As Megadeth’s farewell tour continues around the world, Dave Mustaine is looking back on nearly five decades of thrash metal history, and pushing back against one of the band’s biggest misconceptions.
Speaking with Fox Radio host Terrence Long, the Megadeth frontman addressed the long-running narrative that the band has been a revolving door of musicians, arguing the reality isn’t quite as dramatic (per Blabbermouth).
“Certain people say that there’s been a lot of people that have been in MEGADETH, and there’s been a lot of people that have said they were in the band — people who were auditioned, people who were in name only. For almost 50 years, the amount of people that we have on record is really pretty small.”
Mustaine admitted he would have preferred the band to maintain one consistent lineup throughout its career but acknowledged that isn’t always possible in a genre as demanding as thrash metal.
“I wished that it was just one lineup the whole time, honestly. But you don’t always have that luxury of playing with the same people for long periods of time, especially in something as intense as thrash metal.”
Reflecting on the early days of the metal scene
The guitarist also reflected on the early days of the metal scene, remembering the strong sense of community that existed before mainstream success blurred the lines between genres.
While celebrating Megadeth’s legacy, Mustaine also opened up about why the band’s current farewell tour is happening now, rather than walking away because he’s lost the passion, he revealed ongoing problems with his playing hand are influencing the decision.
“Well, it’s not because I wanna quit. My hand is giving me problems, and I don’t wanna keep playing if I can’t play.”
Despite those concerns, Mustaine says he refuses to lower his standards, insisting every show must live up to fans’ expectations.
“I don’t wanna ever go out there and do it half-assed. I wanna make sure that I kick ass every time I take the stage.”
Megadeth’s farewell journey is expected to continue into 2028, with the band recently announcing another European leg alongside Black Label Society and Testament following the chart topping success of their self-titled final studio album.
Catch Megadeth live in Australia with Iron Maiden this November:
- Wednesday, November 11th – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
- Friday, November 13th – AAMI Park, Melbourne
- Sunday, November 15th – Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- Wednesday, November 18th – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
- Thursday, November 19th – Brisbane – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Find out more and grab your tickets here.
Australian fans will have the chance to catch Mustaine and company this November when Megadeth joins Iron Maiden for one of the year’s biggest heavy metal tours, with Mustaine determined to finish on his own terms, these dates are shaping up to be an essential farewell for Australian metalheads.
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