Dave Mustaine

Dave Mustaine

David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961 in La Mesa, California USA) is the lead/rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and singer for the thrash metal band Megadeth. Mustaine grew up in various Southern California suburbs. He currently resides in Fallbrook, California. As the central figure of Megadeth and a former Metallica lead guitarist and co-songwriter, he is one of a handful of people considered to have pioneered thrash metal and speed metal.

A member of Metallica (The Early Days)

In the late 1970s Dave dealt drugs, but one of his clients was often short of cash and offered Dave albums in trade for drugs, which is how he got his interest in heavy metal. In 1981, Dave left his first band Panic to join Metallica as the lead guitarist. Metallica's drummer (Lars Ulrich) had posted an ad in a local newspaper, The Recycler, looking for a lead guitarist. In his own words, Mustaine remembers his first meeting with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich: "I was convinced that I should be in the band and went to rehearsal. I was tuning up when all the other guys in the band were in another room. They weren't talking to me, so I went in and said, 'What the fuck, am I in or not?!, 'You've got the job.' I couldn't believe how easy it had been and suggested that we get some beer to celebrate."

Mustaine's membership in Metallica would last less than two years. Brian Slagel, an early manager of the band, recalls in an interview: "Dave was an incredibly talented guy, but he also had an incredibly large problem with alcohol and drugs. He'd get wasted and become a real crazy person, a raging maniac, and the other guys just couldn't deal with that after a while. I mean, they all drank of course, but Dave drank more...much more. I could see they were beginning to get fed up of seeing Dave drunk out of his mind all the time."

One day, Mustaine brought his dog to rehearsal. The dog jumped up onto the car of Ron McGovney and scratched the paint. Hetfield proceeded to yell at Mustaine's dog and allegedly kicked it in anger. Dave responded by punching Hetfield in the face and throwing McGovney across the room. Dave was fired following the altercation. The next day, Mustaine asked to be allowed back in the band and was granted his request. Another incident occurred when Mustaine, who had been drinking, poured a full can of beer down the neck and into the pick-ups of Ron McGovney's bass. When McGovney tried playing it, he received an electrical shock, and was thrown across the room, cracking part of his door, he also kicked Dave Mustaine from his house.

In April 1983, after Metallica had driven to New York to record their debut album, Mustaine was officially fired from the group because of his alcoholism and personality clashes with founding members Hetfield and Ulrich. The band packed up Mustaine's gear, drove him to a Greyhound bus station in Rochester, NY, and put him on a bus bound for Los Angeles.

During his short time in Metallica, Dave Mustaine toured with the band, co-wrote four songs on Kill Em All, and co-wrote two songs on Ride the Lightning (as well as, according to Mustaine, "Leper Messiah" on Master of Puppets). He also recorded several songs with the band including the No Life 'Till Leather demo tape. A few of the songs he wrote with Hetfield and Ulrich went on to be re-recorded by Megadeth. The most well-known of these is "The Four Horsemen" from Kill 'em All, which Mustaine wrote and later released on his debut album with the original lyrics as "Mechanix."

Megadeth

1981-1989

In 1983, he concluded that one of his goals in life should be to create a band more successful than Metallica. That summer he met bass player David Ellefson and formed Megadeth. He then enlisted guitarist Greg Handevidt and drummer Dijon Carruthers. After a series of unsuccessful vocalist auditions, Mustaine elected to take on those duties himself in addition to playing lead guitar. In 1984, Megadeth cut a three-song demo with drummer Lee Raush. Kerry King joined the band for a few shows. However he opted to leave Megadeth after less than a week so he could work on his band Slayer. Jazz-influenced drummer Gar Samuelson replaced Raush. In November, the band signed a deal with Combat Records, a month before guitarist Chris Poland came onboard and the band played their first shows in New York.

In May 1985, Megadeth released their first album Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! on Combat Records. That summer, the band toured the U.S. and Canada with Exciter, and guitarist Mike Albert replaced Poland for the tour. Poland rejoined the band in the studio in October, and the band began recording their second album for Combat. On New Year's Eve of that year, Megadeth played in San Francisco with Exodus, Metal Church, and Metallica.

A KV1, same model played by Mustaine before the Y2KV was created.

In 1985, after recording Killing Is My Business..., Mustaine approached Jackson Guitars for a custom-built guitar. Jackson modified their existing Flying V model for Mustaine. Afterwards, the company began mass-producing a Dave Mustaine series Jackson King V, which continued into the early 2000s.

The following year, major label Capitol Records signed Megadeth and obtained the rights to their second album, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?, from Combat. Megadeth opened a U.S. tour with King Diamond and Motörhead. Their second album, released in November, is regarded as a landmark metal album. It produced the notable title track (the opening bass lick of which was used by "MTV News" segments) as well as the thrash anthem "Wake Up Dead." The videos for both songs became staples on MTV's Headbanger's Ball.

