貝司的獨白 --- 前Metallica貝司手Cliff Burton和專輯[Master of Puppets]

by Eve Ensler

You want me to talk about “Master of Puppets”? Well, I'll tell you, it was the last album with Cliff Burton. That’s most what I think about when I think about that album. Cliff died in that bus crash in Sweden, or where-the-f*ck-ever. I miss Cliff – he played me really well. He was rhythmic and powerful – when he played me, I felt percussive. And the bastards mixed me down. Listen to “Master of Puppets” now? All guitars, all drums, all James. Guitars, guitars, guitars, drums, drums, drums, James, James, James. Where’s the bass? Where’s the f*ckin’ bass, man?

People don’t understand how important the bass is, and there are very few producers who really know how to make a bass sound really good. And that’s just wrong, you know? I mean, I ain’t no f*cking Mellotron, okay? I'm an impact player, you know? I’m a guitar, just like any other guitar! Just because I’ve got four fat strings instead of six skinny ones, it doesn’t make me less important.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I really respect the guitars and everything, and I admit that on “Battery” and “The Thing That Should Not Be”, I do sound pretty hot – and me and the drums – we’re like this, y’know. Whatever I do, he does, and whatever he does, I do too. But I wish that I would’ve gotten a little more of the spotlight, y’know? Not so much for myself. No, totally not for me. But for Cliff. He was really really good at playing me. And he was a good guy too. I mean, everybody liked him. And I just feel like, in order to get the recognition he deserved, he had to die, you know? He had to make that ultimate sacrifice – just so that the world would see how great he was.

Don’t get me wrong, Jason Newsted, the guy who filled in after Cliff died - he was a great player, and I have to give him total respect for coming into this band that was already established, and just – you know - going with it. I mean, good for him, right?

But Cliff was something special. He was powerful, but on songs like “Master of Puppets” and that instrumental “Orion”, he had this amazing melodic sense. And the dude made me laugh. I mean, the way he swung his hair around was a riot. The guy was a walking party. I really feel like I was privileged to be played by him. [stifling tears] … D@mn it, I promised myself I wouldn’t do this. I need to stop. Can we stop now?

Orion ------- Master of Puppets