‘I’m Over My Metallica Demons,’ Says Dave Mustaine
Come inside for a revealing interview with the Megadeth mainman.
Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth after being fired from Metallica in 1983. Twelve albums later, the fiery guitarist/vocalist remains among metal’s most fascinating characters. Classic Rock meets Mustaine in the aftermath of recent bout of surgery (that’s Mustaine, not us) to talk about Megadeth’s new album, Endgame.
Interview: Dave Ling
Are you feeling better after the recent surgery for a neck injury?
[Nodding]: An eight-inch needle was stuck into my neck to discover what was wrong. I was losing my range of motion [nods head from left to right, then back] and the cause was my being a headbanger. I think it’s important for someone to say: Dude, there are repercussions. You must warm your neck up. I do so; it’s probably the reason I’m not a cripple.
How did it feel to bury some past grievances with Slayer by touring together?
[Smiling faintly]: I didn’t even talk to Kerry [King, guitarist] yet.
But he did watch Megadeth’s show from the side of the stage?
Yeah. I’ve never had anything against Kerry – he started it all. The many things he said about me hurt my feelings, but I’m still open to being friends with him. Maybe we’ll sit down together and have a drink; he’ll have Jagermeister and I’ll have water. I’m a different person now, I’m 47. I’m happy in my life.
But the olive branch came personally from you?
Yeah. I’ve done a lot of that. I did it with Pantera. I did it with [estranged former bassist] David Ellefson. I had dinner recently with Dave and he said that [leaving the band] was the dumbest thing he ever did. I said, that’s okay – I forgive you. As I sit here talking to you now, thinking about the people I have grievances with, there are zero. I’m really happy with my life. And as my career nears its end, it’s finishing at the top.
You’ve stated than the new album, Endgame, is the best thing the band has done since Rust In Peace in 1990 – a bold claim given that 1992’s Countdown To Extinction is generally considered Megadeth’s definitive work.
Oh, this is better than Countdown… But that’s just me. You’re the journalist. The best thing is that this time I’m coherent to participate in it all.
Endgame’s title cut is inspired by legislation passed by the last US president that could consign an average American citizen into a concentration camp-style prison.
He signed that bill without the Senate or House Of Representatives knowing. I heard about it on CNN – something along the lines of: ‘Today President Bush signed a very secretive document’… I was like, ‘What?!’ So I looked into it and couldn’t believe what I discovered.
Do you harbour any type of political ambitions?
No. Never have. I don’t want to be assassinated [laughs].
Is that reticence also based upon the fact that you have less than gleaming baggage from the past?
No. Entertainers have been elected before. In Minnesota a fucking wrestler [Jesse Ventura] became the governor, for Pete’s sake. Al Frankin from Saturday Night Live is now a Senator. Ronald Reagan [former US President] and Arnold Schwarzenegger [Governor of California] were both actors. It just doesn’t appeal to me.
Not for now, at least?
[Nodding]: Were the political process fair it might make me more ambitious. But votes can be bought.
Can you pinpoint why you are in such a good headspace right now?
My faith [in God] is behind why I’m playing as good, and how I got rid of my demons. That I’ve been saved is something I don’t push it on anybody, but it’s helped me. It goes back to what I said about Slayer at the start. I’d said I’d never play with Satanic bands. Though people don’t know this, I also said I’d never play with man-whore bands because I didn’t want to go out there and struggle with staring at chicks in the audience. But when my life changed I put all that stuff on the side. I realised I could play with bands that attract female audiences; after all, guys like to go to gigs where there will be chicks – even chubby ones, ‘cos there are chubby dudes – and I began to lighten up. That’s what this whole thing’s about. Right now I’m happy, joyous, free… I’m your buddy, the guy you’ve known forever. You’ve said mean things about me; you’ve said great things about me. But we’re friends; friendship is about good and bad.
Of course, you’ve also experienced religion’s darker side.
I didn’t want to do that anymore. When I practised witchcraft and put spells on people, they worked. But there were also repercussions for me. I became spiritually oppressed. People think, ‘Dave’s mean’ or ‘Dave’s crazy’, but [it was from] practising witchcraft.
You are in the process of approving an autobiography.
It’s done. All finished.
Should anyone be worried about its contents? What kind of a book is it?
