Ex-METALLICA Bassist JASON NEWSTED Opens Up About Throat Cancer Diagnosis
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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).
