Megadeth need no introduction and Dave Mustaine took time out of his busy schedule to give the Rockpit his first pre-Soundwave interview. Andrew gets to talk about the new album ‘Super Collider’ and find out what we should expect for Soundwave 2014!
Andrew: First off, thanks for talking to us! It’s an absolute pleasure to have this opportunity so thanks again.
Dave: You got it!
Andrew: Your latest album “Super Collider” is doing well and the band is on a new label, things seem to be going really good for Megadeth right now. How’s the feeling within the band?
Dave: Pretty strongly. I think if you ask any of us, they will all tell you this is their favorite period and the great thing is with Chris Broderick (guitarist) being around for a while it’s pretty significant with him and Shawn Drover (drums) has been around longer, he’s seen more but when we got David Ellefson (bass) coming back in and he’s saying this is the best that he’s ever seen it and he’s the one that’s seen some pretty big successes among us in Megadeth so for him to say that just shows you that things are on the rise for Megadeth again. I’m totally excited, I can’t wait to get down there and play.
Andrew: Yeah I mean you guys have been putting out albums pretty consistently in the last few years and touring a lot behind them. What drives you at this point in your career to be so active musically?
Dave: Just the love of playing music and wanting to get out there and kick ass. I mean loud music just makes me happy.
Andrew: Your latest release is a live DVD which contains a performance of the entire “Countdown To Extinction” album. Last year you put out a remastered version for the 20th anniversary. Why do you think there has been so much focus on this particular album and the reasons for celebrating this album?
Dave: I think “Countdown To Extinction” was a highly successful record in the States, it was also one of those records that really changed people’s perspective on heavy metal in the United States. When “Countdown” came out it was number 2 on the charts and there was a record by a country guy named Billy Ray Cyrus who was at number 1 and he had that stupid song “Achey Breaky Heart”.
Andrew: Yeah I remember that haha!
Dave: It was like a novelty song so you couldn’t shake it so basically we had a number 1 record but because of that dumb song we never got to realize it. So that, for all intents and purposes was our biggest record we ever had.
Andrew: How do you view that album now 21 years later?
Dave: I love it, I think it’s a great record. It’s one of those records to me which has certain significance and meaning. They all have that relevance and time and place in your life but there’s also your experience from the success level. It’s kind of like when you’re a parent, you have you’re kids and each kid you love specially, you love them a certain way and there’s a way they love you back but there’s also what that kid accomplishes in life and at the end of the day you can look at them and say ‘Wow this is my one special kid’. There’s some records that we’ve had everything that we could ever imagine that happened.
Andrew: That album also marked a bit of a change in direction for the band. Was that a conscious decision or was it a natural progression?
Dave: We didn’t really want to change direction and honestly I didn’t think that we had changed direction. It was just us, we were just kinda doing what we do. I think when a band makes the same record over and over again, they kind of limit themselves and we were not trying to limit ourselves or not trying to make ourselves sound different from anybody else but I do see where you would say it sounded like we made a decision to make a change in direction.
Andrew: You had previously done the same thing with “Rust In Peace” for that anniversary. Are there any other albums in your back catalogue that you feel the same way as those 2 albums?
Dave: “Peace Sells”. I love “Peace Sells”, we wanted to do an anniversary for that record but it had slipped by before we had a chance to celebrate it. That one we had the kind of success that we had so far, we have the opportunity to go back and do these records and say ‘OK hey we got the 25th anniversary or the 20th anniversary’, it just didn’t really feel right doing “Peace Sells But Who’s Buying” 25th anniversary when David Ellefson wasn’t there. Now that he’s back in the band, Shawn has been around almost longer than Nick (Menza, ex-Megadeth drummer) has. Same thing with Chris, he’s been around a really long time too. So it just feels right now when we do these anniversary things.
Andrew: Let’s talk about touring. You recently did some shows with Iron Maiden, how was it touring with those guys?
Dave: The Iron Maiden shows were amazing! Those were fantastic shows and to be able to do shows like that at this stage in the game…We’ve been playing for a long time, we’ve got bands that are out there that would absolutely kill to play with bands like Iron Maiden and we get these opportunities to play and that’s just a rush man! To be able to come off of one tour and do another tour like that, a tour of greatness. I mean sheesh, Gigantour and then Iron Maiden and then we did Sonishphere all summer!
Andrew: And next year you are coming to Australia for the Soundwave Festival. What can we expect on this tour from you guys?
Dave: Well this is going to be one of the first times where we are bringing down a whole bunch of production. A long time ago when we came down there we had just started to bring production stuff with Gigantour and stuff and it’s kind of hard when you are just starting off because we’ve been a backdrop and backline band our whole career. No crazy stuff going on in the background because we just couldn’t afford it. When we played, we just played small places, low ticket prices and stuff so when the opportunity came to us to go out and start using some production, it was like you gotta make the choice, you’re never going to get to 2nd base unless you take both feet off the first base. And we did that, and we did a couple of tours and we just got our asses handed to us because it was so expensive to take all that stuff out but it’s totally cool now because you can see a story when you watch the music. You watch the video’s, you can see us playing, you can see my fingers up close because at the back of the venue you can’t see those fingers play something like that, what’s the point? If you can see how fast my fingers really go, that’s part of the show in itself.
Andrew: Yeah definitely. And are these festival dates only or are you planning to do sideshows as well?
Dave: I don’t know, I would have to check and see. The Soundwave shows were the first things we heard of and when we found out we were going to be playing with my friend AJ (Maddah, festival organiser) again, it was like hell yeah man! There are certain countries that you fall in love with and they just have that thing. When we first went down there many, many years ago with Dave Ellefson and Nick when he was still in the band…You know I think that was back when Nick was still a drum tech. But anyway long story short, we knew that this was one of the countries that just had something really cool feeling that just felt different being there. Like when we went to Spain, there was something about Spain that just felt so inviting and welcoming to us. Granted we’re yankees and have a lot of bad habits and reputations and stuff like that but some of us can be decent travellers, I happen to be one of them. I can keep my mouth shut, it’s in interviews and on stage that I don’t haha!
Andrew: Haha! Well do you have any highlights or stories from previous tours in Australia?
Dave: Well it probably depends on what you’re talking about. The time I went to Australia, the first time I went with AJ, he and his wife had taken my wife and I who we had just reconciled, we were seperated and honestly I owe it to my friend and the good people of Australia for my wedding and my marriage being back together because we were done. But we went out to Australia and we fell in love with each other again and the country because the country is such a beautiful place. Honestly I forgot about that, thank you guys!
Andrew: Well it’s been a few years since you brought the Gigantour to Australia. Is there any chance you will be bringing that down here again?
Dave: We might be but it would have to be the right lineup and obviously have our respect for the promoters down there. We want to make sure that we don’t come down there and act like we are the good guys in town. We would do something that worked well with anything that they are involved in.
Andrew: Just a couple more questions for you. If you could be a fly on the wall for the recording of any classic album in history what would it be?
Dave: Ah wow! Dark Side Of The Moon probably.
Andrew: Why that album?
Dave: Just because of those incredible guitar sounds.
Andrew: Cool. And for you personally, what is the meaning of life?
Dave: I would say probably learning how to forgive.
Andrew: Sounds good! Thanks again for talking to us and we are really looking forward to seeing you guys at the Soundwave Festival next year.
Dave: Thank you, it’s been my privilege talking to you. Take care!