It’s not mean-spirited, but I tried to make it truthful. For example, it talks about Jeff [Young, guitarist 1987-’89] trying to pick up my fiancée, Diana, a girlfriend of six years.
So you’ve vowed to be truthful, no matter how painful?
[Nodding]: Even if I incriminate myself. Another example: I let Jay Reynolds [guitarist, 1987] join the band because he was a drug dealer. [Incredulously]: But when we got into the studio he said, ‘I’m gonna get my guitar teacher to come down and teach me how to play the part’. So in walks Jeff [Young]. His hair’s all perfect and he looks like Farrah Fawcett and he has on these shorts that are so short it looked like his scrotum was hanging out. I thought he was straight out of that Elton John video that was full of effeminate dudes [I’m Still Standing], but when he played… wow. So we decided to cut out the middle man and get Jeff into the band. I handled the thing with Jay very badly – partly because I have unresolved issues with the way I was let go from Metallica. It affected the way I treat other people. And looking back at all of that was very cathartic. The way I let Jay know [of his sacking] was in a phone call. This is what I said: ‘Hey Jay, this is Dave. Listen, dude, I’ve got some bad news for you. Basically, Jeff’s in and you’re out’.
Ouch.
Yes. Ouch. I was a fucker. So at the end of each chapter, I expressed my contrition and restitution at those situations. When I read the last two words of the book I closed it and started weeping. I was so happy. For the first time in my life I felt understood.
How did it feel to be No.1 in Joel McIver’s recent book, The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists?
It was especially sweet when I found out that Joel has written books on Metallica. I looked at my copy of the book – I wasn’t on the cover or the back. I figured I’d be somewhere like No.69. So I thumbed through it; it’s a really comprehensive, good book. I got to No.50 and I thought, ‘Am I in here?’ I’d been told that I was, but not which position. So I got No.16 and I saw Hetfield. I thought, ‘Wow’ because I respect James. I’m a better lead player than he is, but he’s one of the three best rhythm players in the world.
The other two being?
Malcolm Young [of AC/DC] and myself. Malcolm kept it basic but brought a whole new style of rhythm playing to the world. So I got to the Top 10… I still wasn’t in there. Every page I turned, I became more excited. I get to No.5 and it’s Kirk [Hammett], and I thought, ‘Thank you, God’. At that point it didn’t matter [which position I was]. To be better than both of them [Hetfield and Hammett] meant so much – it’s been one of the pet peeves of my career and I’ve never known how to deal with it. I didn’t realise that it has had so much bearing upon my life. Then I got to No.2 and it was John Petrucci [of Dream Theater] and I froze. I was No.1. What made it better still is that the guy wrote: ‘This isn’t about Dave as a person because he’s been a cock’ – [interjects with a bray of laughter] – ‘These four pages are about his guitar playing, which is the best. There are people who are better at one thing that Mustaine does, and others that are better than another, but no-one who’s as good at everything’. All I thought was… I win!
In a way did it represent closure?
That’s it exactly. I’m not addicted [to anything] anymore. And I’m no longer struggling with past demons from another band [Metallica]. That game has ended. Lars [Ulrich] called me up and offered the chance to come to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing and not be inducted, to sit in the audience [instead]. ‘It’s only for people who’ve been on the records’ is what I was told. That would have been awkward. So I didn’t go. There are obviously some unresolved issues on Lars’ part. But you know what? If God wants me in the Hall Of Fame, I will be there.
* Megadeth’s Endgame is released on September 15.
dave did it again
Sometimes we have regrets;but not for something that happened 26 years ago ,Loser.
Reading this and him constantly banging on about Metallica is getting as tedious as Paul ‘I use to be in Iron Maiden, don’t you know?’ Di’Anno !!
I didn’t realise Dave was a born again religious nut. When did this wondrous turn of events take place?
Ha,ha. He’s over his Metallica demons because he was voted above Hetfield and Hammett in a poll?!?! ha,ha
Dave Mustaine = a tremendous musician but his mentality never ceases to amaze me!!
