Dave Mustaine secretly hoping there will be a day when he’ll write together again w/ James Hetfield

Dave Mustaine secretly hoping there will be a day when he’ll write together again w/ James Hetfield

Megadeth founder and frontman Dave Mustaine was recently interviewed by Andrew Daly for Vinyl Writer Music. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was in Metallica with frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. Mustaine was fired from Metallica in April 1983 but received co-writing credits for four songs on the band’s debut full-length album Kill ‘Em All, which was released later that year.

Mustaine was asked to what he owes his longevity in music to which he replied:

“Well, I have to think that my longevity might just be stubbornness. I have been secretly hoping there’d be a day where James [Hetfield] and I can write together again. I think the world really does want us to do that, and I think there is a pretty good possibility of it happening down the line. I do think that it’s possible that one day James is going to come around and that he and I are going to be able to do something together again. I guess that’s one of the things that has always kept me pushing forward. I think it’d be good for Megadeth, and it could be great for Metallica too.

One of the other things, as far as longevity is concerned, is that some people have called me a “perpetual badass.” I remember the first time I heard that, and I thought, “Wow, that sounds like a Kid Rock album title.” [Laughs]. But I understand it because when you’re not willing to give up, that’s when a lot of people can start to draw strength from you. And there have been many of my friends who are tough guys, too, but occasionally, they need somebody they can turn to. These are tough, independent guys, but they’ll say, “Dave, I need some advice,” or, “I need someone to give me a hand here.” And the thing is – and a lot of people get this wrong – there’s nothing wrong with that; I do that all the time.

In fact, I do it through prayer all the time, I do it almost daily through my profession, and I do it with some of my closest friends. I think it’s a good thing to give in relationships because it keeps the relationship flowing, and that’s why many of the songs I’ve written have been about relationships. But the thing is that people don’t always get that my songs are about relationships. Like “Dogs of Chernobyl,” what is that song about? Well, yeah, it’s about a fucking nuclear meltdown, but it’s also about a guy losing his old lady. She’s gone, the guy doesn’t know where she’s at, and he’s facing this terrible heartbreak of somebody just leaving. I know a lot of people have had this happen to them, which makes it relatable, and I think that’s also a reason why Megadeth has endured and will continue to.”

You can read the rest of the interview with Dave Mustaine at Vinyl Writer Music‘s website.