Dave Mustaine: Newest Addition To Megadeth Is 'Remarkable'

Since migrating from Metallica to Megadeth back in 1983, Dave Mustaine has had his share of obstacles to overcome. He endured a lengthy battle with the bottle and admitted in the documentary Some Kind of Monster to feeling resentful for being fired from Metallica, but the 2008 clean-and-sober Mustaine is a musician who is at the top of his game.

The frontman delivered some of his most memorable riffs and complex arrangements on Megadeth’s latest album United Abominations, and it’s obvious that his fan base is as strong as ever. For further evidence of that fact, just watch the DVD That One Night: Live In Buenos Aires (let’s just say that there’s a sea of Megadeth fans that sing along with everything – vocals, guitar parts, percussion, you name it).

It’s been almost a year since United Abominations was released, but Mustaine’s schedule hasn’t slowed down. Most recently he returned from the UK leg of the 3rd annual Gigantour festival, and April 12 will mark the start of the North American dates. Things did get a little complicated back in February with the announcement that Chris Broderick (formerly of Nevermore) had replaced Glen Drover as Megadeth’s second guitarist. In case some of you are wondering, there’s no classic Mustaine feud brewing. Drover parted ways to spend more time with his young child, and Mustaine – a father of two himself – completely supported his decision.

As the date approached to chat with Mustaine, I have to admit there were some nerves on my part. After all, this is the man who has been known to pick apart journalists with a single comment and start feuds that span several years. Once we got the interview started, I found Mustaine to be a different man than what his image has portrayed over the years. Although there were moments when Mustaine went into “blunt mode,” his candid nature was actually refreshing. Simply put, these weren’t canned answers to sell records. He did take a jab at a few people during the interview, but more often he came across as a down-to-earth, congenial guy who is extremely appreciative of his dedicated fan base. And those fans likely feel the same way about Dave – blunt comments and all.

UG: One of the biggest pieces of news recently has been the addition of guitarist Chris Broderick. What has Chris brought to the band?

Dave: He obviously brings a sense of great caliber of guitar playing. He had come recommended by Shawn (Drover), and Glen (Drover) had parted because he had needed to spend time with his 3 year old. I absolutely understood why Glen would want to leave. I did it a few years earlier. When Glen knew that Chris was coming in, he gave a glowing endorsement. All he does is work out and play guitar, and that’s great! I went to YouTube and I looked at a couple of the clips that he had. I thought this guy was a remarkable player.

He was supposed to audition and I was putting together a gymnasium at my house. James (MacDonough) laughs about this because he said that Chris thought it was some kind of initiation thing! “Dave, I know you and I know you just needed your gym built!” So he’s thinking, “Yeah, I passed with flying colors. My hazing was to be lifting weights.”

He’s a great guy and we get along great. He’s got a great look, very healthy. He plays great, sings great, and he’s got a great personality. He’s teachable, which is good in this business. Guys that are as good as someone like Chris usually are really arrogant and hard to deal with.

"As far as being able to play a song from beginning to end, most guitar players can't do that."

Have most of the guitar players who have played in Megadeth picked up the music pretty quickly?

No, none of them have. The guitar players that are part of Megadeth’s alumni, they’ll all tell you that on the outside looking at the guitar parts, it’s relatively pretty comprehensive. They’re all really accomplished guitar players who will say that they’ve got it.

I remember Al Pitrelli. Al was not an eagle’s nest of talent, so to speak. If there was a tier, Al would probably be some of the least talented that we’ve had. There were periods where we had more of the B Level of people than the A Level guys. He said that he would be there 2 days, know all the songs in the set and have a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I said, “None of us smoke.” He goes, “Okay, Nicorette Gum!” It was like, “You just don’t get it.”

Chris had to come down numerous times, and Chris has got degrees and all types of credentials as a genius guitar player. He told me, “I’m writing a 3-part fugue with 2 guitars and a bass." I’m like, “Oh, my God. I can’t believe I even know what that means. I think I know what you mean!” I said, “And where are you going to use that?” I was thinking he would say, “Well, I’m going to put it in the new Megadeth record.” He goes, “Well, you’ve already heard some of it.” I’m going, “Okay, that’s a good start.” So we’re really excited about this guy.

Have you written any material with Chris yet?

No, not really. I’ve heard him do some stuff and I thought, “It would be great to do a riff under one of those things that you’re playing.” I may very well have heard what he’s doing and heard a necessity for a rhythm part underneath so that it could be song-worthy. There are plenty of guitar players that sit in a room with a guitar on their lap and sound like they’re playing something great. But if you put a metronome next to them, you realize that they’re pretty shitty. As far as being able to play a song from beginning to end, most guitar players can’t do that. There are a lot of guitar players, if they make a mistake, they’ll stop. They won’t know how to keep the flow of the song running along.

It’s kind of like if you’re on a motorcycle and you’re running down the freeway, and you crash. You don’t get back on the motorcycle at the same exact spot where you crashed at because there’s a long skid mark of your ass on the road. You’ve got to kind of get back on wherever you end up stopping at.

We had one period in Florida where we had a song that the drumbeat got messed up. So instead of it going snare-kick drum, it would go kick-snare. All of the sudden it became like a country polka. I went back and I was trying to holler at our guitar player to say, “No, this is wrong! This is wrong!” We were unable to communicate because it was the heat of the moment. He was up on this huge drum riser thing, too. The beauty of that is that I could say out of that entire last year, there was only song that had that happen.