I’v said all the 22 years i’v been a megadeth and metallica fan that dave was the best guitar player from both bands!! to me its not about who sells the most records or who’s in who’s band but its if the music is good!! and for me megadeth’s back catalog is a lot better than metallica’s!! metallica haven’t been metallica since 1991’s black album. load and reload sound wise were great but song wise only a few of each, the last 2 records sound wise shite song wise can’t tell because of the shite sound i dont bother to play them, they only sold on name sake wich goes back to me saying its not about how many records you sell!! megadeth on the other hand seem for me to get better in sound, songs, and playing even if line ups have changed dave has kept a good grip on the music and not it get in the way of his performences, the guy is little out there but he pisses on metallica for me and has done since 1992 the guy rocks”
He says he’s over Metallica, but he still got all excited when he found out that he “beat” James & Kirk in Joel “I wrote an entire book about how overrated Metallica are” McIver’s stupid list thing. Dave will never convince anyone he’s over the Metallica thing as long as he keeps bringing it up in every interview.
@ shufflemoomin; where did you live the past couple of years?? Since the magnificent ‘The system has failed’ album he is a born again christian! Does it matter anything? No!! He makes better albums and he is finally becoming a better person so I’d say; so far, so good…so what?!
If you’re over them STOP TALKING ABOUT THEM!!!!
I stopped reading at the “witchcraft” bit. Dave is a headbanger in more ways than one! I ain’t ever gonna buy any Megadeth albums again after reading this interview. Bonkers!
[...] Mustaine of Megadeth is out promoting his new album Endgame with an interview in Classic Rock. As usual, since he was fired from Metallica in 1983, Metallica is the topic of many of his [...]
I’ll still buy their albums, but I didn’t realise he was so much of an oddball these days. He stopped putting curses on people because they worked? Only 14 year olds and people whose cheese has slid of their cracker say things like that. Or believe it in the first place. Fruitcake.
Dave’s always been a moe-ron when it comes to so-called ‘witchcraft’.
One good thing in the interview seems to be that he is back on speaking terms with David Ellefson.
Would be great if somewhere down the line he came back into the band. As for my money they haven’t released anything worthwhile without him. The last two studio albums have been pretty poor in my opinion.
dave doesnt bring this up! the ppl who interview him do! daves just answerin the questions! so shut up bout dave always bringin them up!
mustaine is a genius….!!!!!
megadeth is the number one…. now!!!!
My God you people suck! I’ve had jobs 15 years ago that I still talk about to this day. It’s no different. I’m happy for Dave and all of his success. You people are just mad because Metallica is a sinking ship filled to the bow with shit. I’m so tired of reading Metallifagget postings.
kinda weird, but kirk actually got #15, and james got #8. Glad joel knows what hes taliking bout, dave is way better than both of them
All i can say is well done Dave! having god by your side is great doesnt change your great music skills,
In spite of all the drama that the media has placed before you! and your own ups and downs your only human!!! We all can be crazy sometimes in our own way, Im glad to be your fan.
Dave has always been a stright talking s.o.b. andsometimes the truth can be hard to swallow. As for Dave being better than Hetfeild or Krik, it’s about time someone noticed. Metallica has become a corporation interested only in making money while Megadeth has done their best to stay true to their fans. Endgame is going to be a classic and I don’t care if it sounds like it came from the eighties because that ’s when thrash was thrash. Amen!
Wrong buddy.. I’m going to be sitting here 26 years from now thinking what a dumb ass comment that is.
Sometimes people do regret things for 26 years, or for a lifetime.. For example you may get smart enough someday to realize and regret your terrible low intelligence in your gene pool forever.
Dave Mustaine is the most grown up, level headed, and is has the best relationship/understanding of his fanbase above any performer I’ve ever seen. Hey, we all have faults, and Dave recognizes and is actually making amends which is more than most people, let alone celebs. As for people mocking his Christianity, I guess you could say the same of Tom Araya of Slayer.. But that would be just as ignorant. Anyways, Dave deserves to be the number 1 guitar player for the reason specified. I respect Dave above any of my ‘metal gods’. Megadeth’s latest effort so far is above their last efforts since RIP, and I get the feeling that I want to break stuff when I hear the new stuff which I haven’t felt for decades. Dave has truly become a great man as well as musician. I respect him, and I wish him more years of playing. God Bless Dave Mustaine.
