Hulk Hogan was a wrestling legend, accomplished actor, and an undeniable pop-cultural icon, but was also a musician. In fact, he once told us that he tried to play bass for both Metallica and The Rolling Stones.
Back in 2014, Vice sat down for a chat with Hogan, specifically to talk about his often-overlooked early music career. Amidst the stories of his old band days and surprising collaborations, Hogan shared that when he went through a period of feeling burned out with wrestling, he sought to change things up.
“I always still loved music,” Hogan said, then going on to recall offering his bassist services to what might very well be the greatest rock band of all time. “I was in the UK for some award show, and Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger’s old lady, was walking out with me to present this award,” he said. “I heard her talking on the phone to Mick about ‘Oh, you got to find a bass player and you’ve only got two different choices.’ I went ‘. . . what!?’”
“She had already told me that her kids are big fans, and she wanted merchandise,” Hogan continued, “so I was like, ‘All right, let’s reel her in.’ I was like ‘Look, I used to play bass. I know all the Rolling Stones songs. Tell Mick if you guys need a bass player for the Rolling Stones, I swear to god I could show up. I could rehearse one day and play everything they play. Please tell Mick, please tell Mick.’”
Hogan days that when he “got home,” he “sent her all the merchandise,” but “never heard a word back.”
Shortly thereafter, Hogan says he got word that “Metallica needed a bass player,” after longtime bassist Jason Newstead exited the band. The late NWO wrestler said he “was writing letters” to Metallica, and even “made a tape of myself playing and sent it to their management company.” Hogan said he “kept making calls trying to get through,” and that he “tried for two weeks” but “never heard a word back from them either.”
“I would have quit wrestling to play in The Rolling Stones or Metallica like that [snaps fingers],” Hogan added. “I was hoping for a call from them, but never got one. All the haters were like, ‘You never auditioned for Metallica!’ Of course I didn’t—but I tried!”
Ultimately, Metallica hired former Suicidal Tendencies bassist Robert Trujillo to be their new bass player, and he has been with them since 2003, making him Metallica’s longest-serving bassist.
Hogan passed away at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24, 2025. He was 71. At this time, his cause of death is reported as due to cardiac arrest.
Click Here to read the full throwback Vice interview with Hulk Hogan
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