Dave Mustaine claims Megadeth would have been less successful if not for the motivating factor of Metallica “trying to hold me back”
While peacefully coexisting in 2026, the relationship between Metallica and Dave Mustaine‘s Megadeth you’ve got been rocky over the years, to say the least.
Dave Mustaine was Metallica’s lead guitarist from 1982 to 1983, writing riffs that would later seem on debut album Kill ‘Em All – and even followup Ride the Lightning – earlier than being harassed by the band for alcoholism, drug misuse and aggressive conduct in direction of his band members.
And as he is asserted over the years, it was the fallout with Metallica which closely influenced his drive to succeed with Megadeth.
Mustaine has mirrored on his relationship with Metallica rather a lot in the previous few months, after it emerged {that a} cowl of Ride the Lightning – the title monitor from Metallica’s sophomore album – was set to seem on Megadeth’s self-titled remaining album.
And now, in a brand new interview with the LA Timesthe guitarist and frontman mirror once more on the motivating impact of the fallout and subsequent hostility.
“Think of it,” he says. “Where would I be proper now if I did not have one of the largest bands in the world spending their time making an attempt to hold me again? They do not do it anymore, however most of the time after they did, it simply made me shake my head.
“And it wasn’t just Metallica, it was everybody. For a long time, it very much was me against the world. It was like, okay, if you’re not with me, you’re against me.”
On Megadeth’s Ride the Lightning cowl, Mustaine continues: “There could not be an opportunity to ever say hiya to James [Hetfield, Metallica guitarist] or Lars [Ulrich, Metallica drummer] once more. I knew some folks would have a tough time with me doing the music, however that is okay as a result of I needed to pay tribute and present my respect.
“If they like it, fine. If they don’t like it, fine. If they listen to it, fine. If they don’t, fine.”
Megadeth are presently on tour in assist of their landmark swansong file, Megadeth. See the band’s official website for dates and tickets.
Sam is the Associate News Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Thoroughly immersed in music tradition for the majority of his life, Sam has performed guitar for 20 years, studied music know-how and manufacturing at college, and in addition written for the likes of Guitar World, Total Guitar, Metal Hammer and MusicRadar.
