Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine recently opened up about the pressure he faced from Metallica and others during his band’s early years. He explained how those fractured relationships ultimately fueled his drive, as reported by the Los Angeles Times
The metal icon reflected on his complicated history with his former band and the challenges he encountered throughout Megadeth’s rise.
“You know, I had a great time when I was in Metallica, and we did something tremendous,” Mustaine said. “It’s a shame what the booze did, but we were all kids and, aside from Lars, we came from pretty broken families. Lots of stuff has happened over the years, but I felt like it would be great to make everything good with them before we stop. We should be friends. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be friends.”
Mustaine also addressed the broader industry resistance he experienced during his career.
“Think of it. Where would I be right now if I didn’t have one of the biggest bands in the world spending their time trying to hold me back?” he continued. “They don’t do it anymore, but most of the time when they did, it just made me shake my head. And it wasn’t just Metallica, it was everybody.”
The guitarist described how this adversity shaped his mindset during Megadeth’s formative period.
“For a long time, it very much was me against the world,” he said. “It was like, OK, if you’re not with me, you’re against me.”
These recent comments shed new light on one of metal’s most enduring feuds. The feud has its roots in a dramatic dismissal that changed the course of thrash metal history.
Monsters of Rock reported that Mustaine was fired from Metallica on April 11, 1983, in New York after spending just one year with the band. The dismissal came as a direct result of his drug and alcohol issues that had severely damaged his relationships with his bandmates during this crucial early period.
The relationship between Mustaine and his former bandmates has been marked by periods of reconciliation followed by renewed tensions. Loudwire noted that the two camps reunited onstage in 2011 at Metallica’s 30th anniversary shows in San Francisco. They performed “Hit the Lights” and “Seek and Destroy” together for the first time since 1983. However, the peace was short-lived, as the feud later resurfaced over ongoing disputes regarding songwriting credits.
The documentary “Some Kind of Monster” in 2004 provided fans with a rare glimpse into the personal dynamics between the musicians. It showed Ulrich and Mustaine attempting to work through their long-standing issues. Despite these efforts at reconciliation, the relationship has continued to fluctuate over the years.
The Mosh revealed that Mustaine’s relationship with Metallica members James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich has remained volatile, alternating between periods of reconciliation and renewed conflict. This ongoing tension has become a defining element of both musicians’ careers. The rivalry often serves as fuel for their respective creative endeavors.
