MUSIC: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DAVE MUSTAINE - MEGADETH LEADER

"I had a debt with the Argentines"

It is his fifth visit to Argentina , and still he can't believe the enthusiasm of local fans, for whom he had recorded an acoustic set that will be seen on a DVD. Here he speaks about everything: His past with Metallica, his drug addiction and his new album

by Guillermo Boerr
gboerr@clarin.com

RELAXED. THE GUITARIST SAYS THAT ARGENTINE FANS ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD. (Foto: FERNANDO DE LA ORDEN)

"I don't use drugs anymore, but I'm not like those Hollywood nuts who become fundamentalist of a healthy lifestyle. I still like to have a drink, and I enjoy a good cigar when I have something to celebrate," a relaxed Dave Mustaine -Megadeth's leader- in an exclusive chat with Clarin. Given the romance between the Argentine public with the band, Mustaine ( la Mesa , California , 9/13/61 ) has more than many reasons to fill up his lungs with some cigar nicotine. "We bought two boxes of cigars as soon as we arrived," confirming with his very own snarl smile.

During early 80's, Megadeth was together with Metallica (see Separated at Birth section), Anthrax and Slayer and Exodus the sharpest tip of the thrash metal spear, the birth of heavy metal music that carried the extremes of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, but combined with a punk attitude. This way, the thrashers were based on speed, instrumental expertise, change of rhythms, they despised glam rock of the time, which fascination with hairdos and make up won them the condescending title of "Hair Metal"

After suffering member changes, the Megadeth line-up became Mustaine -guitars & lead vocals, Marty Friedman on the other guitar, Dave Ellefson on bass and Nick Menza on drums. With Countdown to Extinction (1992), perhaps their best album, Mustaine looked to simplify the songs structure, and won with forcefulness. The next year they were close to stop by our country by the redhead instead went to rehab to solve his drug addiction. It was not until 1994 that the band touched Argentine soil to present Youthnasia. It was the consummation of a love that stop being platonic in Obras during five nights in a row.

This is the fifth time that the group (who's tight and forceful sound that made Ruso Verea, somebody who understands quite a bit about heavy metal, baptize the band "The Redhead Philharmonic") visits Buenos Aires . "Man, the Argentine audience is incredible. When the plane was flying over Buenos Aires , my heart was beating so strongly that I thought it would come out of my chest. "This could sound like the typical saying of all artists when they arrive to any city of the world, but it is not. Mustaine doesn't need it. "When they told me that we were here the band with the most fans after Rolling Stones and The Ramones, I couldn't believe it.

Nonetheless, you recorded your live album in the US ...

Yes, after the World Trade Center many Americans were fearful about leaving the country and among them there was our guitar tech. Due to having no time to hire another one and teach him all the parts for both guitars we decided to do it there. But we are making a DVD here, because I want to take care of this debt I had with the Argentine fans. The Chilean fans were telling me "we are better than the Argentines" and I couldn't answer. I mean, being a guest in their country I couldn't go and tell them that Argentines are the best audience in the world and not them. The guys in the band couldn't believe the reception of the Chilean fans, but I kept telling them "wait till we get to Buenos Aires ". This DVD will be double; one of them will be dedicated completely to Argentina . He has video of their arrival to Ezeiza airport (where they were received by fans), in the hotel, in the backstage and in a mini acoustic show they did in Plaza Francia in front of a handful of fans who couldn't believe it.

After 9/11, the song Holy Wars ...The Punishment Due sounds almost prophetic. "But it doesn't have to do with the Jihad Islamic. One time when I was in Ireland , somebody talked to me about "the cause", the reason why they were killing so many Catholics and Protestants. To me this made sense, and from the stage I dedicated a song to "the cause". The next day, we received threats and had to travel in bulletproof bus: It turns out "the cause" was the way in which Irish would call the IRA. I never felt so stupid."

