The Megadeth thread

Witchfinder wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Writing on his Facebook page, Menza said: "Like I have said in the past, I don't rule out rejoining MEGADETH and the opportunity would be totally cool. I'm open to whatever could possibly happen. That's up to Dave. Right now I'm focused on writing and demoing songs with [fellow former MEGADETH members] Chris Poland [guitar] and James Lomenzo [bass]."

Nick Menza is the one writing stuff with Chris Poland and Lomenzo... not Mustaine.

Oops!  I totally misinterpreted that.  Ha!  

ooooooooohhhhhh!!! yeah, me too! Well, still cool, that Metallica cover that Menza did last year or 2 years ago kicked ass, so he still has it.
Wish Menza would re-release his solo album (that hardly anybody else liked but me, I think).

Nick and Junior were photographed together at the recent NAMM convention, furthering speculation that Nick is back behind the kit.

Quote :

During an appearance at the Soultone Cymbals booth at this year's NAMM show in Anaheim, California, