Was Cliff Burton really the ‘GREATEST’ Metallica bass player?

Love all of them but Cliff was more than just the bass player in this band - he was the guy turning them onto theory, classical, harmony, arrangement, lyrical inspiration. They moved states just to get him in the band... EDITED - he moved states not across the states, my bad - apologies. Not sure how I missed the previous comments on this MONTHS ago, sorry!

Jason Newsted is kind of underrated. A thing people tend to forget is that he did backing vocals with James and it sounded amazing. On top of that he was an amazing hype man for the audience on a lot of songs as well. They don't really have that today, Kirk and Rob have both taken vocal lessons to try and fill that role, but it doesn't even come close.

Another crazy thing for us all to remember is that Cliff was only 24 when he died. Had he had the oportunity to spend another few decades honing and devloping his craft, God knows where that sound wouls have been 🔥🤘

Cliff had the technical abilties and the music theory, Jason had the tone and aggression, Rob is inbetween the 2 of them and has a groove element he brings. They're all great in their own way.

It's got to be Cliff for me! Claypool auditioned after Cliff's death. Newsted got the gig. I'm old enough to have seen Metallica with Cliff, two weeks before he went. The band were so young, Hetfield had his arm in cast due to skateboarding accident... Trujillo is awesome. But he's been in Metallica for longer than Cliff had even been playing bass. Could you imagine what a player Burton would have been if he had the ensuing decades to really hone his skills... May he rest in peace.

The lack of bass on "...and Justice..." was disappointing considering how much bass was on "Garage Days Re-revisited". Jason sounded like a monster on that EP.

Cliff was an awesome musician, great bass player, and a true metal fan... He is missed.

I'm with the Jason group. His bass sound (when allowed) was top notch. His playing style, as a fellow bass player, was perfect for the music. Rob and Cliff were and are, fabulous, for me JN all day long.

Jason was like a co-frontman with James. So much energy, amazing at working the crowd, great backing singer. Metallica were a better live band with Jason than before or since

Jason for me. I will always remember his bass tone and attack in the 5.98 Garage EP - that was phenomenal.

Newsted is the one for me overall, esp live. He was the guy that got the crowd worked up way better than Hetfield ever did. Hell, their HoF induction got him the biggest ovation of the night as well. He could just do it all imo.

For those who don’t know, cliff used the Morley power fuzz wah. Wah circuit and fuzz in one! Two pedals in one box. The fuzz is BEFORE the wah in the circuit which makes the wah very vocal and aggressive . Hope this helps!

The bass tracks from And Justice For All are still about and there are plenty of mixes on YouTube with enhanced bass (And Justice For Jason). Highly recommend giving them a listen! The album sounds so much better. Dyers Eve bass isolated track is just ferocious

I'm a Jason Newsted guy myself. I mean,he's the reason on why I'm finally jumping into bass playing. But Cliff is a god. Like,damn. He handles the bass like an electric guitar and I LOVE it!

Love Jason's solo project and dude can freaking sing.

Cliff: what the music needed Jason: what the fans needed Rob: what the band needed They're all so amazing.

Burton was absolutely the greatest bass visionary in the band. He was like a Chris Squire or Jack Bruce, bringing a unique voice and musical concept all his own into his genre, and the genre has really been poorer without him. It's hard to picture him in the MTV band they became, but I've no doubt he would have done great things musically with or without them. Newsted - what an absolutely perfect bassist for what the band needed at the time and then evolved into. He rode through so many stylistic changes and nailed every one of them. He brought a tough, rock-first sensibility to the band that made them better and has, IMO, been lacking since. Trujillo's terrific, but his function in the music is so reduced compared to his predecessors that as a listener, there isn't much there to hang a hat on. The formula is so strong around him that the bass feels like it's just kind of there. Mix issues aside, it felt like with Burton & Newsted, we got to hear their full-on talent and style. With Trujillo, it doesn't feel like we're getting to.

There was something very different in the songs Metallica came up with when Cliff was there. I think he contributed immensely to the orchestration of the songs and sound. There may be no bass in …And Justice For All, but you can hear plenty of Jason’s bass in the $5.95 EP Garage Days they put out after acquiring him. And it is absolutely astounding. To this day that is probably one of my most listened to albums of Metallica. Not tracked, but recorded live in studio. Just killer.

Like the late great Dimebag once said, its not what you play, its how your playing makes people feel and cliff’s playing made you feel what he was playing and there will NEVER be another bass player like that and the greatest instrumental that there will EVER be is Orion. Every time I hear it, it puts me in a place that I can’t describe but one thing I do know is that it will hit you in your bones. R. I.P. Cliff, you will be greatly missed forever my friend.💀

8:14 Scott Reeder is one of my favorite bass players of all time. His basslines, attack, and sense of groove in Kyuss are absolutely incredible