Hogyan �s mikor tal�lkoztatok Jasonnel?

Jason egy foly�parti bulin l�ttam a Flotsamban j�tszani, meg p�r klubban. Nagyon �desnek t�nt. Edet m�r ismertem a testv�r�n, Timen kereszt�l, �s Kelly Smithet is. Tiszt�n eml�kszem arra az est�re, mikor el�sz�r tal�lkoztunk. Egy koncerten j�tszottak egy The Bootlegger nev� b�rban. Bementem �s l�ttam Jasont a sz�npadonon, szemezni kezdt�nk �s azt hiszem, valami ilyesmit mondott, hogy van p�r IRT� klassz csaj a k�z�ns�gben �s egyenesen r�m n�zett mik�zben ezt mondta. Nagyon h�zelg� volt. A fell�p�s ut�n odaj�tt hozz�m �s azt mondta, „Fontol�ra venn�d valaha is, hogy randizz velem?”. Nan�, hogy igent mondtam! H�t �gy tal�loztunk.

Merre j�rk�ltatok el, �s miket csin�ltatok?

T�bbnyire Flotsam koncertekre j�rtunk. Azt�n annyira m�r nem j�rtunk sokat sz�rakozni, p�nz sz�k�ben voltunk, �n meg f�iskol�ra j�rtunk. � a szabadideje nagyr�sz�t zene�r�ssal vagy gyakorl�ssal t�lt�tte, �gyhogy az id�nk is v�ges volt. N�ha elment�nk a The Bootlegger �s a The Mason Jar-ba, mert Jasont ingyen beengedt�k. Sokat l�gtunk a Flotsam-os lak�sban a Camelback Road-on. Csom�t pi�ztunk, k�l�n�sen Nancy (Ed bar�tn�je, aki nemr�giben halt meg r�kban) �s �n!! Jason �s Ed mindig r�nk kiab�ltak, hogy ne l�rm�zzunk m�r ennyire. M�k�s volt.

Jason kereszt�ny csal�b�l val�, ezt �szre is lehetett venni rajta?

Nem. Nem is tudtam, hogy Jason csal�dja ennyire vall�sos volt. Azt tudom, hogy milyen nagyon szeretett volna csal�dod �s gyerekeket. Eml�kszem, randizgattak egy olyan csajjal, akinek m�r volt egy kisl�nya egy m�sik haveromt�l, �s Jason nagyon-nagyon szerette a kisl�nyt, m�g azut�n is, hogy szak�tottak a csajjal.

Tal�lkozt�l a csal�dj�val? Ha igen, milyenek voltak?

Nem. Sosem tal�lkoztam a csal�dj�val.

Abban az id�ben, amellett hogy a band�j�ban j�tszott, volt m�s munk�ja is?

Igen. He had a job picking up electrical waste at different construction sites when we were dating. I remember him waiting outside my house EVERY weekday morning in that huge truck waiting to see me off to school! Minden nap legal�bb egy r�zs�val v�rt r�m. Ez volt eg�sz �letemben a legkedvesebb dolog ami valaha t�rt�nt velem! Annyira hi�nyzik a gondoskod�sa! De csak 17 �ves voltam, �s nem �lltam k�szen egy ilyen komoly kapcsolatra. Mindig azon t�n�dtem, honnan szerzi azokat a r�zs�kat! Azt hiszem, a szomsz�dom kertj�b�l csente el �ket!

How would a normal day be for Jason's back in the Flotsam & Jetsam days?

A pretty normal day for Jason would be to go to work, come back to the apt on Camelback, and do his promoting, have a beer or so, maybe practice and go to bed. He was the hardest worker I ever met, especially when it came to the band promotion stuff. I remember him writing every metal magazine and promoter possible, just to get some exposure for the band. He did tons of articles and interviews and basically forced the Flotsam name out there.

How much time did he spend on the music?

He spent nearly all of his free time doing promo stuff. But he also worked really hard at the music. They practiced a lot back then, so his real free time was very limited.

Did he feel that he would be able to make a living of his bass playing?

I don't believe that Jason ever REALIZED that he would make it. He worked so hard at it. I knew that he was special and my heart always said he would go far. I don't think he could fathom back then just what was going to happen and just how famous he would be.

Which expectations did he have for the future, what was his plans before Metallica came into the picture?

He always wanted to do something with music. I'm sure he never expected in his wildest dreams what would come. I think the only thing he wanted back then was to make Flotsam the biggest band around. I do know he wanted a family and children also. I think he was mostly concentrating on day to day stuff, the next gig etc.

Akkoriban a kedvencei k�z� tartozott a Metallica? Mondott b�rmit is a Metallic�val kapcsolatban, vagy tett r�juk megjegyz�seket?

