Megadeth is not a puppet show
In the latest issue of Guitar World, Dave Mustaine addressed questions about the band's farewell tour, including whether any former members might be invited to join the group on stage.
Mustaine: "We've already done it with Marty Friedman. Let's look at the other people I've played with... There are a lot of people. That would be a big challenge, but I don't want to do it. I simply can't, because, to begin with, it would be unfair to the other band members if I didn't also play with all of them. I'd rather keep doing what we're doing and let the fans experience current Megadeth music and be happy with it. It's not a 'puppet Megadeth'."
Reflecting on past collaborations, Mustaine highlighted his special connection with former guitarist Marty Friedman, who rejoined him on stage in Japan in early 2023.
"What we did with Marty Friedman in Japan in early 2024 was an obvious decision. That was brilliant. I love Marty. We parted ways back then, he went his way and we went ours."
He also spoke about his relationships with other former guitarists, noting that while they were positive, they didn't match the depth he shared with Friedman. "My relationship with Chris Poland was really good, but not as good as with Marty," Dave said. "My relationship with Jeff Young was good, but not as good as with Marty."
Mustaine clarified that, aside from the late Gar Samuelson, he would have no problem performing with most former members. Still, he emphasized his recognition of the current lineup: "I'm simply not going to do anything that would, in any way, seem unfair to the other current members of the band."
