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November 23 2011 - Bogota

OMG! I have just officially had my ass kicked! The audience in Bogota was the best audience of the tour so far!!!

I was sick and my voice was betraying me, but it didn't matter! The fans were so amazing that I can't help but think "shame on me" for waiting so many years to come back to Colombia.

I was absolutely blown away!!! The audience sang so loud it was damn near deafening, they headbanged all night, there were enormous pits, the barricade buckled and needed to be reinforced due to the fans wanting to be near us, and all along the front was the most beautiful girls and guys, that I couldn't let the fact I was sick slow me down!

We debuted "Guns, Drugs, & Money" and my slight nervous disorder stirred up the remnants of dyslexia and I introduced the song as "Drugs, Guns, & Money" and since this was the first time we have ever played the song together, I expected a disastrous outcome, but it was actually received pretty well.

Anyway, we are off to La Paz next, and we will be playing on Friday the 25th, so tomorrow (Thanksgiving) we will be traveling.

Please let me make clear how thankful I/we are for our South and Central American fans. It's also obvious we are all deeply in love with our own families, friends, and our teammates.

I look forward to playing Friday, and working our way back home, but tonight has given us a memory to cherish forever.

God bless you all,

Dave Mustaine :-*

November 22 2011 - Latin America

To all of the Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean, and Argentine fans,

This has been the best South and Central American tour I have ever done. Your voices when you sing have been loud and clear, and you have made me feel amazing.

I was worried that we would not be welcomed this good because of my surgery, and I have been concerned because the Doctors told me not to do ANYTHING except play and go right back to my room, so I haven't been able to come out and visit with you. Just know that you have been really kind and extremely metal! I get so much hope and strength from you! I can't wait to come back and we are still here! Isn't that loco?!?

Anyway, I love you all, and I want you to know that there is something very, very different about you. The whole world has started singing "Aguante Megadeth," but you sing the loudest!

Maybe this tour they will challenge you and try to sing louder than you, but I am not sure that they can.

I think it's going to be time to release a new live record from down in South or Central America again. Whaddya think?

That's it from me for now. It's time to board my plane for Colombia, then to Bolivia, Paraguay and Costa Rica. So "adios" and I love you all so very much!

Senor Dave Mustaine

October 29 2011 - The Big Four, Mayhem Tour, TH1RT3EN and more! - by David Ellefson

While we were flying high on the "Endgame" album, and happenstance "Rust In Peace" 20th anniversary excitement, we STILL had to find a window of time in 2011 to make a new MEGADETH record!! So, we secured producer Johnny K to man the console and scheduled our downbeat in the studio to follow immediately after the Indio show. This meant we basically had May through June to write and record a brand new full-length album. We definitely had our work cut out for us!!!

Even though we cut the new album "TH1RT3EN" at Vic's Garage near San Diego, CA a tight time frame and tour mindset made it feel like we were cutting an album on the road, which brought about a whole new energy to the recording. It's been my experience that when MEGADETH have our backs to the wall we often produce some of our best material. I reference the singles "Angry Again", "99 Ways To Die" & the re-record of "These Boots Are Made For Walking", as well as the "Peace Sells.But Who's Buying" album, as examples of some electrifying energy that can only be captured when the band come straight off the road and head right into the studio to get down to business.

With Dave and Johnny K working at a frenzied but highly creative pace they punched through 13 tracks in a matter of only a few weeks. Shawn was on hand during this process and cut drum tracks as the new riffs were recorded. I flew in for a week to cut bass overdubs with Chris and I ping-ponging our schedules to be as productive as possible. Dave, started singing while he and Chris knocked out some ferocious guitar solos. While the days clicked off the calendar we were astonished to see that the tracks were actually finished and in the can before we caught our flights to Germany to start the next BIG 4 show on July 2. We could hardly believe it but we did it. We made a full-length album in between BIG 4 shows on both sides of the pond!!

With the album in the can we set out to do the BIG 4 shows across mainland Europe (Germany, Sweden, Italy, England & France), which actually felt like a full-blown tour in many ways. Those shows brought about a real relaxed and comfortable vibe between us all in many ways. The desire to go up and really tear it up is there like never before, but now without the internal competition, and that makes for a great night out for everyone.

We stayed on site to do the encore All-Star jam on every BIG 4 show except the final one in France. That night we had to high tail it over to Frankfurt Germany right after our set in order to catch our flight over to San Francisco in the morning so as not to miss our first show on the MAYHEM tour that very night. It's so exhilarating to work like that..back to back shows within twenty four hours on opposite sides of the world. Now THAT's rock n roll!!

While we were technically one of the three headliners on the MAYHEM tour (DISTURBED, GODSMACK, MEGADETH) it was almost like our summer vacation because we didn't have the pressure of closing the show and the production to boot. It was really a fun one-hour set each night for our fans, and also for many younger fans to finally see the mighty MEGADETH in action. In fact, the DISTURBED guys seemed totally ecstatic to be our there watching us from the wings each night. As a fan of theirs it was cool to see a band like theirs be influenced by us and the go on to do great things of their own. Good friendships were formed and mutual respect all around the MAYHEM campus.

Meanwhile, Johnny K was hard at work mixing the new album in Chicago while we did the tour. In a way, the MAYEHM tour gave us a bit of a reprieve from the stress of promoting a new album and got to just go out and jam some songs for our fans each night. We got to enjoy the release of the 25th anniversary "Peace Sells.But Who's Buying" box set, too. However, with our flood of recent activities there was certainly a load of press and media interest hat kept us busy day in and day out for the six weeks we were on that tour.

One of the true highlights on MAYHEM for me was the "MEGA Kegger" metal mixer party we hosted for the tour in Tampa, FL. Tour sponsor Jagermeister stepped up with their brew of drinks. Chris & I barbecued hot dogs and brats on the grill while Dave and Shawn played host to the dozens upon dozens of people out for a good time with us that night. Florida always holds up as a great party state!

Finally, the MAYHEM tour wrapped up, which gave us two weeks off before one of the biggest metal events in world history..the BIG 4 at Yankee Stadium in New York!! The only hardship on this near perfect event was Dave's neck pains that were mounting during the MAYHEM tour. That took some of his pleasure away from the NY show, but like the true Metal road-warrior that he is he got up and knocked it out of the park (no pun intended!) and we played a fantastic set that night. Metal history was made that night for sure, which will go down in history as an iconic night for Thrash Metal music.

With about eight weeks off the road we've been preparing the release of "TH1RT3EN" on November 1. So far, the reviews and fan accolades have been great. In many ways, this feels like it did back in the "Countdown To Extinction" era of the band when the stars lined up and we could all lock arms and charge the gates in the name of MEGADETH.

Thanks for you all for a year of fantastic memories. We can't wait to see you all on this next trip around our little 'ol planet earth in 2011/12 and beyond!!

-David Ellefson