In February 1987, Megadeth opened for Alice Cooper on his Constrictor tour. The band also toured with Mercyful Fate, who were a huge influence on Megadeth. In March, Megadeth's first world tour began in the UK. Mustaine and Ellefson guested on the band Malice's License To Kill album. Megadeth re-recorded "These Boots" for a movie soundtrack, and that summer went on tour with Overkill and Necros. Amid drug problems and suspicions of stealing the band's equipment for drug money, Mustaine fired Poland and Samuelson after their last show in Hawaii.

Chuck Behler, who had been Gar's drum tech, became Megadeth's drummer with a virtuoso named Jeff Young replacing Poland. Megadeth released their third album, So Far, So Good... So What! in January 1988. The album contains the song "In My Darkest Hour", which was composed after the death of Metallica's bass player Cliff Burton. (Mustaine said this in the liner notes of So Far, So Good... So What!). "Hook In Mouth" attacked the PMRC with gusto, although their cover of Sex Pistols "Anarchy in the UK" — despite a guest appearance from ex-Pistol Steve Jones — was ill-advised in the eyes of All Music Guide's critic.

Later that year, Megadeth opened for Dio and then Iron Maiden on tour before playing the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the UK with Kiss, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, and David Lee Roth. Shortly after, Mustaine fired Behler and Young, accusing Young of having thoughts of a relationship with Mustaine's girlfriend Diana at the time. Around this period, Mustaine found the time to produce the debut album from Seattle thrash band Sanctuary, called Refuge Denied.

Nick Menza who was Chuck Behler's drum tech joined Megadeth in 1989, and the band recorded their only track ever as a three-piece: a cover of Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" for the Wes Craven-directed horror flick, Shocker. Video director Penelope Spheeris would later recount in the Megadeth episode of Behind The Music that Mustaine showed up to the video shoot so fried on heroin and other drugs that he could not sing and play guitar at the same time. Therefore, the singing and playing had to be recorded separately. Mustaine was arrested for "impaired driving" that March with seven or more drugs in his system and was forced by authorities to enter a rehabilitation program (the first of his 15 visits to the rehabilitation centre).

1990-1999

In February 1990, guitarist Marty Friedman (Cacophony) was auditioned to fill in the vacant lead-guitar position. In September of that year, the band joined the "Clash of the Titans" tour overseas with Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, and Testament. The tour began one month before Megadeth released Rust In Peace which contains "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due", "Hangar 18", "Tornado Of Souls", "Take No Prisoners", (1990), which continued their commercial success. They immediately went back on the road, this time as support for Judas Priest, to promote the album.

Megadeth started off 1991 performing for 140,000 people at a festival in Brazil before starting their own world tour with Alice in Chains as their special guest. Mustaine got married in April, the same month the Rusted Pieces home video was released. That summer, the "Clash of the Titans" tour hit the U.S. featuring Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax, with Alice in Chains taking the opening slot. Later that year, the Megadeth song "Go To Hell" was featured on the soundtrack to Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.

Mustaine collaborated in 1991 with Sean Harris from Diamond Head on the track "Crown of Worms." (Mustaine would later appear on Diamond Head's reformation album Death and Progress.) Mustaine's wife, Pamela, gave birth to their son Justis in 1992. The band was featured on another soundtrack, this time for Super Mario Bros. with the song "Breakpoint." July saw the release of Megadeth's most commercially successful record: Countdown To Extinction. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and boasted the band's most successful songs: "Symphony Of Destruction," "Sweating Bullets," and the ode to sky-diving, "High Speed Dirt." The original version of the "Symphony of Destruction" video was edited due to its depiction of a political leader being assassinated. "Skin O' My Teeth" was aired on MTV with a disclaimer from Mustaine insisting that the song did not endorse suicide. Ellefson contributed lyrics to the family-farm ballad "Foreclosure Of A Dream," and Menza wrote the lyrics about canned hunting for the title track. This album began a new, more "collaborative" Megadeth.

Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies opened for Megadeth on the Countdown To Extinction tour. MTV News invited Mustaine to cover the Democratic National Convention for them that summer. In November, the "Exposure Of A Dream" home video was released. In 1993, Mustaine guested on a new album by one of the bands who influenced his sound, Diamond Head. Mustaine began a U.S. tour with Megadeth with Stone Temple Pilots as their opening act. This tour, including a planned appearance at Budokan, was ultimately canceled due to Mustaine's continuing struggles with addiction. In June, Megadeth played Milton Keynes Bowl with Diamond Head and Metallica and later that month opened for Iron Maiden on their European tour. Megadeth was kicked off of Aerosmith's U.S. tour after just seven dates. "Angry Again" was featured on the soundtrack to the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie "Last Action Hero" while "99 Ways To Die" was featured on the "Beavis and Butthead Experience" compilation.

