMOKE

Named after Jason's four recording studio facilities around the U.S. and featuring a fluid roster of players, THE CHOPHOUSE BAND began in 1992 when Newsted founded The Chophouse Records Studio in San Francisco.

THE CHOPHOUSE BAND is led by Newsted, playing guitar and performing lead vocal, accompanied by 
close friends/musicians of all walks and styles.

Jason previously told the Palm Beach Florida Weekly about THE CHOPHOUSE BAND: "We all get along great because there's not money involved. They've got their own bands, their own families, their own gigs. We do benefit gigs, six a year, and that's it. I record and write and play songs the whole rest of the time. They could all run circles around me musical theory-wise. They could tell you everything they’re playing, and all the relating chords. I surround myself with the badasses, and they make me look really good. I'm playing cowboy chords the whole time, and they're doing their fancy shit to make me look good. I just concentrate on singing, and getting across the things I want people to hear."

Jason left METALLICA back in 2001, but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.

Twelve years ago, Jason shelved NEWSTED, the heavy metal project he operated between 2012 and 2014, saying that it cost him "an awful lot of money — hundreds of thousands of dollars." He added: "I couldn't continue because the business is such a harsh thing now and so different than what I had known."

(Thanks to Dean Delray for providing BLABBERMOUTH.NET with video clip containing the above-mentioned quote related to Jason Newsted's throat cancer diagnosis.)