That chemistry as a band definitely came across in the DVD That One Night: Live In Buenos Aires. I loved how the audience sang along with not only the vocal parts, but the guitar parts as well.

Yeah, wasn’t that crazy? We actually heard really good news from the record company that put that out. There’s something that came through the pipeline yesterday that it crossed the 100,000 mark. I don’t know if that’s the States or if that’s worldwide. If it did cross the 100,000 mark, that means that it’s platinum. It would be really nice to have platinum again.

I understand that you wrote most of the material on United Abominations. On tracks like “Pray For Blood” or “Gears of War,” can you recall whether it was a riff or a lyric that originally got those songs started?

The irony is that both those songs were written with a gamer mentality. "Gears of War" obviously is a game, and “Pray For Blood” is a song about a person who plays games. You come at it from the position that you’re listening to that song with a game controller in your hands. This guy is the best that there is, and he plays for blood. I got that line from the movie Tombstone, which I love.

You debuted a few new Dean models at this year’s NAMM convention. Are most of the specs fairly similar to what you used on your former ESP models?

Oddly enough, the specs are not really that different between the Dean guitar and the Jackson guitar. The guitar that was in between those 2 companies, that one was a little bit different as far as the dynamics and the dimensions were concerned. The Dean guitar has got a very solid feel to it, the way that it’s made. There’s a consistency to it that I really appreciate. When I pick at the guitar, it’s pretty much like a doctor who has a scalpel. I mean, I’m sure he could do the same thing with a butter knife or a razor blade, but you don’t want to leave a mess. You know what I mean? People will say, “Hey, you want to jam?” And I’ll look at their gear and I’ll think, “Uh, no.”

"I'm at home right now taking a much needed sabbatical."

Did the people at Dean approach you?

I was planning on going back to Jackson, and the folks from Dean heard that I was between contracts. We talked and it seemed like it was a good fit for me. They understood me, who I am, how I play, what I need from a guitar company, and what I need from a guitar. And so far, we’ve had a good relationship.

I recently talked with Michael “Padge” Paget from Bullet For My Valentine, and he mentioned that his ESP signature model actually has most of the specs from your former model – but with a different facade. Is that flattering to you?

It depends. I mean, if he’s got a signature model and he’s using my specs, then it’s not his signature model. I’ve got say that in the long run, when you hear some of the young bands that are coming up, the ones that are good, if I have a chance to influence them or in some way inspire them to use the equipment that I use or endorse some of the equipment that I use, that’s a great thing.

It’s a gray area, though, when you start getting into the infringement of some people’s signature stuff. I like to kind of keep my nose clean and not say, “Hey, you’re using my shit.” I think that’s just a little bit too high school for me. If somebody likes my guitar, play my guitar. If you’re going to have my guitar and you’re going to put your name over the top of it, hey, that’s okay, too. At the end of the day, the guys at the factory know that they’re just continuing to build the DV8.

Are there any techniques or tools that you would recommend to young guitarists who are just beginning and are hoping to achieve your level of playing?

I would have to say nowadays, the way you learn how to play and the simplicity to which you can learn how to play and the ease of being able to capture what you create, it’s come a long way since when I first started playing. You figure I started playing about 33 years ago, and then you think back to just 3 years ago – I’ll put things into perspective for you. Look at the speed of the Internet. Three years ago, a lot of people were switching over to cable. If you go someplace and someone has got a 14.4 modem, you’re thinking, “Dude, what’s with the string to the telephone?” The technology has multiplied exponentially, and it just continues to reinvent itself. As far as learning how to play and slow something down and being able to keep in tune when you’re slowing down, that makes it a lot easier for guitar players to learn songs.

I wish I could be learning nowadays. I do have, in a very indirect way, a vicarious pleasure because my son Justis plays. He’s better than I was at 15. So he doesn’t have to make the same personal mistakes that I made, which caused a setback in me achieving my goals sooner. I don’t see why he’s not going to end up being a better guitar player than me.

That might be hard to do, Dave.

Well, he’s got the genes. I taught him how to curl his lips!

Is Justis currently in a band?

Not yet. We’re talking about getting together the right people. I don’t want him to get into a band, become bonded with one of the players in the band, and the player be crap and us needing to jettison him. There would be some resentment from my son because he had a friend in the band.

The 3rd annual Gigantour is about to arrive in North America this April. What can we expect from the show this year?

I think it would be counterintuitive for me to say anything other than it’s better than the last one. Realistically when you talk to the people in the industry, they know that it’s one of the strongest festivals in years, whether it’s Gigantour or not. I think the diversity in the lineup has really given it a lot of credibility. The fact that we have a Scandinavians that has some real teeth, European bands, Swedes, Finland. I don’t know if you know exactly where Finland is on the map, but it’s close to the North Pole. I’ve played there numerous times, and I’ve actually got a little Finnish ancestry.

I asked Alexi (Laiho) if they wanted to be on the very first one, but evidently there was some kind of rift between him and another band on the lineup. We couldn’t do anything about it because we already confirmed the other bands. So here we are, everybody is happy, and we’re ready to rock.

"It would be really nice to have platinum again."

Have you found time to write any new music on the road?

Honestly, I’m at home right now taking a much needed sabbatical. We’ve been out on tour for over a year. We come home in between legs, but as you can probably imagine, the other band members get to unplug. All that happens for me is I get off of one train and get on to another. Right now during my vacation time, I’m doing interviews and I’m doing a photo shoot today and I’m doing a seminar. I’d like to take my 46-year-old carcass down to the beach to see some water. I went to the beach this morning and the waves were perfect. If I had it my way, these guys would be using archived footage and the interviewers would be transcribing a bunch of stuff off my fact sheet over on my website.