Megadeth spent the bulk of 1994 making Youthanasia, a much more commercial album undoubtedly inspired in part by the success of Countdown to Extinction, The band covered "Paranoid" for Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath and performed on MTV's "Night Of The Living Megadeth" in celebration of the Halloween release of their new album. They began a tour the next month in South America. Youthanasia became the quickest album to go gold (500,000 units) in Canadian history and sold well throughout the world.. It was an album that showed a more melodic side to the band with tracks such as "A Tout Le Monde." The album also included "Train of Consequences," which became one of the band's most memorable music videos.

Another soundtrack appearance, "Diadems" on "Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight," kicked off 1995. Megadeth spent the first two months of the year on the "Youthanasia" tour with Corrosion of Conformity in tow. In March, the Hidden Treasures compilation hit Europan stores. The "Evolver: The Making Of Youthanasia" home video followed in May, and Hidden Treasures made it to the U.S. and Japan in July, just in time for the start of the "Reckoning Day" tour with special guests Flotsam and Jetsam, Korn, and Fear Factory. In September the band performed at the "Monsters Of Rock" festival in South America.

A Grammy nomination for "Paranoid" began 1996 for Megadeth. Enlisting Fear singer Lee Ving, Mustaine made an album under the monicker "MD.45" with Suicidal Tendancies's drummer Jimmy DeGrasso behind the kit. In September, Megadeth went back into the studio, this time in the country music hotbed of Nashville, TN. The following year's Cryptic Writings was the result.

Cryptic Writings (1997) included thrashing songs like "Vortex" and "FFF" alongside radio friendly fare like "Trust," the song which put Megadeth on the no 1 spot in the US billboard earning them many spins at rock radio. Megadeth.com launched that year and in June, the reformed Misfits opened for the band on tour. Chaos Comics released "The Cryptic Writings Of Megadeth" comic books and a remix of "Almost Honest" showed up on the "Mortal Kombat Annihilation" soundtrack. The first ever all-acoustic Megadeth performance in Buenos Aires (Argentina) closed out the year in December.

Mustaine's daughter, Electra Mustaine, was born on January 28, 1998, the same month that "Trust" was nominated for a Grammy. Megadeth played on the Howard Stern Show and that summer took part in Ozzfest. As Nick Menza sat in the hospital side-lined by a knee injury, he received a call from Mustaine informing him that his services would no longer be needed. Jimmy DeGrasso, who Mustaine had enjoyed playing with in MD.45, joined Megadeth in his place. On New Year's Eve, Megadeth opened for Black Sabbath alongside Soulfly, Slayer, and Pantera.

While touring after Cryptic Writings, Mustaine told interviewers that songs like "She Wolf" and "Vortex" had reinvigorated his love for classic metal by bands like Venom and Motörhead and that he intended to write an album that was "1/2 Peace Sells, 1/2 Cryptic Writings." However, after hearing about a comment Lars Ulrich had made in the press in which he said he wished Mustaine would take more "risks," intentions changed. Managers and producers had more input. The guitar solos started to disappear. The song "Crush 'Em" was written with the express purpose of being played in sports arenas. In later years, Mustaine would blame much of this period on Friedman's desire to go in a more "pop" direction. Whatever the cause, "Risk" was exactly that creatively, and it failed almost completely. Recorded with producer Dann Huff, again in Nashville, the album was released on August 31, 1999. "Crush 'Em" made it onto the "Universal Soldier 2" soundtrack and into WCW wrestling events (notably played live on Monday Nitro). In July, the band covered "Never Say Die" for a second Sabbath tribute. They played Woodstock '99 and again opened for Iron Maiden in Europe. There were few other highlights in the Megadeth world in 1999, a year that ended with Marty Friedman announcing his departure from the band.

2000-Present

As the tour behind Risk soldiered on, Al Pitrelli replaced Friedman on the road. In April, the new lineup entered the studio to begin work on a new album a couple of months before they officially parted ways with Capitol Records. The summer was spent on the road with Anthrax and Mötley Crüe. Capitol released a "best of" collection in the fall, "Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years," featuring two brand new (and more metal-leaning) songs. With a new deal in place with Sanctuary Records, Megadeth returned to the studio toward the end of the year to finish their album and on New Year's Eve, played a show in Anchorage, Alaska.

An acoustic tour sponsored by radio stations, a press tour, and a video shoot for the song "Moto Psycho" all preceded the May, 2001 release of The World Needs A Hero. The summer was filled with festival appearances supporting AC/DC. In September, Megadeth set out across North America with Endo and Iced Earth. VH1's "Behind The Music" special on Megadeth aired that year and was later released on DVD. At the end of the year, the band filmed two shows in Arizona, which were released as the 2CD and DVD Rude Awakening.

