VOIVOD's JASON NEWSTED: 'I'm Having The Time Of My Life!'

VOIVOD bassist Jasonic (a.k.a. Jason Newsted, formerly of METALLICA) has posted the following update to the band's official web site, www.voivod.com:

"It has been three months already since we started our trek across the country...I'm going to do my best to bring y'all up to speed with VOIVOD happenings etc., and perhaps a glimpse into the future. OK, here it goes... We last left you when we were rockin' with Little Kids Rock. We started off the tour with a huge bang at home in San Francisco with SEPULTURA and openers FULL BLOWN CHAOS. We played a couple of California shows, and I ended up in the hospital with food poisoning, and had to cancel the Anaheim date (the first ever show that I personally have cancelled in a 1,500-plus-show career). So, I got the road sickness bullshit out of the way right at the start and powered on with some more metal for the people...picking back up in Phoenix and kicking ass through Texas (dealing with the normal club tour crap i.e. shit sound systems, clueless promoters, and the like).

"On May 3rd, after half a dozen shows, I joined GOVERNMENT MULE at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with a number of cool bassists and heroes present, such as: Roger Glover, Jack Casady, Will Lee, and many others. It was a hell of a time and a great jam. We played a couple of SABBATH tunes and some classic MULE. The show concluded at 4AM. We then hauled ass up North to Chicago where we were greeted by some rabidly thankful old-school VOIVOD fans, and the normal killer Chi-town crowd. All of the midwestern crowds were awesome. Heavy music is alive and well all over the country, but especially here.

"As we made our way East in early May, we ran into some extra nasty weather (the most tornadoes on record in a 3-day span, through Ohio, Kentucky, etc.),forcing us to cancel our Virginia show (sorry y'all, we'll be back!). We crushed for a total of 25 shows in a months time and came out like a fine-tuned machine. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone from SEPULTURA and FULL BLOWN CHAOS for a great, successful, and true metal tour! ...and thanks to all of you that showed up to support VOIVOD and metal!!!

"The other three Voivods then took 10 days off, and I went immediately to start rehearsals with OZZY. It took about one weeks worth of blasting through old SABBATH tunes and all kinds of OZZY music to make me outta my head (so many songs to remember!!).

"June 1st brought VOIVOD home to Canada in the opening slot of a three band OZZY bill, including FINGER ELEVEN. Eight shows across Canada in arenas!! What a total rush!!!!!! VOIVOD lived like never before! (for us to hear the roar of a big crowd, in a big room, with a big PA, after the club tour, was so fucking cool man!!!) So...another big success with the second leg of the tour, and now it's time to take on Ozzfest. I'll be performing with VOIVOD on the second stage in the afternoon and headlining with OZZY on the main stage at night, what has come to be known as double-duty. This will be the busiest summer of my career, so far, and I'm having the time of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Being back on the bus, traveling around and playing heavy music again is a fantastic thing. Remembering how it all started, appreciating the people that I make music with, enjoying our great country and its people. I'm greatly every day for our privileged existence...we are doing the right thing. I look forward to seeing all of you on Ozzfest and sharing music and positive vibrations once again."