Former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland recently opened up about turning down an opportunity to rejoin the band after his 1987 firing. He revealed how his manager’s stark warning influenced his decision. Poland shared these details in an interview with VRP Rocks.
The guitarist explained how his manager’s concerns about the band’s lifestyle made him reconsider the offer during their drive to the meeting.
“I was driving there to meet Ron Lafitte and Dave [Mustaine], and I think Andy Somers was there too,” Poland said. “And I was driving there with Janie Hoffman, my manager, and she’s driving. And she’s going, ‘Chris, are you seriously going to join this band?’ And I said, ‘I’m thinking about it.’ And she’s like, ‘If you join the band, you’ll be dead in a year.'”
Poland reflected on how the band environment had previously affected his struggle with addiction.
“We had quite a long drive to get there, and I was thinking about it,” he continued. “And y’know, Dave Ellefson said something to me one time about drugs. He goes, ‘You hang around a barbershop long enough, you’re going to get a haircut.'”
The guitarist described how his brief period of sobriety was compromised when he returned to the band environment.
“So you know what? The same thing happened when they went on tour, the first tour [for ‘Killing Is My Business’], when I didn’t go,” Poland explained. “While they were gone, I got off heroin. It was terrible, but I did it. When they came back, I was clean, and I’m hanging out with them, and they’re doing it, and I’m not. And so, of course, my wheels are turning, and boom, not even a month later…all for nothing.”
Poland also revealed that learning about Marty Friedman as a potential replacement gave him confidence in his decision to decline.
“On my drive to meet those guys to say whether I would join or not, as soon as they said Marty Friedman was an option, I knew I could say I didn’t want to do it,” he said. “Because I knew Marty could do that gig standing on his head. They were mad. I couldn’t believe how mad they were, man!”
Poland’s decision to decline the offer came after a tumultuous history with the band that had shaped both his career and personal struggles.
Music Times reported that Poland was originally fired from Megadeth in 1987 shortly after the Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? tour due to a confrontation with Dave Mustaine over late payment of his weekly salary. The firing was exacerbated by Poland’s tardiness to a band meeting and ongoing tensions involving egos and substance issues. The guitarist had been an integral part of Megadeth’s early sound, contributing to their debut album Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985), where his distinctive playing style helped define the band’s thrash metal approach.
Poland’s guitar work was particularly notable given the physical challenges he faced. Guitar World detailed how a severe hand injury that limited his pointer finger mobility actually shaped his unique playing style. This became a defining element of Megadeth’s early sound on tracks like Mechanix, originally written for Metallica. He also played on the follow-up album Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986), a landmark thrash album that was produced on just a $6,000 budget.
The guitarist’s departure paved the way for Marty Friedman to join Megadeth as lead guitarist starting with their 1990 album Rust in Peace. Friedman brought virtuoso neoclassical techniques that elevated the band’s technical prowess during its commercial peak. This validated Poland’s assessment that Friedman “could do that gig standing on his head.”
Ultimate Guitar noted that Poland has reflected that he never anticipated Megadeth’s longevity and success following his departure. This makes his decision to turn down the reunion offer all the more significant given the band’s subsequent achievements. Despite the contentious circumstances of his firing, Poland has expressed no grudges and maintained openness to working with the band again under different circumstances.