�, igen. Akkoriban a Metallica volt a kedvence. �s a Motorhead is. Eml�kszem, a kis targonc�j�val elgurultunk Apu h�za el�tt Metallic�t hallgatva. I had the import of Queensryche's first EP at the time and he liked them too. Ma m�r k�ptelen vagyok meghallgatni a Metallica els� album�t- t�l sok eml�ket �breszt fel bennem! Azt hiszem, m�g a targonc�ja h�ts� ablak�n is volt egy Metallica matric�ja. Ha j�l eml�kszem, a Bootleggerben egyik este a Flotsam volt a Metallica el�zenekara. Jason tiszt�ra ki volt! The band came over to the apt on Camelback, and I'll never forget, this girl who did Flotsam's photography (Tina) came running in the apartment crying. Some guy had beat her up or something. All the guys and me and Nancy ran out to the parking lot. At the time every guy had long hair and I remember just hair flying everywhere. I think that guy got pummeled by everyone! It was an interesting night, to say the least!

Do you know how his reactions were when he got the Metallica job?

I have no idea what his reactions were except what I've heard from mutual friends. We had broken up right before that. I heard he was extremely happy about it.

Mi volt az els� gondolatod, mikor hallottad, hogy Metallica-tag lett?

L�ssuk csak, hogy mi volt az els� gondolatom? TUDTAM! Tudtam, hogy sokra viszi majd. Nagyon, nagyon �r�ltem neki. H�t, most m�r nem �ll semmi az �tj�ban- gondoltam. De azt hiszem, kicsit szomor� is voltam, mert tudtam, hogy soha nem l�thatom t�bb�.

How do you think Jason's life is now when he have left Metallica?

13. I hope much more relaxed and happy! That is all I've ever wished for him. Nem akarok belemenni, hogy miket hallottam arr�l, hogy a Metallica mennyire undor�t�an b�nt vele. But I have heard stories and I have been bummed for him. I hope he gets on with his life and has a family and is healthy. I also hope that he continues his plans for other projects. There are millions of fans still on his side who want more! He's above all a devoted musician and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He didn't have the creative control over the music he wanted, I do know that, and being a musician, not having any say in matters will get the better of you eventually. I am glad he left and is free to pursue and control his own music.

Egy�b j� sztorik?

Csak a legjobbakat k�v�nom Jasonnek. Eg�sz �letemben soha nem volt senki, aki �gy a tenyer�n hordozott volna, mint �. M�g mindig nagyon sokat jelent nekem. Elmes�ltem az els� randinkat �s azt is, mikor utolj�ra l�ttam �t. A t�bbi sztori m�r XXX jelleg�… Csak viccelek! Elj�tt a sz�leim lak�s�ra, bemutatkozott Ap�nak, �s ez volt az els� IGAZI randim, �gyhogy t�k izgatott voltam. Kinyitottam az ajt�t, �s ott �llt talpig feh�rben! Nem kifejezetten Jasonre jellemz� sz�n! Egy feh�r b�rdzseki, feh�r nadr�g �s bakancs �s egy j� zak�. Csak �multam, �s arra gondoltam, „H�ha, biztosan nagyon kedvel, ha m�r �gy j�tt el!” Egy CoCo’s nev� �tterembe ment�nk vacsor�zni, csirk�t vagy valami ilyesmi egyszer� kaj�t ehett�nk. Eml�kszem, a vacsora k�zep�n megcs�kolt! T�k zavarban voltam! De nagyon aranyos volt. Azt�n beugrottunk a The Bootlegger-be iszogatni egy kicsit. Sosem felejtem el, mikor Bill (a tulajdonos) odaj�tt hozz�m am�g Jason a mosd�ban volt, �s azt mondta: „Nagyon NAGYON sokat jelenthetsz Jasonnek, ha �gy kics�pte mag�t!” Ett�l olyan j� kedvem lett! Csak �cs�r�gt�nk k�zenfogva �s cs�kol�ztunk. One of the owners kids had one of those gooey things you throw at a wall and it sticks and crawls down it. Im�dta Jasont, �gyhogy Jas j�tszott vele egy darabig. Csod�latos este volt, hazavitt, ahol azt�n m�g hossz� ideig besz�lgett�nk �s cs�kol�ztunk. Talpig �riember volt, kinyitotta az ajt�t meg minden ilyesmi. Egy t�k�letes este! The last time I saw Jason was backstage at the And Justice For All Tour. I waited and talked to Lars and Kirk for what seemed like hours back there. We were just about to leave when I heard, "Lauren!" I guess he was behind me for a while but didn't have his contacts in, so he didn't see me. I believe he was married at the time. I turned around and he literally swooped me off my feet and just hugged me for like a half an hour and told me how nice it was to hold me again! I asked him to sign my pass and he laughed..."you're kidding, right?" Then, his girlfriend, (wife?) came over and asked him if he was going on the bus or driving with her, and he said,"not now"! I was blown away, because I didn't know what his reaction would be to seeing me again. It was the best hug I've ever had (and the longest). It seemed to last forever!