But you do have to admit that it’s a compliment that fans and media are still very interested in what Megadeth is doing 25 years later.

I’m not ungrateful for having the attention and the work right now. It’s one of those jobs that you really treat fans with honor and respect. If you’ve got even a modicum of humility, you can last in this business. To me, the most important thing was to treat people the way you want to be treated. Some people say that I’m a mean person. Well, you know what? The person that’s saying that is probably a dipshit and I put them in their place! I have a knack for doing that.

I’m sure that there have been moments when others have deserved some of your verbal jabs.

There is some stuff I regret, though. Some of the stuff, when you see it in print now that I’m older and I have kids, I kind of wish I hadn’t have been quite as colorful with the words. But that’s who I was. I didn’t ever think that someday my 10-year-old daughter would be reading about me saying something about having sex in an interview. I didn’t think it was inappropriate at the time because there was no daughter. It’s given me a great sense of respect for the opposite sex of my fan base. I’ve always really respected everybody that’s been fans of ours.

Interview by Amy Kelly
Ultimate-Guitar.Com © 2008

Comments

[xxx_lionel_xxx]

first?????

FOR THE FIRST TIME

[AerialOverdrive]

To me, the most important thing was to treat people the way you want to be treated. Some people say that I’m a mean person. Well, you know what? The person that’s saying that is probably a dipshit and I put them in their place! I have a knack for doing that.

lol...priceless

[jayeshrc]

oh shit read the whole thing and then commented.... it was blank then..... damn missed it.

[metalmanjosip]

nice interveiw

dave owns

[DenHond]

Megadeth 4 ever

[jeza123]

"....he would say, “Well, I’m going to put it in the new Megadeth record.” He goes, “Well, you’ve already heard some of it.” I’m going, “Okay, that’s a good start.” So we’re..."
awesome to see that there still going to be making more records in the future.

[webbtje]

Broderick owns.

[jonnyharris1]

I think the comments about al pitralli and his views on his son starting a band were really unnecesary,bitter and arrogant.
Its weird because sometimes in daves interviews he sounds realy nice and down to earth, other times like this i get completely the opposite impression

[Selin]

I love reading about this guy. Such a great personality and a great guitarist.

[duncang]

Sounds like he's forcing the whole guitar thing on his son, huh?

[scawti]

James (MacDonough) laughs about this because he said that Chris thought it was some kind of initiation thing!

That's James (Lomenzo). MacDonough left long ago

[MusicalMinority]

He comes across as very down to earth and honest...
And what can I say? Sometimes, the best in the business aren't always the most people-friendly.

(And this is coming from a big Metallica fan.)

Checked!
\m/

[savory_softy]

jonnyharris1 :
I think the comments about al pitralli and his views on his son starting a band were really unnecesary,bitter and arrogant.
Its weird because sometimes in daves interviews he sounds realy nice and down to earth, other times like this i get completely the opposite impression

+1

[thedude051]

Sounds like he is trying to control his sons band.

[sambargun]

jonnyharris1 :
I think the comments about al pitralli and his views on his son starting a band were really unnecesary,bitter and arrogant.
Its weird because sometimes in daves interviews he sounds realy nice and down to earth, other times like this i get completely the opposite impression

Well I did read an interview with Al Pitrelli when they were releasing 'The World Needs A Hero' about how he himself(in his own words a 'cocky New Yorker') thought that it was quite easy to figure out and play all the songs and ultimately was surprised at the complex parts. So I'm not surprised that Dave said that.....

[SpooneyMallard]

He was planning on going back to Jackson! Why did Dean have to do this

[Hexagram]

Chris is going to kick ass in Megadeth

[say5ss2]

nice interview

[replica_]

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol

[Metal_Rich]

Saw them live, Chris and me had a staring competition during one of the solos :p:. Good interview.

[AtomicMaelstrom]

Hexagram wrote:

Chris is going to kick ass in Megadeth

A thousand times yes.

[slann101]

'I don’t want him to get into a band, become bonded with one of the players in the band, and the player be crap and us needing to jettison him. There would be some resentment from my son because he had a friend in the band. '

what an *******! so? his son gains a friend. what wrong with that? obviously he cares more for his sons success then his experiances.

[merkalos666]

i like him better when he's actually being sweet like he is towards his son.

[FadeToBlack2404]

i wonder which band Alexi Laiho had a problem with.. for some reason i think it's In Flames, because i cant really imagine Children Of Bodom having anything to do with any of the other bands on the GIgantour lineup. Any thoughts?

[Spamwise]

slann101 wrote:

'I don’t want him to get into a band, become bonded with one of the players in the band, and the player be crap and us needing to jettison him. There would be some resentment from my son because he had a friend in the band. '

what an *****! so? his son gains a friend. what wrong with that? obviously he cares more for his sons success then his experiances.

He doesn't want his son to make the same mistakes he did. It's not very complicated to understand.

[will4287]

I personally don't think he is trying to control his son's life or band. Obviously the Metallica thing has affected Dave long term and if you read the article I think he is just trying to keep his son from having to go through that type of situation. To me it seems like most of you guys are looking at that the wrong way. He is not trying to keep his son from having friends but rather he is trying to keep his son from going through a bad experience. A couple of you guys are getting way to upset about it. And no I don't think Alex is pissed with In Flames because In Flames is on this years gigantour.