The early part of 2002 saw the release of a remixed and re-mastered Killing Is My Business... with bonus tracks and expanded packaging, followed by "Rude Awakening."

Mustaine now writes a lesson column in Guitar World magazine.

(For more discography information, see Megadeth discography; for detailed band history, see Megadeth)

Injury And Breakup

Mustaine himself gave what he called "the Reader's Digest version" of the whole matter during an interview for SuicideGirls: "I went into retirement because my arm got hurt really bad. I broke up the band which at the time was Al Pitrelli, Dave Ellefson, Jimmy DeGrasso, and myself. I was having problems with Al because he liked to drink, and we didn’t want to show up at places drunk. Al also got married to a nice woman, but he wanted to spend time with her. After a few years, most married men are willing to die, so I figured if we got a couple years into the marriage that might have changed. But the fact was, Al wasn’t fitting. DeGrasso was really hard to be around because he was so negative all the time with his complaining about money and wanting things. Ellefson was all about "play my songs, play my songs." I hated being around these guys so when the arm injury happened, it was a welcome relief and an indication that I had to stop."

Recovery

Mustaine went through physical therapy for his arm injury. During his recovery, he explored other areas of the music industry, including production. Contrary to what doctors had predicted, within a short time he fully recovered. However, all was mostly quiet on the Megadeth front for the better part of 2003. Mustaine left Jackson guitars, did a solo acoustic performance at a benefit show, unveiled his new ESP model at the NAMM convention, and oversaw the release of Peace Sells... But Who’s Buying? as an audio DVD presented in Dolby 5.1 surround. He also remixed and remastered all of Megadeth's albums, releasing them through Capitol Records in 2004.

It was during this period that Mustaine became a Christian. He expressed his intent to withdraw from a show in Greece that had Rotting Christ opening for Megadeth.

In response to their forced cancellation, Sakis of Rotting Christ noted:

"I didn't expect something like that from Dave Mustaine, because, you know, he's supposed to be metal — you know, 'metal band,' all metal ... I just feel sorry for him and for every new Christian with new ideas, because we think Christianity is the worst thing to happen in human history. This is a well-organized trick in order to control society, so when I see someone that's very much Christian, that's full of the system, I feel very sorry for him because he's not free."

Mustaine responded on the official Megadeth website, saying "Yes, I did say I would prefer not to play on concerts with Satanic bands," he said. "That doesn't mean I won't, it doesn't mean I would not talk with the bands either...But to make a life-altering change and then not have some kind of effect would not have been a change at all, would it? It's not much different from staying away from booze if you have made a decision to be sober."

He added, "If I don't feel it is right for me to do something, then (I) would just respectfully decline. I would not ask that anyone be taken off if they were already confirmed...I have to draw the line and stand for my beliefs or they aren't beliefs at all, are they?"

At the same time, Mustaine's personal life once again underwent problems. During the tour of Gigantour 2005, Mustaine brought with him a "spiritual counselor" to help himself avoid the demons that almost cost him his life due to his prior drug addictions. This was noted recently by The Dillinger Escape Plan frontman Greg Puciato, who explained his experience with Mustaine on Gigantour: "He had a pastor walking around with him on tour and riding on his bus, I think to help keep him on the straight and narrow path."

Return

The next year kicked things into high gear. Mustaine oversaw the remixing and re-mastering of Megadeth's entire Capitol Records catalog. All albums were re-released with bonus tracks and full liner notes. With one album remaining in his contract to Sanctuary Records, Mustaine began recording what he intended to be the first Dave Mustaine solo album with drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and bassist Jimmy Sloas. Complete with guest solos from old friend Chris Poland, this project became a new Megadeth album, The System Has Failed, released September 14, 2004. One month before, Mustaine announced a new touring lineup for Megadeth: Glen Drover (King Diamond/Eidolon) and James MacDonough (Iced Earth). Nick Menza had briefly been a part of the new band before differences once again caused his departure. One week before a new US tour with Exodus supporting, new drummer (and Glen's brother) Shawn Drover joined Megadeth.

The "Blackmail The Universe" tour went worldwide in February, 2005 with Diamond Head and Dungeon supporting. Capitol released a new greatest hits, Back To The Start, in June, a month before Mustaine created "Gigantour" with Dream Theater, Anthrax, Fear Factory, Symphony X, Dillinger Escape Plan, Life of Agony, and more. Throughout all of this, Mustaine had been coy in the press about whether or not this would be the "final" album and tour for his band. At a concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he announced that he would, in fact, keep Megadeth together.

