Might of Megadeth

This week Adam introduces us to the masterful Megadeth…

MegadeathThere are four different bands that are generally referred to when discussing the origins of thrash/speed metal. This group has been given the nickname “The Big Four.” The four bands consist of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. These bands are responsible for the birth of speed metal, as they were the first of their kind to emerge from the glam rock scene, which had consisted of more radio friendly, pop oriented groups such as Poison, Motley Crue, Cinderella, and Twisted Sister. When the Big Four began releasing their more aggressive, harder sounding style of metal, they gained a tremendous following in the metal underworld, which was growing tired of bands whose members were cross-dressers who would always sing about having sex or being in love. Of the four bands that make up the Big Four, Megadeth was the most prominent.

Megadeth is fronted by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, who is worshipped and idolized by thousands of heavy metal connoisseurs and admirers. What makes Mustaine such a prolific figure in the birth of thrash metal is that not only is he the front man of Megadeth, but prior to forming Megadeth, Mustaine originally played guitar for Metallica when they were first formed. He was later fired, however, because of his drinking and ongoing reckless acts of unpredictable behavior. Metallica’s front man James Hetfield is quoted in the Megadeth Behind the Scenes documentary saying the following about Dave Mustaine: “We started to all feel that he was on the road to killing possibly all of us.”

When Metallica moved from San Francisco, where they originally formed, to New York, where they were set to record their first album, their first order of business was to get rid of Dave Mustaine. According to Mustaine as well as the members of Metallica, their chosen method of firing him was rather deceitful, if not cruel. The three members of Metallica at the time, James Hetfield (guitar/vocals), Lars Ulrich (drums), and Cliff Burton (bass), woke Mustaine up as he was sleeping on a mattress in the back of their tour van and told him he was fired, without offering any explanation or a second chance for him to change his ways. They then told him they were going to drop him off at the bus terminal where he was to take the four-day ride back to San Francisco by himself. When he returned to the City by the Bay, Dave Mustaine’s first mission was to form another band to get back at his former band mates of Metallica, thereby creating Megadeth.

The first line up for Megadeth consisted of Dave Mustaine on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Poland on lead guitar, David Ellefson on bass, and Gar Samuelson on drums. Mustaine at first only planned on playing guitar for Megadeth, but during auditions for lead singers, it was felt that none of the potential singers could match Dave’s intensity as a front man. It was from there on that Mustaine would become the lead singer as well as guitarist of the newly formed Megadeth.

Megadeth’s first album was entitled Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good. This album immediately grabbed the attention of metal fans, who were more than eager to catch a glimpse of the band fronted by the man who was too maniacal for Metallica. As successful as their first album was, Megadeth would prove themselves as titans of speed metal even more so with their next album, entitled Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? This album consists of legendary metal tracks such as “Wake Up Dead,” “Devil’s Island,” and the title track “Peace Sells.”

“Wake Up Dead” is the opening track to Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? and it instantly kicks off with the intense ferocity and musical attitude that would become Megadeth’s trademark.

Dave Mustaine’s guitar solo at the end of this song is played in the Phrygian Mode, giving it a sound that would be used by many other metal acts that would follow. The song is about a woman named Diana, who Dave Mustaine was cheating on his girlfriend with at the time. In the song, Mustaine sings about coming back from a night on the town with his lover Diana, and his attempt to get back in bed safely without his girlfriend at the time figuring him out. The opening lyrics to this song portray this:

I sneak in my own house
It’s four in the morning
I’ve had too much to drink.
I’ll say I was out with the boys
I creep in my bedroom, and slip into bed
I know if I wake her, I’ll wake up dead

Megadeth has gone on to release twelve more albums since Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?, but Peace Sells would arguably be their most astounding album. Megadeth has been around for over two decades and have still managed to stay together, despite numerous line up changes and the near fatal overdose of Dave Mustaine himself. They continue to this day to stun the metal audience with their musical integrity and extraordinary playing.

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