[what??]

I really want to hear that new album with Broderick. Also, I can't wait for Gigantour in Minneapolis.

[Phill-Rock]

I think the control he has over his son joining a band of his choice is a bit over the top. I wouldn't have taken that well when I was 15.

At the same time, I look forward to hearing anything that he son releases in the future, just for curiosity if nothing else.

And I can't wait to hear a Megadeth album with Broderick playing.

[Lamb of Deth]

i wonder which band Alexi Laiho had a problem with.. for some reason i think it's In Flames, because i cant really imagine Children Of Bodom having anything to do with any of the other bands on the GIgantour lineup. Any thoughts?

its refering to an incident where in a Guitar World interview Alexi said something along the lines of "all Dream Theater does is play fast". Then everyone made a big deal of the line and Alexi later says that it was thrown way out of proportion and he only said something like that because he was having a bad day. Im pretty sure that quote from Alexi was the whole problem. I can understand him if he was having a bad day to.

[Amerikhastan]

It's Play For Blood not Pray For Blood.

[gibder]

dave thinks that he is better than al pitrelli???? haha

[CapnKickass]

It'd be funny if his son likes to play a lot of metallica songs heheh.

[AmpleSteak]

The thing about him not letting his son in a band cause he thinks he will become attached to someone that sucks... Wtf thy're 15!!! If he practices his band mate wont be shit forever, there not gonna get anywhere until there at least in the their late teens and by practing in a band weekly the musician will just continue to improve little by little... Its stupid to find a "good guitarist" that you wouldn't get along with.

[Awesome Man]

I have this guy's custom pickups.

[DamageMachine]

Good interview, although his comment about his son did erk me, starting a band with people u dont like always ends in dissastor. Al Pitrelli is 10x the guitar player Dave is also, but still, very good interview.

[Hamburger89]

Love this guy and megadeth

[ParkerScks]

The thing about him not letting his son in a band cause he thinks he will become attached to someone that sucks... Wtf thy're 15!!! If he practices his band mate wont be shit forever, there not gonna get anywhere until there at least in the their late teens and by practing in a band weekly the musician will just continue to improve little by little... Its stupid to find a "good guitarist" that you wouldn't get along with.

+1

i fully agree. if you are in a band you need people you can get along with, and its always good for someone who isnt as good to be there as long as they have a potental, they will lern your style and then later on there wont be too many arguments about whats good and bad. just the same way dave made james a better player

[Wakisazhi]

1. He did say he did go into "Blunt Mode" on occasion, so I think that's fair warning enough since some of you guys obviously are reading it through.

2. Not once does it mention if his son wanted to play guitar on his own accord. I can easily see Dave pushing him and making sure he steers the course right if his son really wanted to play guitar. To be honest that is just being a good father then if he's keeping his son in mind and being there instead of just not really being interested at all.

3. I'm pretty sure it's easy to get that Dave doesn't want his son to be with bad players because if he gets attached it'll be hard moving on if his son finds someone who plays better.

[a god]

ahaha, his son is better than he is!!?!?!
cant wait to see what happens. and i agree with the comments..let him have his friends, its what makes a band worthwhile. playing music with the people you love.
and i didint really like the jab at Pitrelli. someone tell me why Wikpedia says they fired him becuase of his 'textbook style' solos? is that true? i've heard his World Needs a hero work and i liked the solos.

[Jawshuwa]

If Alexi is refering to Dream Theater, then...
lol?

At least Petrucci isn't sloppy when he plays fast. It was a rather ignorant comment on Laiho's part, and "having a bad day" is no excuse, especially when you're a well-known person.

Regardless, I don't think Mustaine is trying to control his son's life/band, but instead guide him along with it. He might be going a bad route with it, or just wording it badly, but I'm sure he's doing it with good intentions.

[ace321]

i think what mustaine is doing for his son is good.he can let he son play with oter players but if some are bad players or worse!emo thats not good so mustaine is doing a good job you dont want his son to be playing with some crap band.and friends whill come

[Phe4rTheGod]

he seems a bit cocky...but i cant wait for the next album...BRODERICK, WHAT??? thats gonna be nuts and a half...

[lord of stones]

replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol

+1

[Thebiz]

CapnKickass wrote:

It'd be funny if his son likes to play a lot of metallica songs heheh.

Metallideth?! 0_o

[Maidenhell666]

After reading Dave's comments about his son (and the comments by others about said topic), I think that there is a bit of a misunderstanding in meaning. I think that what Dave means (not to put words in his mouth, just my interpretation) is that IF his son, who is but the tender age of 15, were to get into a band, and form a friendship, only to have the friend be a dick, Justis would go to his dad (Dave) to end the band. I don't think that Dave wants to have to end the band, if Justis says so; I think he wants for Justis to end it himself.

[Unreal445]

the thing about his son's band annoyed me. just let the kid have some fun with HIS band. tis not like he's making an album or something.

[guitarded420]

i think dave should just let his kid be in whatever bands he wants regardless of his friends and all that teenage drama bullshit. live and let live. the kid will end up being a coddled and socially inept daddys boy and never do anything for himself.

[Cacophonic]

a god wrote:

ahaha, his son is better than he is!!?!?!
cant wait to see what happens. and i agree with the comments..let him have his friends, its what makes a band worthwhile. playing music with the people you love.
and i didint really like the jab at Pitrelli. someone tell me why Wikpedia says they fired him becuase of his 'textbook style' solos? is that true? i've heard his World Needs a hero work and i liked the solos.