"The Arsenal Of Megadeth," a two-disc anthology DVD, was released in March of 2006. Bass player James LoMenzo (Black Label Society, White Lion) replaced James MacDonough in February shortly before the band headed to the Dubai Desert Rock Festival in the Middle East. On April 19, the band began recording a new album, United Abominations, at SARM studios in the UK (David Gilmour's house), they announced a worldwide deal with Roadrunner Records in May 2006. United Abominations was released worldwide on May 15, 2007. However, the album had already been leaked before its release. On January 13, 2008, Dave Mustaine confirmed that guitarist Glen Drover had quit Megadeth to focus on his family and that he had been replaced by Chris Broderick of Jag Panzer). The new lineup made its live debut in Finland on February 4 and returned to the US for Gigantour 2008 in the spring.

Gigantour

Dave Mustaine at a Gigantour show in Orlando, FL.

In the summer of 2005, Mustaine launched a travelling North American metal festival. He named it Gigantour after a favorite childhood cartoon of his, Gigantor. It spanned six weeks and was co-headlined by Megadeth and Dream Theater, with a variety of other supporting metal acts such as Fear Factory. Mustaine has been quoted as saying that his main intention when conceiving the tour was to bring the American metal audiences an eclectic and affordable alternative to Ozzfest.

The second annual Gigantour began in September 2006 and was composed of Megadeth, Lamb Of God, Opeth, and Arch Enemy. The second stage bands were Overkill, Into Eternity, Sanctity, and The Smash Up.

The 2007 Gigantour featured Bring Me The Horizon, Static-X, Devildriver, and Lacuna Coil along with Megadeth.

The 2008 installment of the tour featured Megadeth, Children Of Bodom, In Flames, Job For A Cowboy, and High On Fire (and Evile for the UK tour).

Guitars

Mustaine used BC Rich models early in his career, most notably his somewhat iconic 10-string BC Rich Bich which Dave strung with just the regular six strings.

After switching to Jackson Guitars he helped to re-design the guitar maker's version of the King V model (at the time, it was a "double Rhoads size" meaning it had two of the longer fins from the RR). The reshaped Mustaine KV1 model had slightly shorter fins, Kahler bridge and Seymour Duncan JB-4 and Jazz-2 pickups. He also specified 24 frets rather than the original King V's 22, a tradition which Jackson still keeps on its King V models today, and the KV1, as have all of Dave's signature models, also featured a smaller, medium fretwire compared to the extra jumbos featured on most Jacksons.

Mustaine later switched to ESP guitars. The company released the DV8 signature model in the 2004 NAMM convention also at which time Mustaine announced his ESP endorsement deal. In 2005, Mustaine and ESP teamed up to release the ESP Axxion, (pronounced Action), in order to celebrate Megadeth's 20th anniversary.(the XX in Axxion and the fretboard inlays being the number 20 in Roman numerals) The ESP Axxion and ESP DV8 were both successful and cheaper models such as the LTD-DV8 R, LTD DV200 and the LTD Axxion were released to target a bigger market.

Dave Mustaine on tour supporting United Abominations.

However, on December 6, 2006, Dave Mustaine announced that he was leaving ESP guitars and shifting his endorsement to Dean Guitars. His new signature guitar was revealed during NAMM Show on 19 January 2007. The signature guitar is called the Dean VMNT. The V-shaped guitar is very similar to his earlier Jackson and ESP Signature models.The release campaign of the VMNT had a limited copy of only 150 in the world and are signed by Dave Mustaine. This was posted on the website: [3]

"After two successful years, I have decided to leave ESP guitars. This was a business decision and had nothing to do with the guitars or the manufacturing of the guitars, and I wish the staff of ESP, both in the USA and in Japan and Korea the very best of health and prosperity. Meanwhile, I am taking my Classic Metal V known formerly as a Jackson King V1 or an ESP DV8, and my new guitar design presently known as an Axxion, which was the recipient of the Gold Award from Guitar World Magazine for 2005 for new guitar designs with me. I will also be re-introducing through my new endorsement many special models, including re-issues of my old models from over the span of my career, as well as some retro V shapes, similar to the formerly known Jackson Y2KV or a Gibson Flying V. I will make my announcement and be attending the 2007 NAMM show to meet Megadeth fans and all metal fans, musicians of all styles-especially guitarists."

Today he uses his new signature model by Dean Guitars the Dean VMNT. The USA Deluxe model was available briefly in limited run after its release, although the standard model is in continuous production. Mustaine uses the standard model onstage.

Cameos

Dave Mustaine has done a few cameo performances on various television shows:

• In 1992 Mustaine covered the Democratic National Convention for MTV. He also hosted the MTV2 Television Network's series Headbanger's Ball on two occasions: once on a tribute to Dimebag Darrell in December 2004 and the second time as a special guest on an episode which aired August 27, 2005. He also played the song "Gears of War" with Megadeth on an episode about the video game release under the same name.

• Dave Mustaine makes an appearance on the 1998 The Drew Carey Show episode entitled "In Ramada Da Vida." When Drew and the gang decide to start a band, they audition guitarists, including Mustaine. After playing a lightning fast guitar solo, Lewis Kiniski tells Mustaine "Don't be nervous son, just slow down," to which Mustaine replies, "It's supposed to sound that way." Drew replies by saying, "Yeah, sure it is..... next."

