Former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist and current NEWSTED frontman Jason Newsted made an in-studio appearance last week on the "Sixx Sense" radio show hosted by MÖTLEY CRÜE/SIXX: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx.

A three-minute audio clip in which Newsted talks to Sixx about his decision to leave METALLICA can be streamed below.

According to MTV, Newsted quit METALLICA in February 2001 for several reasons, including his desire to play more of a creative role. He also felt the band had lost its focus and was spending too much time involved in litigation and political rhetoric. And finally, he needed time off to recover from neck and back injuries he sustained banging his head every night onstage.

Newsted last performed with METALLICA in December 2011 at all four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the band's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a group for fan club members only.

"Metal", the debut EP from NEWSTED, sold around 6,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 62 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Metal" was released on January 8 exclusively via iTunes. The EP was made available as a physical CD on January 15.