Someone can't read very well.

Wakisazhi wrote:

1. He did say he did go into "Blunt Mode" on occasion, so I think that's fair warning enough since some of you guys obviously are reading it through.

2. Not once does it mention if his son wanted to play guitar on his own accord. I can easily see Dave pushing him and making sure he steers the course right if his son really wanted to play guitar. To be honest that is just being a good father then if he's keeping his son in mind and being there instead of just not really being interested at all.

3. I'm pretty sure it's easy to get that Dave doesn't want his son to be with bad players because if he gets attached it'll be hard moving on if his son finds someone who plays better.

I agree. If you become a good friend with someone who barely plays, or practices, you're going to have a hard time moving on from that person, as he's only going to drag your talent down.

I have had that problem myself.

[metallicafan616]

i hope his son makes a metallica cover band and shows his dad an hour of there songs for the lulz.....

[korn_dawg]

I'm seeing them in just hours!
And it's really great that he's such a cool guy despite the hard-ass reputation that seems to be attributed to him. Must be because he's so metal :P

[Fender_Tele'71]

duncang wrote:

Sounds like he's forcing the whole guitar thing on his son, huh?

no, he just doesn't want the whole "Metallica" thing to happen to him too..

[Neon D-von]

100,000=platinum=typo

[metalupthe@$$]

Dave should be glad he didnt end up in Metallica, i mean i respect the hell out of them but....you know...just look at them. Back in the day megadeth wasn't that far behind Metallica, and these days Megadeth WAY WAY better.

[Count Cobain]

it's "Play for blood" not "Pray for blood".
i don't play for keeps, i play for bloooood!!!

[godmademetal]

the article said "pray for blood" but the name of the song is "play for blood"

[ross1234]

I agree. If you become a good friend with someone who barely plays, or practices, you're going to have a hard time moving on from that person, as he's only going to drag your talent down.

I have had that problem myself.[/quote]

yeah thats true
as for the pitrelli thing....he isn't that great a player i think, well if you're in a band like megadeth, you have to have a high standard, theres no room for someone whose not very good, it dissapointing for fans. just look at the guyon rude awakening, he ****s up alot.

[stavros2008]

i think that chris will kick ass!it's obvious that dave accepts guitar players who are MUCH better than him !i don't say that to insult dave(he is fantastic) but i think that that is the way dave thinks ..i didn't like the way he sees most guitar players(play a song from beginning to the end)..and i don't really think he plays holy wars with the metronome..guitar pro is better way to learn a song !

[BlisteringDDj]

Very good interview, enjoyed reading it! Glad to see that things are working out well between Dave and Chris, and the whole band in general!

[Hitman 49]

I hope the current lasts forever although I do want Dave Ellefson back.

[megatallica666]

man i love megadeth. always have some of the best guitar playing in metal.

[farhan_zul]

i ca't believe he said al pitrelli is the least talented

[Shread_6009]

All dave was saying about his sons band is that he doesnt want him to bond with a guy that will trun ot to be a complete asswhole and kik him out of the band. hes not saying that his son should pick a guy he doesnt like, though it does seem that mustaine is controlling his sons band...

as for the bodom feud you guys are talking about, stop it. laiho has apologized again and again, and it was a stupid thing to say, but still. these guys are all past it, just drop it.

megadeth, COB and gigantour is actually playing tonight in montreal, im so pissed i cant go!!!

[British Josh]

metalupthe@$$ wrote:

Dave should be glad he didnt end up in Metallica, i mean i respect the hell out of them but....you know...just look at them. Back in the day megadeth wasn't that far behind Metallica, and these days Megadeth WAY WAY better.

I second that.

[Pvz]

Metal_Rich wrote:

Saw them live, Chris and me had a staring competition during one of the solos :p:. Good interview.

nice haha

[Page/Rhoads]

I wanna see them so bad.

[perilouspete]

megadeth for the win
dave for president
chris for king

[thenexthetfield]

scawti wrote:

James (MacDonough) laughs about this because he said that Chris thought it was some kind of initiation thing!

That's James (Lomenzo). MacDonough left long ago

Nope it's probably MacDonough.... he and Chris played some shows together in Nevermore.

[genresrforposer]

Chris is in great shape, which I saw through his energy live

Awesome show, they played a crapload of songs and Dave rarely talked (as he mentioned). Didn't know his sis was born in Dallas either.

Only bad thing is I'm afraid maybe I'm one of those "awesome till the metronome test" ppl. I swear I've played very well along with CDs but never used a metronome so idk lol.

[bassboy 999]

I don't get why we're not allowed to talk about Megadeth in accordance to Metallica, but you're allowed to feed us this shit:

"He endured a lengthy battle with the bottle and admitted in the documentary Some Kind of Monster to feeling resentful for being fired from Metallica"

[BlisteringDDj]

farhan_zul wrote:

i ca't believe he said al pitrelli is the least talented

I second that. Al Pitrelli is an amazing guitar player, and his bends are remarkable. I think all the guitarist that has played in Megadeth are all talented. I think Al Pitrelli's attitude was what made Dave Mustaine say that out loud!

[Mulldarran]

Great interview! Really enjoyed it.

[ace321]

dude's mustaine is a joke? he has more albums than you more awards more money kids what do you have ready? i got four things to say get ready for life douche

[guitarman47]

dave mustaine is my ****ing hero

[slashNpage77]

replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol

i don't think he's saying 'don't be friends w/ them if they suck' he just doesn't want his son to have to go through some nasty splits because a member can't keep up, which could lead to harsh feelings and maybe a loss of friendship. now, don't take me the wrong way, i do think he's getting a little too involved in his son's band (but i still love dave and megadeth, both awesome).

