JASON NEWSTED On SUPERNOVA 'Supergroup': 'This Is Going To Be Huge'

June 14, 2006

Former METALLICA/current VOIVOD bassist Jason Newsted recently spoke to Jon Wiederhorn of MTV.com about SUPERNOVA — the new all-star band featuring Newsted, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee and former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke, which will use the "Rock Star" TV program to search for a lead singer.

"We only had nine days to jam before the red light went on in the studio," said Newsted. "Now we have a total of 45 days to form the band, write the songs, develop the songs, record the songs and mix the album. That's called asking for miracles."

Before getting together at Clarke's home studio to rehearse for the show, Lee and Newsted recorded some musical ideas, then traded tapes to get a sense of what their collaboration might sound like. Both were excited by the results and jammed on some of the ideas at SUPERNOVA's rehearsals.

"It's quite futuristic-sounding, and there are some cool styles," Newsted said. "Tommy is coming from a very hip place with a lot of electronica and crazy, heavy beats covered with his real drums. And my slabs of [bass-playing in the styles of] KYUSS and [BLACK] SABBATH are in there. Then you've got Gilby's rock and roll guitar over it all. So the balance of elements is really f---ing cool."

Once a singer is chosen, SUPERNOVA will enter the studio with producer Butch Walker to record an album. Walker previously worked with Lee on his 2005 solo album, "Tommyland: The Ride", and has also produced and written for PINK, AVRIL LAVIGNE, SEVENDUST and LINDSAY LOHAN. Newsted said Walker will likely help shape the songs, but he stressed that there are no musical guidelines.

"We don't have to fill any shoes — we're building the shoes," he said. "No one really knows what it's going to sound like, and we could do anything. We have a very unique opportunity here. A lot of new bands are starting supergroups, but none of them are being created on national network television, so this is going to be huge."

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