Robert Trujillo, bassist for the heavy metal band Metallica, recently shared why he hasn’t written much music for the band during an appearance on Toby Morse’s One Life One Chance podcast, as reported by NME. Trujillo joined Metallica in 2003 and is the band’s longest-serving bassist. He received his first songwriting credits with the band on every track of their 2008 album Death Magnetic and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Metallica in 2009. In 2016, he was credited as a writer on the Hardwired… to Self-Destruct track “ManUNkind.” Most recently, he co-wrote three songs on Metallica’s 2023 album 72 Seasons: “Screaming Suicide,” “You Must Burn!” and “Sleepwalk My Life Away.”
The 60-year-old explained why his songwriting contributions have been limited. “I’m joining Metallica, and these guys write amazing songs. I’m just not going to suddenly insert myself into [it],” Trujillo said on the podcast.
“I like to keep people happy and comfortable,” he continued. “My role is always to support what’s needed for the team. I’m writing a song with the guys, I’m contributing that way.”
Trujillo emphasized that his priority is maintaining harmony within the band. “As long as the river flows the right way, that’s the most important thing. [Also] how you cater to the personalities.” He discussed uplifting each other and respect.
Despite writing fewer songs, Trujillo highlighted the collaborative nature of the band’s creative process. “Whether you see the name on the song or not, I’m in the room every time we’re working on music: I’m there, with Lars [Ulrich] and James [Hetfield].”
He also noted that his contributions occasionally shape the band’s music. “There are times when I’m like, ‘I’ve got some cool ideas,’ and James is always receptive. If you listen to the middle section of ‘You Must Burn!’ on the new record, that’s James and me jamming in the tuning room. Then it becomes a part of this particular song,” Trujillo shared.
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