“I pretty much knew I wanted to play music the moment I heard it”: Metallica’s Robert Trujillo reveals the Van Halen song that inspired him to be a musician
For many musicians, there’s a single moment – a song, a riff, a performance – that forever alters their path. For Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, that moment came courtesy of Eddie Van Halen’s iconic guitar work.
Speaking on PBS Newshour, Trujillo recalls the song that lit the fire within him and the fateful moment that kickstarted his rockstar journey.
He says, “When I grew up, I had a lot of friends that were hockey players. Believe it or not, they weren’t just skaters and surfers growing up in Southern California. You think that’s what it’s all about. And I used to go ice skating over at the Culver ice rink. And that’s where I kind of discovered music.”
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That discovery came in the form of Eruption, the mind-bending guitar solo from Van Halen’s 1978 debut album. The moment young Trujillo heard Eddie unleash his signature finger-tapping technique, he was hooked.
“And you’re there skating and you’re trying to find a date. That’s what’s going on. You’re in junior high. And I’m hearing Eruption for the first time, that guitar solo, Eddie Van Halen. And I was like, wow, what is this? I pretty much knew I wanted to play music the moment I heard it.”
Of his early musical aspirations, Trujillo notes, “All of us young musicians in junior high and high school aspired to be rich and famous. And we looked up to our superheroes, which were Ozzy Osbourne.”
“I remember Rush was a huge influence of mine, Van Halen. Led Zeppelin, everybody wanted to be Led Zeppelin,” he adds. “So I wrote it in my yearbook. It was kind of a joke, but here I am. Not rich. I don’t know how famous I am, but I’m having a good time. And I think that’s what’s important.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Trujillo also praises the work ethic of his current bandmates, saying, “The work ethic in Metallica is something that really did impress me from day one. These guys are getting together in the morning, probably around 11:00, which for most rock musicians is way too early, and not leaving the studio until 11:00 at night.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
