According to Ryan J. Downey of mtv.com, former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has left the Ozzy Osbourne band after less than a year for undisclosed reasons and has been replaced by former Rob Zombie bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson.

Nicholson couldn't be happier about the opportunity. "It's still settling in," Nicholson enthused, talking on his cell phone while driving through Hollywood. "It's something I never would have imagined. After playing with Rob Zombie, I was ready to go, 'OK, this is as far as I'm taking this bass-playing thing. This is the end of the road.' I was ready to kind of hang it up. But when this came around, it was very odd," he added. "I was almost like, 'There is no possible way that this could happen.' "

Newsted, busy writing new material with thrash band VoiVod, declined to comment to mtv.com for this story.

Osbourne had recruited Newsted following the departure of longtime bassist Robert Trujillo, who coincidentally had left to fill the position Jason left vacant in Metallica. Despite talk of writing an album together, Newsted parted ways with Osbourne sometime after fulfilling his touring obligations on this year's Ozzfest.

At least one other bassist, Fear Factory's Christain Olde Wolbers, jammed with Osbourne, guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Mike Bordin in recent weeks, but Nicholson was hired after successfully completing two auditions.

"The first audition was a little intimidating, to say the least," Nicholson said. "Granted, I know Zakk and I've been on Ozzfest before. The situation wasn't uncomfortable, it was just intimidating, playing these songs that I had never played. But the second audition, I was a lot more prepared."

" 'Into the Void' is my favorite Black Sabbath song and Ozzy called it out," he continued. "At that moment, I realized, even if I don't get the gig, the fact that I got to play 'Into the Void' with Ozzy was the coolest moment of my life!" During the auditions the band also played songs like "I Don't Know," "Bark at the Moon," "Crazy Train" and "Paranoid."

In recent weeks, Nicholson had been recording music with Helmet's Page Hamilton and his Rob Zombie bandmate John Tempesta. He also said that when Zombie releases a new record, he'd be open to the idea of touring with him if the offer were extended and scheduling with Osbourne's band permitted.