Megadeth vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine has newly stated that he feels his guitar playing didn’t just seep into the works of the two of the ‘Big Four’ of thrash metal bands he was directly involved with. Of course, Mustaine was an early member of Metallica, before infamously being ousted in 1983. That bitter split led to decades of animosity and strained relationships between himself and the Metallica camp. Mustaine would go on to launch Megadeth in response, charting his own course to metal stardom.
Though more of a footnote in the Megadeth story, Kerry King, guitarist for another of the Big Four: Slayer, had briefly signed on to be a live guitarist for Megadeth in 1984. However, his growing commitments with Slayer made that arrangement come to an end in months.
While King has spoken highly of Mustaine‘s talent since, calling him “a badass guitar player”, King has had less positive things to say in the years since regarding Mustaine‘s attitude and personality.
While the above preamble accounts for 3/4th of the Big Four at least having direct involvement with Mustaine, Anthrax, the lone East Coast member of that esteemed circle, had more tenuous ties to Mustaine — at least early on. Still Mustaine feels his impact was felt by all his peers in the Big Four, recently telling 89 FM A Rádio Rock:
“Well, I’ve been very invested in the metal community. Kerry [King, Slayer guitarist] and I played together [during the two bands’ early days], and I showed him how to play Megadeth songs, which was before [Slayer] started having all their pivotal records. Kerry and I had a really great time together.
And I wrote music in Metallica and I wrote music in Megadeth. So, I’ve been very influential with the guitar with these three bands. And when I met Scott [Ian, Anthrax guitarist] and the guys in Anthrax out in New York, same thing happened. Their first record was very different from the record they made after they met me and the guys in Metallica. So I think that’s great. I love all those bands.”
[via Blabbermouth.net]
