INTERVIEW WITH DAVE MUSTAINE
Interview conducted after the cancellation of the South American tour in March 2000, days after Marty Friedman's official departure. Mustaine explains that the cancellation was due to venue problems in other countries and the high cost of moving equipment to Argentina. He confirms that they are already working on new songs (about nine or ten), which will be a mix of 'super heavy' material (like 'Rust in Peace') and more melodic ('Risk'). He addresses Marty Friedman's departure, stating that he supports him although he believes his decision to pursue 'other musical interests' is a mistake, as the happiness he found in Megadeth was incomparable. He announces that Al Pitrelli is their new guitarist (the first time he has said it publicly) and that his style, closer to hard rock/heavy metal, is a better fit. Finally, he reveals that he was on the verge of dissolving Megadeth in 1995 after a show in Buenos Aires, but the reaction of the Argentinian fans made him reconsider, change his life (sobriety), and continue, dedicating the song 'I'll Be There' from Risk to them.
Date
March 1, 2000
Media
Rolling Stone (AR)
Interviewer
Rolling Stone
Interviewees
Rolling Stone
Everything was well organized for a tour through the main countries of South America, but some changes in governments caused closures in the stadiums where we were going to perform and the subsequent cancellation of the shows. That happened in Mexico City, in Monterrey and in some cities of Brazil. The final result was that the entire tour was canceled. Now, the possibilities of going to South America would only appear at the end of the year. I would have loved to play in Buenos Aires, because of how it makes me feel, but by the end of March the equipment is in Japan and moving it to Argentina costs thousands of dollars. This is a business and decisions like that cannot be made for many people to lose money. It's not fair.
Dave Mustaine
“Everything was well organized for a tour through the main countries of South America, but some changes in governments caused closures in the stadiums where we were going to perform and the subsequent cancellation of the shows. That happened in Mexico City, in Monterrey and in some cities of Brazil. The final result was that the entire tour was canceled. Now, the possibilities of going to South America would only appear at the end of the year. I would have loved to play in Buenos Aires, because of how it makes me feel, but by the end of March the equipment is in Japan and moving it to Argentina costs thousands of dollars. This is a business and decisions like that cannot be made for many people to lose money. It's not fair.”
Rolling Stone
Far from taking advantage of the tour cancellation as a break, Megadeth decided to dedicate themselves to the pre-production of a future album. -We have just started writing the music and have not finished any particular song -Mustaine confesses-, but we are working on about nine or ten. Some are super heavy, like from the time of Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction, and others more melodic, like on Risk and Cryptic Writings. We all take care of the composition, including Al Pitrelli.
Dave Mustaine
“We have just started writing the music and have not finished any particular song, but we are working on about nine or ten. Some are super heavy, like from the time of Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction, and others more melodic, like on Risk and Cryptic Writings. We all take care of the composition, including Al Pitrelli.”
Rolling Stone
After ten fruitful years, guitarist Marty Friedman left his position "to pursue other musical interests," according to an official statement on January 10. The immediate solution was Pitrelli. Faced with the first question about the definitiveness of the choice, Mustaine is decisive:
Dave Mustaine
“When we have decided whether the replacement is temporary or not, we will release an official statement to the press letting it be known. Under current circumstances, what we are trying to do is make the transition as painless as possible. We supported Marty in his decision, and what we wanted was for the guitarist who took his place to be able to interpret his parts in the same way and satisfy the fans first, before ourselves.”
Rolling Stone
How did you take his decision [Marty Friedman's]?
Dave Mustaine
“Ten years is a long time and I regret not knowing him completely; I would have liked to get to know him much better during the time we were together. He made the decision that he thought was correct and, although I don't agree with him, he has my full support. I think that's what being friends is about: letting the other person do what they think is convenient, even if you think the opposite. Sometimes it turns out for the good; other times, not. The fact that Marty has taken this path to satisfy his new musical concerns seems fine to me, because he will be able to do whatever he wants; now, if that is so that his future works fulfill him in the same way that Megadeth's music satisfied him at some point, I'm not so sure that it will. The happiness he once had in this group seems to me to be an incomparable feeling. However, he wanted to make a change...”
Rolling Stone
Did you sense his decision before he officially communicated it to you?
Dave Mustaine
“Yes, I knew something was going on. There are times when you have to let people go where they prefer, and it may seem wrong to you. In my opinion, in this case he is very wrong, but I can't do anything but let him go. There is something very concrete, and that is that Marty was not happy in Megadeth. When I noticed it, I openly asked him if he no longer liked being in the group, if he didn't like touring or... if he didn't like being with me! And he answered that I was wrong regarding the relationship between the two of us, but that I had been right about the first two options. We ended on good terms; I wish him the best and I hope all our fans support him in his decision. Because, after all, if a guy doesn't want to be in the band, the fans have to understand that that person no longer wants to play for them. And I am one of those who believe that our fans deserve the best of the best from this group. Regardless of who plays the guitar. Every time I go on stage, no matter if I'm sick or in perfect condition, I give them my best, and I think that sets me apart from a lot of other musicians. When I get to the point of not being totally interested in going on stage, I quit this; I don't continue, by any means. It doesn't seem fair to the fans, who have a hard time earning the money to see a brain-blowing show. From that point of view, Marty made the right decision: if you're not interested in doing this, go home.”
Rolling Stone
How were the first shows with Al Pitrelli?
Dave Mustaine
“Very good. Many fans came up and yelled "Marty, Marty, sign this for me!". That is to say... they didn't even notice the difference. There are some things about Al that I really like and even though Al does Marty's parts perfectly, he also takes small liberties to personalize what he is playing.”
Rolling Stone
How would you describe those attributes?