[slashNpage77]

perilouspete wrote:

megadeth for the win
dave for president
chris for king

haha, +10

[chippythingy]

im 15 and im in a band and i know that our band is crap, im just doing it for fun, i think that because dave is so succesful, he just wants the same for his son, and probably forgot that the only reason most people get in aband is to have fun, so i think his comments about his son getting in a band are all wrong.
if his son is any good at guitar, and WANTS to get somewhere with a band, and hes good friends with the other band members, he shouldnt find it too hard to get in a new band, and leave the others as just friends.

[Aplanken]

FadeToBlack2404 wrote:

i wonder which band Alexi Laiho had a problem with.. for some reason i think it's In Flames, because i cant really imagine Children Of Bodom having anything to do with any of the other bands on the GIgantour lineup. Any thoughts?

In Flames and CoB also did some concerts on the Unholy Alliance 2 european leg.... CoB was great, In Flames sucked ass because the singer did make some weird comments on cob-fans (like making fun of 'em 'cause one of them has glasses).

I'd love to see dave and chris together on stage, dave ruled during Nevermore, and dave ruled metal for the last 25 years!

[FretboardToAsh]

AerialOverdrive wrote:

To me, the most important thing was to treat people the way you want to be treated. Some people say that I’m a mean person. Well, you know what? The person that’s saying that is probably a dipshit and I put them in their place! I have a knack for doing that.

lol...priceless

+1

[eduardonoriega]

MEGADETH RULES

[Hellwing]

Anyone know the `My website`hes talking aboot so i can get the official tab? thx

[2Old2Cold]

Dave needs to listen to Rotting Christ and Dissection.

I've always liked Megadeth. Dave is a great guitarist and hopefully the next album will be even faster and more thrashy.

[Axe_Burner]

I also thought Dave's comment about his son's band was a bit weird. I mean, if the kid wants to be in a band with certain people, let him! The best bands, in my opinion, are those where the members are friends from the get-go, and not chosen like it's some kind of business. My last band failed for that reason- half the members hated each other! And I doubt that's really what Dave's saying, but it comes across as parental hovering.
Other than that, good interview.

[guitarhead93]

I really love megadeth, but I hate the fact that they dont have a firm line-up.

[Ubershall404]

Im so glad for chris Broadrick! This one of today most inpressive players and he deserves this! Playing second guitar is nevermore is such a waste of talent for him. Nevermore rules, but I believe Chris is definitly deserving of the #1 spot in a high profile band.

[not_dead_enough]

I saw an interview with Dave Mustaine not long ago where he said that his son doesn't necessarily want to be in a band and that Dave was cool with that. So i'm not convinced that he wants to 'control' his son's band like you all say. Maybe the fact that Dave brought it up like this a few months later suggests his son DOES want a band! I think we can all agree that any young guitarist has a lot to learn from Dave Mustaine. Who else has experienced the music business as much as him? Justus should lerarn from his dad's successes and mistakes.

Oh, and Megadeth rules!

[troyponce]

Lamb of Deth wrote:

i wonder which band Alexi Laiho had a problem with.. for some reason i think it's In Flames, because i cant really imagine Children Of Bodom having anything to do with any of the other bands on the GIgantour lineup. Any thoughts?

its refering to an incident where in a Guitar World interview Alexi said something along the lines of "all Dream Theater does is play fast". Then everyone made a big deal of the line and Alexi later says that it was thrown way out of proportion and he only said something like that because he was having a bad day. Im pretty sure that quote from Alexi was the whole problem. I can understand him if he was having a bad day to.

Laiho said that "Playing fast can make you sound really cool, but sometimes it can make you sound really lame. Like Dream Theater." That's the only beef I can think of them having unless there is something behind the scenes that pissed him off about Nevermore or Symphony X.

[Mcassidy42]

Saw them at Gigantour last night, and it was absolutly stunning. One of the better shows I've ever been to.

Bodom stopped mid song because the barricade got knocked down and diden't come back for 30 minutes.

[SDMF_matty]

wtf? like the barricade to keep the fans of the stage?
I'm going to the missasauga show on the 30th
anyone else?
actually does anybody know how the **** to get there? haha

[Big Tommy P]

What ever happened to Marty Friedman? He was good.

[nickdude]

totally agree with alexi on the dream theatre sounding lame, petrucci's skill is wasted on that band

[f8s8]

1 million sales is platinum not 100,000 mark!
500,000 is only Gold! nobody seems to catch on to that or maybe it's a misquote, sometimes I wonder if Dave is all there...

[emr_steelmech]

great interview. Cant wait for gigantour.

[Kadaj]

Don't really like Megadeth that much, but he seems like a really cool guy.

[BlisteringDDj]

nickdude wrote:

totally agree with alexi on the dream theatre sounding lame, petrucci's skill is wasted on that band

You didn't read what he was quoting. Alexi had a bad day, and didn't mean what he said... Anyways, Dream Theater is far from just fast, and Petrucci couldn't have used his skills on another band. Dream Theater's music is brilliant.

[Night_Lights]

ha, this interview confirmed what i thought- chris works out. Random, yes, but i watched heaps of his videos and couldnt help thinking he probably could kick ass if he wanted to.

