Jason Newsted Marries: Former Metallica Bassist Ties the Knot

Congrats are in order for former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted.

The musician married his longtime girlfriend Nicole Leigh Smith in October, but the news is only starting to funnel into the press now. So they kept a lid on it for quite some time, it would appear.

According to Blabbermouth, the blushing bride plans to take her new husband's last name. She said that Newsted is "a fantastically talented guy, and I'm happy to be taking on his last name."

Newsted, 49, thanked Smith in his acceptance speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. She was also the person who encouraged the musician to find a new hobby when he was forced to wear his arm in a sling after surgery to repair years of abuse that was a the result of performing. That's when he discovered his passion for painting.

A founding member of Flotsam & Jetsam, Newsted replaced the late Cliff Burton in Metallica in 1986 and left the group in 2001. Since then, he's played with Voivod, Ozzy Osbourne and Echobrain.

Noisecreep wishes Newsted and Smith a long and happy marriage.