Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has spent decades being treated like a political Rorschach test by the internet, but in a new interview he’s made it bluntly clear, he’s not here to wear anyone’s party colours.
Speaking to The New York Times, the 64 year old guitarist and vocalist addressed the long running perception that he leans hard right, saying:
“I’m a Christian, and I answer to a different set of angels. I obey the law, but no, I’m not a right-winger.”
Mustaine also pushed back against being boxed into straight religion, adding:
“We used to always say that religion’s for people who are afraid of going to hell, and spirituality is for people like us who have been there,” a line that feels ripped straight from the kind of lived in darkness that’s powered Megadeth’s best work.
This isn’t the first time Mustaine’s had to explain his politics, either, less than two years ago, he spoke about visiting the White House in 1992 with Rock The Vote, saying:
“And I was asked to help get people in my country registered to vote — not to become a Democrat, not to become a Republican, but to vote.” He added, “I don’t try and tell people in my songs what to do.”
Political history
Mustaine’s political history is messy, public, and full of moments he probably wishes didn’t happen, four years ago he made headlines again after telling a crowd he’d “peed on the floor” at the White House.
Then there’s the legendary onstage rant where he said:
“When I went up to the White House, I was so proud to be able to go up there and say, ‘Fk you. You think we’re stupid? We are not stupid, motherfkers.'” Later adding: “By the way, when I went into the White House, I went into the royal — whatever the fk it’s called — White House bathroom, and I peed on the floor. I had to. I had to.”**
Mustaine’s also previously argued the “right-winger” label is lazy and weaponised, telling Ron Keel: “I’ve got this reputation that I’m a right-winger,” before pointing out: “Well, check my voting record to see that I’ve voted Democrat and Republican.”
In a scene that’s constantly being pulled into culture war nonsense, Mustaine’s latest comments feel like another reminder, people love a headline, but reality’s always uglier and more complicated.
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