The revitalized Megadeth rules – I’m counting the days ’till Endgame hits the stores. Just too bad it collides with the new Muse record – that one will probably take the nr. 1 spot – a spot Dave’s been dreaming about for 2 decades now. Though being from Denmark, i’ll still buy the cd from the states the day it is released, just to give Dave a shot at that nr- 1 spot! Cheers Dave!! Rust, Coundown & United is on heavy rotation warming up!
lol ppl are serious idiots u know they bring the metallcia thing up just to start drama and getting ppl like u to come and read thier page and comment on it hes never gonna egt away from it cause thats all ppl care about is metallica blah blah blah dave has always known he was the better guitarist it just completely made him happy to know that not everyone is an idiot and they see his true talent threw all the bs kirk and james dont even belong on the list they play like shit saw them live december 13 2008 in fresno horrible thier show completely overshadows thier instrument playing oh and btw ppl who are complaining about dave always talking about metallica why do u evern read these interviews if ur saying thats all he brings up?stfu and stop reading them and go find something else to bitch about
thrash is right dave can only answer the questions asked and metallica allways pops up
we all know dave is a dick but music wise he´s the fucking daddy he smokes kirk and the rest
,
megadeth have allways been better then metallica
but metallica when for radio play and sold more records.
The newer albums with out Ellefson haven’t been as good as the old ones, but look at the couple albums before he left. Risk? The World Needs a Hero? Megadeth was starting to get downright shitty.
I do think he is over getting released from Metallica, I just think he hates Lars Ulrich as a person even more. I also think if it wasn’t for Lars he wouldn’t have been in that Some Kind of Monster movie. Lars probably stabs him in the back as a hobby. The only thing I don’t understand is if he practiced Witchcraft then why didn’t he put any spells on Lars??? Unless he did and thats why Lars acts like such a jerk… Maybe he created his own Frankenlars!!!
What do you guys expect from Dave Mustaine? He’s a jerk, an asshole, a dick and every other thing you could possibly imagine… but he is one helluva guitarist!! So what if he’s a little hypocritical, isn’t everyone else?! Also, he never tries to bring up Metallica, the interviewer does.
Dave is God
everyone loves the gossip! those of you who comment negatively perpetuate the past.the interview and some questions are directly linked to daves life emotive or not.idiots! i would say he has always been very good at his craft and still excells at it unlike some we know ay! and yes metallica do need another lead guitarist .im 100% sure if the shoe was on the other foot(u)id like to see what you negative people would say if you were in daves position no dont want to talk about it sure sure i/we all believe u! idiots!.i assume the knockers(not hooters) are all perfect.enjoy ur well earned success dave god knows u deserve it! c u down under (australia)
[...] Mustaine, not us) to talk about Megadeth’s new album, Endgame.” Read the entire interview HERE Comments [0]Digg [...]
good point…many people ask Metallica about Mustaine too. It just seems like something people love to hate and hate to love…like driving by an accident you know is grusome, yet you look anyway. Just because someone maybe “over” past issues, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t always room for more closure. For example, I can literally refuse to hold grudges towards people, but if I find out that I was right all along it certainly is going to make me feel good.
Why would him doing witch craft a long ass time ago matter? He obviously brought up that it was something he has absoloutly no interest in anymore and is no longer a part of who he is. And yeah, when that one event of getting kicked out of Metallica was such an influence to what his sound became and influenced how hard he pushed himself to stride above them, it’s only natural that it come up in interviews especially if old matters are asked by the interviewer. If you watch interviews of Dave Mustaine, when they bring up something about Metallica you can usually tell by the look on his face like “Here we go again” back into the relentless Metallica vs Megadeth fued.
[...] Część wywiadu dotyczącą nowego albumu Megadeth oraz nadchodzącej autobiografii Dave Mustaine’a przetłumaczyłem na potrzeby Mojej Arktyki. Całość rozmowy przeprowadzoną przez Dave Linga możecie znaleźć pod tym adresem. [...]
Dave es lo mejor! Afortunadamente todavia esta haciendo musica! Para mi el mejor en su genero!