[dann_blood]

nickdude wrote:

totally agree with alexi on the dream theatre sounding lame, petrucci's skill is wasted on that band

Yeah, your right, Petrucci NEVER gets to play anything he wants, I mean, he doesn't even get many solo's, he barely contributes any riffs. He may as well quit, because DT is hardly an accomplished heavy-weight of the prog rock scene.
/sarcasm

[devilex121]

British Josh wrote:

metalupthe@$$ wrote:

Dave should be glad he didnt end up in Metallica, i mean i respect the hell out of them but....you know...just look at them. Back in the day megadeth wasn't that far behind Metallica, and these days Megadeth WAY WAY better.

I second that.

i third that

[CowboyUp]

Alexi's exact quote was "Playing fast can make you sound really cool, but sometimes it can make you sound really lame. Like Dream Theater."

Later, he apologized and said "I don't know why I said that. I was probably having a bad day or something. John Petrucci is obviously a better guitar player than me".

So shut your pie holes

[not_dead_enough]

f8s8 wrote:

1 million sales is platinum not 100,000 mark!
500,000 is only Gold! nobody seems to catch on to that or maybe it's a misquote, sometimes I wonder if Dave is all there...

Or maybe, if you read all the posts before you post yourself, you'll see that a hundred people have pointed this out already. How do you know it's not just a mistake on part of whoever typed this up? Why assume it is Dave?

[MetallicaFan333]

Dude... I want to see Megadeth at Gigantour!!! Even though I am a true Metallica fan all the way... I still love Megadeth and Mustaine... because he was in Metallica and because his voice is amazing... It's like a guitar... I love it... Also... I love Trust, Die Dead Enough, Hangar 18, Angry Again... and all of UA... So, yeah... Just had to have my say in a Mustaine article... Later...

[MetallicaFan333]

f8s8 wrote:

1 million sales is platinum not 100,000 mark!
500,000 is only Gold! nobody seems to catch on to that or maybe it's a misquote, sometimes I wonder if Dave is all there...

And if you wonder if Dave isn't all there... You're probably right, considering the fact that he was on drugs before the age of 15, and my friend, he did 'em all... Later...

[underplad_sux]

alexi laiho is better than dave

[Mackin]

Lots of memorable quotes in there. Great read ! \m/

[Justinocalypse]

megadeth ftw!

[Menza_]

I love reading Dave interviews!

[Lensver]

On the black-and-white picture, which Dave sings on... he almost looks like an ordinary person

[Dario Crave]

Poor DAVE ~!

[travisholland]

1 million sales is platinum not 100,000 mark!
500,000 is only Gold! nobody seems to catch on to that or maybe it's a misquote, sometimes I wonder if Dave is all there...

In DVD sales, 100,000 is platinum. Do research before you make dipshit posts.

[jerkoffjack]

replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol

couldn't agree more.

[Les Paul Ell]

Axe_Burner wrote:

I also thought Dave's comment about his son's band was a bit weird. I mean, if the kid wants to be in a band with certain people, let him! The best bands, in my opinion, are those where the members are friends from the get-go, and not chosen like it's some kind of business. My last band failed for that reason- half the members hated each other! And I doubt that's really what Dave's saying, but it comes across as parental hovering.
Other than that, good interview.

I totally agree. It's very important to make strong bonds with the musicians you jam with. And just because you love to play with someone doesn't mean that you're necessarily gonna refuse to join a band unless they can as well, you're just most likely to suggest them first for a slot which needs filling that they suit.

I think it's actually really bad for you not to be good friends with your other band members, out of all the bands I've been in the ones where we weren't good friends have sucked way more than the ones where we've all been friends outside of the band as well and stuff.

[g-unitie]

wow he doesnt come off as arragant at all...

and i dont know maybe a lil self absorbed

maybe ill throw in that he is even that great of a guitar player(who is an expert at playing out of key)

but hey dont get me wrong hes famous who am i to say that

[ticklemeemo]

slashNpage77 wrote:

replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol i don't think he's saying 'don't be friends w/ them if they suck' he just doesn't want his son to have to go through some nasty splits because a member can't keep up, which could lead to harsh feelings and maybe a loss of friendship. now, don't take me the wrong way, i do think he's getting a little too involved in his son's band (but i still love dave and megadeth, both awesome).

I think he means that he doesn't want a bunch of weasels to come and try and play with his son. I mean, it's Dave Mustaine's son, who wouldn't want to be in his band? I think he means that, since he (Mustaine) is so famous he has to make sure the others aren't using his son to get famous.

Does this make any sense? I nearly confused myself.

[chiefmegadeth]

Dave rules!
Megadeth!!!!!

[HavokStrife]

Good read.

Thumbs up, UG.

[TheNERD250]

yeah, I can't wait to hear Chris rocking out on the new album

[megatera1102]

I'm a huge megadeth fan but when mustaine talks about pitrelli it pisses me off. On the Rude Awakening dvd Dave talks about when Al said he was "gonna show up with a cigarette in his mought" like it was a joke. Now he's saying it like he's a douchebag. That just pisses me off.

[cnc4c34]

megatera1102 wrote:

I'm a huge megadeth fan but when mustaine talks about pitrelli it pisses me off. On the Rude Awakening dvd Dave talks about when Al said he was "gonna show up with a cigarette in his mought" like it was a joke. Now he's saying it like he's a douchebag. That just pisses me off.

Good point, but anyone who joins Megadeth has to expect the bad with the good. The bad being Dave's personality sometimes.

[ReiDSaN]

Big Tommy P wrote:

What ever happened to Marty Friedman? He was good.

