During a recent appearance on “Brief but Spectacular,” Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo reflected on growing up as a hopeful musician, with big dreams and aspirations.
“All of us young musicians in junior high and high school aspired to be rich and famous. We looked up to our super heroes, which were Ozzy Osbourne, and I remember Rush was a huge influence of mine, and Van Halen, and Led Zeppelin – everybody wanted to be Led Zeppelin,” he said.
Trujillo went on to admit that while did eventually become a successful musician, not every aspect of his dreams came true.
“So I wrote it in my yearbook [that I planned to become rich and famous like Led Zeppelin]. It was kind of a joke, but here I am, not rich. And I don’t know how famous I am, but I’m having a good time, and I think that’s what’s important.”
Trujillo was previously a member of Suicidal Tendencies from 1989 to 1995 and Ozzy Osbourne’s band from 1996 to 2003. Upon joining Metallica in 2003, the bassist received a $1 million signing bonus.
In a 2024 interview with The Surfer’s Journal’s “Soundings” podcast, Trujillo addressed the massive payday, saying:
“It’s there, but it’s not there. Everybody says, ‘Wow, man.’ After taxes, it’s a little different than a million dollars… And I just saw it as, like, ‘I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. I’m not gonna worry about… I’m not gonna think about the money. I’m not gonna celebrate what’s going on because I’ve got work to do.’”