• In the 1996 Black Scorpion sci-fi series episode Love Burns Mustaine plays Torchy Thompson, a vengeful arsonist.

• Dave Mustaine and Megadeth appear in the Duck Dodgers 2005 episode "In Space, Nobody can Here you Rock/Ridealong Calamity". In the show, Dave plays a cryogenically frozen version of himself, possibly a reference to the "Hangar 18" video since the video ends with the whole line up of Megadeth cryogenically frozen. He is unfrozen because the main cast requires an incredibly loud noise to overload a Martian sonic weapon, and "nobody rocks harder, faster, or louder than Dave Mustaine." He is referred to in the episode as being "genetically engineered to rock and raised by wolverines". During this episode he played the song "Back In The Day" from "The System Has Failed" album. Mustaine appeared again in the show in the series' final episode, Bonafide Hero: Captain Duck Dodgers.

• Dave appeared on the second episode of season 8 on the television show Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

• Dave and Megadeth appeared in promotional videos for the NHL team Philadelphia Flyers in response to an inflammatory comment by Mike Wise in the Washington Post which suggested that some of the Flyers' fans could work security for Megadeth. Dave invited them to do so. Megadeth all wore Flyers' jerseys. Dave sported the one of team captain Jason Smith, while other members wore the jerseys of Daniel Brière, Martin Biron and Mike Richards.

• Dave appeared in an episode of Rock & Roll Jeopardy! along with George Clinton and Moon Zappa.

Feuds and rivalries

Mustaine has a reputation for having been in many feuds and rivalries with other heavy metal musicians. Over the years, many of these have slowly resolved themselves, but problems still exist between a few people. Some of them include the following:

Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield

The most well-known of these is his feud with Metallica, in particular with drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist/singer James Hetfield. While he received songwriting co-credit on Metallica's first two albums, Mustaine claims to have co-written other Metallica songs, including "Leper Messiah," for which he was not credited. The original version of "The Four Horsemen" was called "The Mechanix" and appears in its original form on the first Megadeth album, minus the bridge Metallica added to it for Kill 'Em All. It has been said that Megadeth's "Hangar 18" and the instrumental "The Call of Ktulu" (written along with Cliff Burton for his interest in H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos) on Metallica's second album, which Mustaine is credited as co-authoring, bear similarities. This feud has waxed and waned over the years. Shortly after the events of September 11, 2001, Mustaine and Ulrich sat down together — with a therapist and cameras present — to talk things through. The subsequent inclusion of the footage in the movie Some Kind of Monster re-ignited the feud, as Mustaine has reportedly withdrawn his permission to use the footage in the film. Ulrich later noted in Metallica's fanclub magazine So What! in late 2005 that each time Mustaine slams him in the press seems to coincide with the release of a new Megadeth album. However, in a 2007 Metalhammer interview, Mustaine claims that the footage in Some Kind of Monster was edited; it didn't show Ulrich walking off the set crying and in general made Mustaine look like the bad guy. He also says that he doesn't care about Metallica anymore and even admits to receiving Christmas Cards from James Hetfield; he would also like to see them on Gigantour one day. It is said in his site www.Askdavemustaine.com that "after seeing Some Kind of Monster I'm about as good as friends with Metallica as they are with each other".

Kirk Hammett

Mustaine's replacement within Metallica by Kirk Hammett resulted in bad feelings towards Hammett on Mustaine's part. Even though he has stated he "[doesn't] care Kirk took my job," he also noted that "at least I got to bang his girlfriend before he took my job — how do I taste, Kirk?" He has also claimed that he wrote many of the solos on Kill 'Em All, which were then emulated note for note by Hammett. In "The Art of Kirk Hammett," Kirk states that he was told to use Mustaine's existing solos as a guideline. In the Megadeth edition of Behind The Music, Mustaine stated that "now he sees how [Hammett] tries really hard" and "thinks he makes really good use of what talent he has" after stating earlier in that interview "I hear how much time James and Lars allowed him to solo, and said to myself 'God, he's horrible....'" He has also stated "I don't really mind [Kirk] too bad these days. Like if he was drowning, I'd save him. But I'd wait a bit first." This feud has dropped off considerably in recent years.