He moved to Japan and went solo. His 2003 album "music for speeding" is pretty good.

[trashbeast]

bah, dave managed to replace glen (who was half decent) with a lifeless hack of a bedroom shredder. where does he find these guys.

[Fuzzbox91]

Some people say that I’m a mean person. Well, you know what? The person that’s saying that is probably a dipshit and I put them in their place! I have a knack for doing that.

and where does Kirk Hammett fit into all of this????

great interview otherwise, he seems a lot calmer even tho he stil finds time to jab Al Pitrelli. I cant wait for a new album.

[Soreman90]

He said in another interview that can you can read from the official megadeth site says that he is going on hiatus after Ggantour for awhile. No album for awhile if there even is one. plus his divorce will put a halt on things for awhile also. talk about a bummer setback. I see a new megadeth album around 2010 or so. see ya at G3 Salem, OR 5/17/08 MEGADETH Kicks ASS!!

[not_dead_enough]

Fuzzbox91 wrote:

Some people say that I’m a mean person. Well, you know what? The person that’s saying that is probably a dipshit and I put them in their place! I have a knack for doing that.


and where does Kirk Hammett fit into all of this????

great interview otherwise, he seems a lot calmer even tho he stil finds time to jab Al Pitrelli. I cant wait for a new album.

Kirk Hammett ripped off his solos and rode the wave of success of music that DAVE MUSTAINE and James Hetfield invented! I think Dave has made it pretty clear over the years that he has no real problem with Kirk personally, only with James and Lars. Any resentment towards Kirk would be towards anyone in that position.

And the whole "I did your girlfriend first Kirk; how do I taste?" quote most people don't realise is an analogy towards Metallica.

[Intet]

Dave is awesome , a good choice to take in Broderick

[Bunyip]

replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol[/qu[quote]replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol

You feel sorry for a guy who is in one of the biggest Metal bands in the world and was a part of one of the other biggest metal bands in the world. I'd love to know what you've done to put you in THAT position. (you do realise you've just made an analysis on a guy from a page of writting)

[avianoguitarist]

This is why Dave will still be around long after Metallicrap has finally gone under. Kick-ass, Dave!

[satanic5]

dave is a real cool guy

[..NEM..]

ace321 wrote:

dude's mustaine is a joke? he has more albums than you more awards more money kids what do you have ready? i got four things to say get ready for life douche

That's five.

Well, actually it's one thing, but I assume you mean words. And then it's five words.

will4287 wrote:

I personally don't think he is trying to control his son's life or band. Obviously the Metallica thing has affected Dave long term and if you read the article I think he is just trying to keep his son from having to go through that type of situation. To me it seems like most of you guys are looking at that the wrong way. He is not trying to keep his son from having friends but rather he is trying to keep his son from going through a bad experience. A couple of you guys are getting way to upset about it. And no I don't think Alex is pissed with In Flames because In Flames is on this years gigantour.

Yes, because we learn nothing from bad experiences.

trashbeast wrote:

bah, dave managed to replace glen (who was half decent) with a lifeless hack of a bedroom shredder. where does he find these guys.

Youtube and the fact that Glen knows about Chris. And calling him a bedroom shredder is ignorant, since he's been playing with both Nevermore and Jag Panzer.

[megadethfan2020]

dave you are awsome and i follow in youre footsteps when it comes to music. when my mom was pregnant she went to a megadeth concert in atlanta. maybe thats why im so addictid to megadeth. i am a self taught bass player and i am learning hanger 18 right now on my own. i am in a band called comic mischeif and we would love to open for you dave (when we get better of course) but you are the 1st person i would like to meet if i had a choice. Megadeth rules!

[Serediak-2007]

Dude, don't get scared or anything, but my mom was pregnant at that same concert. I think we're like megadeth womb buddies or something.

[Bongard]

ticklemeemo :
slashNpage77 wrote:

replica_ wrote:

no offence to megadeth fans about what i am to say, but this guy must have some sort of narcististic complex (like MOST people with high celebrity status)....hes saying that most guitarist cant play a song from start to finish, hes depriving his son of whats needed of him and making his son do what HE wants him to do (the fact that kids need to have friendship to develop their sense of social and mental health, no matter if theyre friends are crap at guitar or not), seems to me like hes some sort of upper class pomp. i dont mind megadeth's music (chris broderick is "THE SHIT!") but that was just down right arrogant.
but then what can you expect from someone who in my opinion, is still bitter about the metallica incident. it must be really hard to impress or to satisfy this guy...which kinda makes me feel sorry for him.
**** me hes in megadeth!! what more could he want!lol i don't think he's saying 'don't be friends w/ them if they suck' he just doesn't want his son to have to go through some nasty splits because a member can't keep up, which could lead to harsh feelings and maybe a loss of friendship. now, don't take me the wrong way, i do think he's getting a little too involved in his son's band (but i still love dave and megadeth, both awesome).


I think he means that he doesn't want a bunch of weasels to come and try and play with his son. I mean, it's Dave Mustaine's son, who wouldn't want to be in his band? I think he means that, since he (Mustaine) is so famous he has to make sure the others aren't using his son to get famous.

Does this make any sense? I nearly confused myself.

i think that acually makes a lot of sense

[RedFez64]

This guy sounds like a total arrogant wanker, not just about controlling his son which makes sense in a vague way but he sounds like a real tool slagging off old guitarists etc.

[guitardude2012]

hey man dave mustaine could kick your ****ing as in guitar why don't you check out some megadeth songs and you will see