Metallica bassist quits

Health worries: Jason Newsted

Metallica bassist Jason Newsted is leaving the heavy metal group, blaming "physical damage" caused by playing in the band.

Newsted has played with the group since 1986, performing at 1,000 concerts and on six albums.

In a statement released through Metallica's record company, Elektra, he said leaving was "the most difficult decision of my life".

"Due to private and personal reasons, and the physical damage that I have done to myself over the years while playing the music I love, I must step away from the band," he said.

Newsted added that the decision was made "in the best interest of my family, myself, and the continued growth of Metallica".

He did not elaborate on the "physical damage" he said he had caused to himself.

'Huge inspiration'

Singer James Hetfield paid tribute to his former colleague, saying: "Playing with someone who has such unbridled passion for music will forever be a huge inspiration.

Due to private and personal reasons, and the physical damage that I have done to myself over the years while playing the music I love, I must step away from the band

Jason Newsted

"On stage every night, he was a driving force to us all, fans and band alike. His connection will never be broken."

Drummer Lars Ulrich said the group parted with Newsted "with more love, more mutual respect and more understanding of each other than at any other point in the past".

He said that the band's remaining members - himself, Hetfield and Kirk Hammet - looked forward to "embracing the next chapter of Metallica".

There is no news of a replacement, although work on a new studio album, due for release in late 2001 or early 2002, begins in the Spring.

Worldwide success

Founded in California in 1982, Metallica took their influences from UK acts of the time like Motorhead and Diamond Head.

Just as the band were becoming worldwide stars, bass player Cliff Burton was killed when the band's tour bus crashed in Sweden.

Newsted, who played in another band at the time, joined after telling the others he knew Metallica's entire repertoire.

Since then, the group have become the most well-known heavy metal act in the world, selling 55 million albums worldwide and picking up five Grammy awards.

More recently, Lars Ulrich has become a leading figure in the campaign against internet song-swapping service Napster, while the group teamed up with composer Michael Kamen and the 104-member San Francisco Symphony Orchestra to perform Metallica compositions.