David Ellefson

Mustaine's decision to break up Megadeth in 2002 left all band members miffed and holding grudges, especially David Ellefson, who hinted during an interview with Metal Sludge magazine that Mustaine faked the injury as an excuse to disband Megadeth. Ellefson had been, after Mustaine, the longest-serving member of Megadeth. Subsequently, the rift between them exploded, with the two camps exchanging lawsuits. Ellefson's suit alleged that co-founding guitarist Mustaine breached their long-running partnership agreement. He claimed Mustaine wrongfully took the lion's share of the band's income (estimated at more than $200 million since 1984) for himself and cut Ellefson out of the band's music publishing and merchandise revenues. Ellefson also said that Mustaine libeled him in an online posting, and he sought at least $18.5 million in damages. Mustaine's counterclaim alleged that Ellefson executed a settlement agreement in which he gave up his 20% interest in Megadeth. Mustaine maintains that the settlement — which Ellefson alleges was signed under pressure and ultimately withdrawn — released Mustaine from all claims. Ellefson eventually lost the case .

On Blabbermouth.net, Mustaine claims to have had dinner with Ellefson at Christmas in 2005 to talk things through; they are on good terms today as Mustaine states they have spoken on the phone numerous times. It should also be noted that as of late, Ellefson has stated (also on Blabbermouth.net) that if Mustaine were to call him tomorrow and ask him to rejoin the band, he would say yes.

Chris Poland

Former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland, featured on the albums Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! and Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?, had been the target of sour comments from Mustaine concerning Poland's former habit of pawning band gear to purchase heroin. After Poland was dismissed from the band and replaced with Jeff Young in 1987, Mustaine's bitterness towards Poland was the subject of the track 'Liar' on Megadeth's 1988 album So Far, So Good... So What!.

In a 1992 interview, Mustaine was quoted as saying: "Chris Poland - you know what? - he could die tomorrow and it wouldn't affect me... Chris has never made amends to me for stealing all my gear. I had a collector's item Echoplex which just disappeared, all sorts of guitars, which were all stolen to cash in for heroin. I'm willing to forgive and forget, but until he comes and makes amends with me then I'm not willing to give in."

The amends seemed to have been made by 2004 when Mustaine hired Poland to perform guitar solos on a number of tracks for The System Has Failed (he also recorded solos for Rust In Peace preproduction demos), after Poland had appeared to tell this side of the Megadeth story for the Behind the Music episode. Unfortunately, soon after the album's release, Mustaine was contacted by Poland's lawyers, who claimed Poland was due royalties beyond that of his session fees.

In late 2006, Poland began posting on the official Megadeth message board, apparently having resolved his problems with Mustaine.

Rikki Rachtman

Mustaine had a verbal feud with MTV's Rikki Rachtman from Headbanger's Ball. Rachtman stated on-air that he would like to settle his differences with Mustaine and move on. Mustaine eventually cleared the matter up, stating that, in reality, he really liked Rachtman. Recently on the VH1 40 Least Metal Moments, interviews were shown with Rachtman wearing a shirt saying "Dave Mustaine for President."

Kerry King

Mustaine has a long-standing feud with Slayer guitarist Kerry King. King had previously been a temporary member of Megadeth in 1984. Even though Mustaine tried to convince him to focus on Megadeth rather than the "lame spikes" and "eyeliner" with the "posers" in Slayer, Kerry refused to quit his main band. After a falling out during the 1991 "Clash of the Titans" tour, Kerry and Mustaine made public jabs at one another throughout the 1990s. Mustaine cited Slayer's poor record sales compared to Megadeth, and Kerry mentioned Mustaine's inability to get along with band members and tour with major acts. Dave tried to reach out to Kerry after the murder of Dimebag Darrell. King has said that he thinks Mustaine is a "cocksucker", has said that "everybody hates him", and that he is a "dictator". He also called David Ellefson a "great dude" and voiced his support for Ellefson's attempt to sue Mustaine in 2002, stating that he and Ellefson had "been friends for years." Mustaine, for his part, has stated that, in his opinion, "Kerry has a problem, because he hates everybody." In a recent 2007 interview in Metalhammer magazine, Mustaine states that he doesn't care anymore and wants to end his arguments, mainly with Metallica and Slayer. Recently in GuitarWorld.com's Dear Guitar Hero, King stated that he "admires [Mustaine] to this day" as a guitarist, even though he considers Mustaine a "hypocrite" and an "asshole."

Recent attempts to end this feud stopped due to a subsequent argument. After occasionally touring with Megadeth, Machine Head began to tour with Slayer. During nearly this whole tour, Kerry and Machine Head frontman Robert Flynn were in a constant fight with each other and routinely slammed each other in the press. Kerry particularly slammed Rob in the press, calling him a "poser" and "musically retarded." Mustaine supported Flynn, stating that Kerry was either "deaf" or an "asshole" to think Flynn was a poser, and Mustaine has repeatedly stated that he thinks Machine Head is "one of the best bands around today." Kerry and Rob later made amends during this tour, and the argument has since died off.

