This Day in ’09: Metallica Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Nine years ago today, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an event important enough to reunite the band lineup that recorded the band’s multi-platinum self-titled LP. 

“The Black Album band will be back together and mow the shit down,” Jason Newsted told Rolling Stone in advance of the 2009 event. Although Newsted had played bass for the band from 1986 to 2001, he left Metallica in the wake of his bandmates dismissing his suggestion that they take a hiatus, one which he’d wanted because he’d hoped to spend some time focusing on his side project, Echobrain. 

Despite his abrupt departure from the band, Newsted has remained on solid terms with his bandmates for the most part. He was invited to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Metallica via a phone call from his former bandmate, Lars Ulrich. 

"I was happy to hear from him,” Newsted told Rolling Stone. “I hadn't talked to him for a long time, so it was nice to hear his voice. It was basically as if no time had passed, as far as the conversation went. We picked up right where we left off. It was just absolutely positive. It was like, there we were, getting ready to get a beer some place. And Lars is ready to rock. He sounded like a kid again talking about the induction, and I felt pretty much like that, too. Getting fired up to rock after that many years... it's pretty special."

Newsted wasn’t the only member of Metallica who felt that way: during the band’s acceptance speech, frontman-guitarist told the assembled crowd, “Dream big and dare to fail, because this is living proof that it is possible to make a dream come true.”

By the way, Metallica weren’t the only artists being honored that night: Jeff Beck, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Run-DMC, and Bobby Womack were all inducted. But it’s fair to say that Metallica definitely made the strongest – and loudest – impression.