Dave Mustaine
“Al is a very passionate guy about playing guitar, just like Marty; however, they are two very different musicians. You would have to see him on stage to realize what I mean. How he shows his personality in a show, how he uses body language, how he plays for the audience. The way he behaves on stage is more related to hard rock or heavy metal, compared to what Marty did. The truth is that he is doing a fabulous job and surprises almost everyone, which is very difficult. I'm pretty sure Al will be our new guitarist. It's the first time I've said it publicly.”
Rolling Stone
A debt that Megadeth maintains with its loyal followers in Buenos Aires is the live album that Dave Mustaine promised on each of his visits.
Dave Mustaine
“It seems like a joke, but I swear that every time we go to Buenos Aires I tell my manager: «Let's do it» and he answers: «We'll talk about it later». First we were ready to do it with Nick Menza, drummer of the group until 1996 and he just left. The question was: do we release a live album with Jimmy DeGrasso playing Nick's songs? Once we convinced ourselves and were ready to do it, it just didn't happen. Why? Because we couldn't arrange everything that is necessary to record a live album. It is quite complicated to record it in Argentina, because we require the best technical equipment on the market and it is not easy to transport it from the United States to South America. At the same time, it is difficult for us to convince the technicians to spend a week or two in Buenos Aires and see how the public goes crazy (he says it in Spanish) for Megadeth. This year it might have been possible, but this time what failed was the tour. Anyway, I already told my manager: no matter what needs to be done, I want to record in Buenos Aires. The latest news was that the Japanese wanted to record a live album, and I told them that I was not interested in doing it in Japan. The proposal was that they travel to Buenos Aires to do it. We'll have to talk about it.”
Rolling Stone
What many don't know is that this imaginary debt began to be paid with "I'll Be There For You", one of the best songs on Risk, the group's latest album.
Dave Mustaine
“It was made especially to play in Argentina. It is a song dedicated to the fans. They were there for me, and now it's time for me to tell them: «I'm here for you». I repeat that, for me, Argentina is the best place to play. You can look for interviews from any medium, I always say the same thing, even in Chile, which is dangerous for me! (laughs).”
Rolling Stone
What those same fans don't know is that Megadeth is still alive thanks to them, and that that song works as a happy ending to a story that until now was unimaginable and that for the first time the group's leader dares to tell:
Dave Mustaine
“The second time we went to Buenos Aires, in 1995, I was going through a terrible time in my life because of my drug and alcohol problems. On that occasion, the show we gave at the Monsters of Rock, the festival that Alice Cooper closed, was the final date of our tour. As we drove away from the stadium in the van, my mind wouldn't stop thinking that everything was ending. My condition was so deplorable that I wanted to stop, for Megadeth to come to an end. On top of that, the internal relationship of the band was not the best and I was constantly fighting with my manager. When I got home, I started remembering the show; I decided that it had been so good that I couldn't let that be the end. And it wasn't. I meditated on it, changed my mind, continued with the group, quit drugs and alcohol, and I've been sober ever since.”
Rolling Stone
Did you keep that first decision to stop a secret?
Dave Mustaine
“To some extent. I think the band guessed something, because we talked about it a lot. The problem with my old manager, who made many mistakes, accentuated my madness. The rest of the group tried to comfort me; they told me: "Calm down, maybe it's a personal problem", and I answered: "No personal problems, he doesn't do his fucking job". Over time they proved me right, and this person resigned.”
Rolling Stone
While in the early 90s Megadeth and Metallica meant the vanguard of heavy music, today they are far from blazing new trails. The baton has been passed to Korn or Limp Bizkit.
Dave Mustaine
“When I remember the years when we emerged, it gives me a little nostalgia. What is certain is that it was straightforward heavy metal. In the early years we toured with groups like Alice Cooper or Dio and we blew the minds of the audience, the attendees and the musicians themselves. I have no problem with the new heavy groups; in fact, I don't think they're bad at all. What I do notice is that many of those bands sound exactly the same. And I mean the same songs, the same sounds and the same behaviors on stage. In the strictly metal field, things are totally different: you can say that everyone has long hair and wears worn jeans, but if you see Slayer and Testament you will realize that they are very different. The same thing happens with Metallica and Megadeth. Now there are many bands that sound like Limp Bizkit or Korn... If you're not a great musician, at least try to be original.”
Rolling Stone
Married in Hawaii nine years ago, Mustaine has two children: Justis and Elektra. His role as a father was another fundamental reason for the musician to put his life in order: he decided to adopt a calm and kind character, and bury that irascible and demonized character that gave him (bad) fame during his first days as a public figure. In the past, an interview with Dave was Russian roulette in which the shot could go anywhere, and his own grudges appeared in every answer. Today, Mustaine lets the powder ignite only in his shows, and off stage he learned to control his inner demons.
Dave Mustaine
“It was a learning process in which both my family and my fans collaborated. However, I still notice that many approach me with a demagoguery that I don't like too much. They tell me: "Sorry, Dave, but my favorite album is Rust In Peace" and I tell them they don't have to apologize. They think they do, because we've already released four albums after Rust In Peace, but it doesn't really bother me. Something similar happens with my children. I don't judge them by how they dress or what they feel. They challenge me by saying: "I don't like this or that", and it's not something I have to comment on; they are their decisions. When we run into new fans, they tell me: "Hi, Dave, Metallica is shit", and they don't need to tell me that for me to like them. Honestly, the comment irritates me because, besides, I like Metallica.”
Rolling Stone
What would happen if your son told you he preferred the Backstreet Boys over any heavy metal group?
Dave Mustaine
“I once asked my son if he liked the Backstreet Boys and he said no; that made me very happy (laughs). But if he liked Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera it wouldn't bother me so much, because at least they're something nice to look at..! ”