Former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland recently addressed how Dave Mustaine publicly calling him a “liar” affected his career. He shared his perspective in an interview with VRP Rocks.
Poland discussed the impact of Mustaine’s public statements and explained his approach to handling the situation. He also revealed plans for his own response.
“Well, I’m sure it did affect my career, but my career was playing instrumental, whacked-out fusion [music]. I had a handful of people that listened to my music,” Poland said. “Those people didn’t even listen to Megadeth, so it didn’t matter.”
Poland went on to explain his attitude toward returning to Megadeth despite the public disputes.
“And then when [Mustaine] asked me to come back [to Megadeth] — I don’t hold any grudges. Sometimes I get a little upset, if I think about it, but I never read [Dave’s] books,” he continued. “People would tell me stuff he said [about me], and I’d be, like, ‘What are you gonna do?'”
The guitarist revealed he is working on his own book where he plans to address Mustaine’s claims.
“I’m writing a book [called ‘Now Leaving Metalopolis’] right now with [music journalist, podcaster and author] Matt Herring. And some of that stuff — I have my little rebuttal about stuff that was said [by Dave] about me,” Poland said. “‘Cause, first of all, I don’t hit girls. There’s a lot of things he said [over the years about me] that’s total B.S.”
Despite the false claims, Poland emphasized his decision not to hold grudges. He credited late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza for helping him maintain this perspective.
“But you know what? Like I said, I didn’t, and I don’t, hold a grudge. It’s not worth it. And you know who helped me with that was [late Megadeth drummer] Nick Menza,” he explained. “Cause Dave should have taken care of Nick, and it would get me upset, and I’d get all heated, and Nick would go, ‘Dude, you can’t carry that around, man. You gotta let all that go.'”
Poland’s upcoming book “Now Leaving Metalopolis” is expected to provide his side of the story regarding his time with Megadeth.
This latest response from Poland adds another chapter to the ongoing public feud between the two musicians that has spanned decades.
The conflict between Poland and Mustaine has deep roots in their shared history with Megadeth. Blabbermouth.net reported that Poland directly addressed Mustaine’s accusations in a May 2025 interview on the “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, stating, “Dave’s called me a liar publicly multiple times, but the facts speak for themselves—my departures were about heroin issues on both sides, not just me firing him.”
Mustaine’s public statements against Poland have been documented in various publications over the years. Loudwire.com noted that in his 2023 autobiography update “Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of Megadeth’s Greatest Album” (revised edition), Mustaine wrote that Poland was “a liar who stole from the band and lied about his addiction to cover his tracks.” He specifically claimed Poland fabricated stories about Mustaine’s behavior during Poland’s 1987 and 1989 exits from Megadeth.
Poland’s upcoming memoir promises to provide detailed documentation of his side of the story. BraveWords.com revealed that “Now Leaving Metalopolis,” co-authored with Matt Herring, is set for release on July 15, 2026, via Jawbone Press. The book includes a chapter titled “The Mustaine Mythology,” where Poland provides “receipts” including contracts, emails, and witness accounts countering Mustaine’s claims.
The book will detail Poland’s two stints with Megadeth (1984-1987, 1989-1990) and address the circumstances surrounding his departures. A February 2026 preview excerpt quoted Poland saying, “Dave’s version is fiction; here’s the truth.” This indicates the memoir will serve as his comprehensive response to years of public accusations from the Megadeth frontman.