Tom Araya

Mustaine's feuds with King have sparked animosities between fans of Slayer and Megadeth, but the only other member of Slayer who seems to be involved in the feud with Mustaine is bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Like the feud with King (although much smaller-scale), this feud mostly began at the "Clash of the Titans" tour when Mustaine, taunting Araya, punched him in the face, and told him that he liked it when Araya "sucked his dick." Araya proceeded to call him a "homo" onstage. In a more recent interview (with Kerry King), Araya slammed Mustaine's lawsuit with Dave Ellefson.

Pantera

Mustaine at one time had a continuing feud with the band Pantera, who opened for Megadeth's 1992 'Countdown to Extinction' tour. Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo was known for saying "Fuck Megadeth" and "Fuck Dave" through the PA during Pantera's set minutes before Megadeth took the stage. In 1994, in an interview on MTV, Mustaine told an interviewer that he felt his music had been ripped off. He continued, "I'm not gonna name anybody 'cause I'm not gonna promote them. OK, we'll say 'panther' in Spanish and Portuguese ('Pantera'). You're welcome guys. We might as well be cooking their dinner for them or pushing their little wheelbarrow to the bank for them." After the murder of former Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell (who had once been invited to join Megadeth), Mustaine downplayed this comment on a 2004 Headbanger's Ball memorial to Dimebag as an "off-camera, off-record" event and said he felt flattered by Pantera. However, the video of the interview is available at the MTV website.

However, Mustaine and the members of Pantera seem to have put these differences to rest, as Mustaine has posthumously expressed his admiration for "Dimebag," saying:

"I knew ["Dimebag"] by wanting to play with him. We had Pantera open for Megadeth in the U.S. and in Europe. When you get to the level of guitar playing that I'm at and that he was at, the air is pretty thin up there...Darrell was a really gentle spirit and pretty easygoing guy."

and:

"...Knowing he was murdered tonight, I wish to thank and remember Darrell for his amazing life and the gift that he shared with me and so many other fortunates. I pray for Darrell's family and friends, specifically for their healing, their peace and their understanding of this tragedy in this time of need. I send my deepest heartfelt condolences to the Abbott family, to Darrell's friends, and to the fantastic Pantera and Damageplan fans around the world. We must never forget his life and his gifts, his genius, his terrific personality and the legacy he left behind to remember him by. Darrell, I will see you in heaven and I, like so many more, love you brother. You will be missed."

Mustaine also paid tribute to Dimebag at a 2005 Gigantour show in Dime's hometown of Dallas as he joined Dream Theater, Burton C. Bell, and Russell Allen on stage for a rendition of "Cemetery Gates"[4], for which Mustaine played the song's guitar solo.

In 2007, Mustaine toured with Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown's new band Down, further indicating that he has apparently made peace with the former members of Pantera.

Mike Muir

Yet another brief feud that was sparked on the "Clash of the Titans" tour was between Mustaine and Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir. Muir was upset that Mustaine apparently tried to throw his band off the bill and responded by attacking Mustaine's alcohol addictions and joking that he "lived at the Betty Ford Center." The feud nearly became violent on the Clash of the Titans tour when he challenged Mustaine to an onstage fist-fight. Muir claimed that "There are a lot of people who would like to see Dave get his butt kicked, and the lord knows Mike Muir ain't goin' down. I'll fuck him up... I'd dazzle him, left'n'right. I wanna see a little blood, y'know what I'm sayin'?" Mustaine responded to Muir verbally, claiming that Muir was stupid for trying to intimidate him, and claiming to be a Suicidal fan as well. This feud did not carry on past the end of the tour. Suicidal even opened for Megadeth on their 1992 Countdown to Extinction tour (and ex-Suicidal drummer Jimmy DeGrasso worked in Megadeth as well as MD.45 earlier). Muir and Mustaine are now on good terms, with Mustaine claiming that he and Muir are "good friends today."

Taekwondo

Mustaine started practicing taekwondo in 1999. On October 27, 2007, while in Seoul, South Korea for a concert, he was appointed the first Goodwill Ambassador of the World by the World Taekwondo Federation, and was presented an honorary 4th Dan (fourth degree) certificate. Shortly after receiving the honor, Mustaine stated, "Taekwondo is a great discipline. For me, it was one of the things that changed my life...It helped me to eliminate a bad lifestyle of drug and alcoholism. It helped me to believe inside of myself and find the strength inside of myself that I never knew that I possessed."

Trivia

Dave often explains to audiences that "If you came to see us play, you don't need to hear us talk"

See also

• Megadeth discography
• MD.45
• Gigantour

External links

• Megadeth's official website
• ESP's "DV8" Dave Mustaine signature series guitar
• Official Gigantour Site
• The Infamous 1994 MTV Dave Mustaine Interview The article "Megadeth Trashes Pantera" includes video.
• Interview with Dave Mustaine, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2006-10-13
• Home of Dave Mustaines Signature VMNT Guitars Dean Guitars
• Dave Mustaine Video Interview with Dave Navarro
• Mustaine interview with KNAC.com 24th April 2008