Former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland addressed his complicated history with the band and frontman Dave Mustaine in a candid interview shared by Brutally Delicious Productions.
Poland, who was dismissed from Megadeth in 1987, spoke openly about Mustaine’s public negative comments directed at him over the years, while making clear he harbors no ill will.
“As you know, everybody has this preconceived notion about how I feel about Megadeth and whether me and Dave hate each other,” Poland said. “And, yeah, Dave said a lot of crappy stuff about me. I don’t hold grudges, right?”
Poland went on to reflect on Mustaine’s tendency to speak impulsively, while expressing pride in his own contributions to the band.
“Dave says stuff without thinking and regrets it, you know?” he continued. “But I’m proud of everything I did with that band, and me and you wouldn’t be talking if I hadn’t, right? I know where I came from, and I know where I’m going.”
Poland’s remarks offer a measured perspective on a long-standing public narrative surrounding his departure from one of heavy metal’s most iconic bands. To understand the weight of his words, it helps to look back at the history that shaped this complicated relationship.
Ultimate Guitar reported that Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson were dismissed from Megadeth in 1987 following tensions tied to substance abuse and broader internal friction within the band. Despite the turbulent circumstances of his exit, Poland has consistently maintained that he does not regret his time with the group.
Poland joined Megadeth in 1984 and went on to contribute to two of the band’s most celebrated records. Guitar World noted that he played on both Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! (1985) and Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? (1986). Those albums helped define Megadeth’s early thrash metal identity and cemented the band’s place in the genre.
In the same interview, Poland also pushed back on the widely held perception that Mustaine was constantly fixated on his past with Metallica during those years. Ultimate Guitar highlighted that Poland noted Mustaine rarely brought up Metallica while he was in the band, countering a narrative that has long followed the frontman. He also defended the early Megadeth era more broadly, acknowledging that the band was short on money and simply “did the best we could under the circumstances.”
Loudwire revealed that the aftermath of Poland’s dismissal was far from glamorous — he worked at a diner following his departure from the band. It is a detail that underscores just how dramatically his circumstances changed after leaving one of thrash metal’s biggest acts. It also adds further context to his grounded, no-bitterness outlook when reflecting on those years today.