He doesn't save any saliva either when it's time to talk about celebrities that get involved in politics. "When I saw the picture of Sean Penn in New Orleans with that shotgun I couldn't believe it. What the **** are you going to do with that shotgun Sean, are you going to shoot somebody? If he wanted to express his opinion and support those who suffered the disaster, the fact that he was there was marvelous, but it got ruined when he came out with a weapon."

¿How did you get through the process of rehabilitation for drugs?

It was one of the most difficult things I had to confront. I lived in a state of interior negation, which made it much more difficult. However, I don't regret it. All these things, good and bad, are what made me who I am today.

Besides fighting his addictions, Mustaine had to go through a slow process of physical therapy: In 2002 he suffered a radial neuropathy in his left arm that wouldn't allow him to play guitar. "I didn't want to hire a guitar player and dedicate myself to singing only because I'm essentially a guitar player. In fact, I would have probably been checking what the sessionist would be doing, and would fire one every couple of days," he laughs, conscious of his own bad temper. "I practically had to relearn how to play from zero. And in a way it was good, because it allowed for me to eliminate some of the bad postures (while he says this he shapes an imaginary chord with his left hand) which I learned when I was young.



Did you know your performances in Parque Sarmiento and the acoustic you did for Rock and Pop are two of the most sought after bootlegs by Megadeth fans around the world?

Yes. I personally prefer the acoustic. Zero paraphernalia, zero distortion, and one hundred percent music. Just four dudes playing, without distortion or effects.

The events of 9/11/2001 not only prevented Megadeth from recording the live record in Buenos Aires , they also prevented Mustaine from spending his birthday with his family. "My birthday was only two days after the attacks. All planes were grounded and were not flying over US air space and, as if this wasn't bad enough, I had to spend my fortieth birthday, a milestone in the life of any man, with whom? No one other than Lars fucking Ulrich! (Metallica drummer, see Separated at Birth section)

Was this for the documentary "Some Kind of Monster"?

Yes. Lars played dirty with me. He asked me if I would mind if they filmed the meeting, because they were doing a documentary and they wanted to have me in it. But then everything started to become too emotional. The good thing is that he always said that I was a temporary member and not a great guitar player, but now it turns out he wants me in his movie. So, he was lying before or he is lying now. But don't get me wrong, I like Metallica, although I don't like Lars as much as I like James (Hetfield) ...I thing that the whole world feels the same.

The new Megadeth album, The System Has Failed , also seems to have something to do with the world post 9/11. "Actually it talks about the collapse of our value systems, such as family values, moral values and religious values." With the distance of Dave Ellefson from the band, Mustaine is now the only original member of the band, and is joined now by the Drover brothers, Glen (guitar) and Shawn (drums) and James McDonough (bass). This could very well sound as an undercover solo project, and in fact, it is: Mustaine had his solo album ready but Megadeth owed Sanctuary Records a Megadeth record by contract, therefore it was edited under the band's name.


Now that you took care of your contractual obligation with Sanctuary, Do you think Megadeth will continue or will you go solo?

It took me a long time to decide this, I will tell you from the stage because I want the Argentine fans to be the first to know.


REVIEW OF PEPSI ROCK

http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/10/11/espectaculos/c-00702.htm

DAVE MUSTAINE & GLEN DROVER OVERHEAT THE AUDIENCE. (Foto: PRENSA ROCK & POP)

The most important part of the night was the return of Megadeth. After their 2001 show cancellation, this was a band many didn't believe would see again after an injury to his left arm impeded him from playing guitar. Blackmail the Universe, from the new album, open the concert. But the first two songs didn't seem to completely agitate the crowd, and the show really began with Skin O' my Teeth. "Bienvenidos a la casa de Megadeth", said the redhead before going into She-Wolf. The torrid reception of the audience of A Tout Le Monde won the public a Mustaine adulation: "Son Grosos" (you are great). There was a gift with I'll be There, "A gift for you, because we will not play this song ever again." Then the tremendous Hangar 18 and the acoustic for Coming Home when he made the announcement everyone was waiting for. From then on, it was all vertigo. And although there were some who left talking about how much better the previous formation was, all left with an irrepressible smile.

Megadeth.com thanks Anabella Rolando for the translation to English