Dave has been named no.1 in the 100 best metal guitarists? well, he is an absolute kickass rythym AMD lead player, and in ALL the megadeth videos ive seen, ( Ive yet to see them live) I have NEVER seen dave make a mistake, and the guy is a genius songwriter. although i have seen metallica live and they WERE awesome. but now im sold on endgame, ive preordered it already, but ill probably pick up another copy for good measure, because i love megadeth, and i want them to get that no.1 they so RIGHTLY DESERVE!!!!!!
MEGADETH 4 LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!
Give dave a break. So what if he still mentions metallica, Im sure he constantly asked about it and such.
Besides we all still reminesce about past stuff, even if we get over something if it had any impact on our lives at all even just a little we still think about it sometimes and talk about.
Im sure everyone here has gotten over something that has happened in highschool good or bad along time ago but you still think about it some.
MEGADETH RULES!!!
In my opinion Metallica had one great album and a few good songs here and there! NONE lately thats for sure! Megadeth has had Many great songs over many albums maybe they didn’t have as great an album as The Black album but throughout the course I think megadeth wins the battle> As far as guitar players go I don’t agree with that list too much of 100 greatest metal guitarists but I do agree Mustaine is better than Hammett and Hetfield! No argument there! As far as the getting over metallica thing? it’s hard to get over something you really thought would be great! I think Dave thinks the way I do Metallica with Dave Mustaineas their Lead Guitar player would have been SOOOO much better than they are now or ever were! I think it was less of he drank to much and more of James and Lars aresuch control freaks they wanted someone like Hammett who just does what they tell him! You can see it in the interviews they do all the time! Hammett I think could have been so much better than he is if he wasn’t relegated o basically a studio musician who plays on the road with them and is named as being in the band! I don’t see James and Lars showing him the respect they should for a band mate. They show the respect yu have for your employee! Thus Mustaine would have NEVER fot into the band under those cirumstances! But just imagine the Band Metallica with another major contributor like Mustaine in it! Thus the reason you can’t get oer it when you know how great it COULD HAVE BEEN!
[...] Mustaine of Megadeth is out promoting his new album Endgame with an interview in Classic Rock. As usual, since he was fired from Metallica in 1983, Metallica is the topic of many of his [...]
[...] Mustaine of Megadeth is out promoting his new album Endgame with an interview in Classic Rock. As usual, since he was fired from Metallica in 1983, Metallica is the topic of many of his [...]
I’m so happy to hear that Dave Mustaine found the lord. Honestly all you people criticizing him for it are idiots and I doubt if he spends a single second during his day caring what you think. A man has a right to believe what he chooses and more power to him. Jesus Christ died for you hateful, judgemental, worldly haters too. You people spend so much time trying to discredit Christianity that you make alot of people ponder what the big deal is. They then investigate and find that being Christian does not mean alot of the things they have been taught it means and then accept the lord into thier life. So keep up the good work casting stones, our faith is stronger than your hatred. Praise the lord.
I can’t believe Lars invited Dave to sit in the audience and watch Metallica be inducted into the RNR Hall of Fame. Pretty pathetic, Lars. For some who touts his love for the finer things, you certainly have very little class.
Dave reckons “When I practised witchcraft and put spells on people, they worked”. This explains why he’s had so many problems with life – he’s a bloody fruitcake!!
What a gentlemen. It’s interviews like this that put Dave apart from the rest. That’s why I bleed my fingers on the strings,,,
i think the whole metallica issue was the fact that james and lars were intimidated by dave’s potential. so like any dictator they destroyed what could become a threat for them. and i totally see why they felt that way. if today you find those three guys anywhere and you dont know them; you’ll talk to dave assuming he is the leader cause he casts the bigger shadow and personality. musically megadeth has been more metal than metallica. selling more albums doesnt necessarily mean that you are better. it is the media the one that has overrated metallica and underrated megadeth but if you ask to real metal fans today 7 out of 10 like megadeth over metallica. now to talk about dave’s demons i can say that even there he is living a normal life.it means he is struggling to find his way in life just like we do. the guys in metallica live in a dream no in real life. the y actually believe they are gods. they dont remember how to be average joe anymore. i wonder wwcd (what would cliff do) if he could see what has become metallica and his members. well james and lars the other two guys are just bodies.
Heard him picking some of his favorite songs on My Planet Rocks,and he sounded focused,articulate ,and at peace with himself at last. Good for him. Everyone who interviews him asks the M*******A question at some point.