Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has said the band will “mow the shit down” when they reunite at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month.

Newsted is due to join his old bandmates on stage when they are inducted into the prestigious roll of honour in Cleveland.

It will be the first time the Metallica have performed with Newsted since the bassist quit the group in 2001.

Newsted told Rolling Stone that he was invited to join the band at the ceremony by drummer Lars Ulrich.

“I talked to Lars, and it’s all good,” he said. “I was happy to hear from him. I hadn’t talked to him for a long time, so it was nice to hear his voice.”

Newsted said the pair talked “as if no time had passed” and had “picked up right where we left off”.

“It was just absolutely positive. It was like, there we were, getting ready to get a beer some place. And Lars is ready to rock,” he said.

“He sounded like a kid again talking about the induction, and I felt pretty much like that, too. Getting fired up to rock after that many years… it’s pretty special.”

Newsted joined Metallica in the late 80s following the death of their original bassist Cliff Burton.

Run-DMC, Jeff Beck, Little Anthony and the Imperials and Bobby Womack will also be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month.

(by Jason Gregory)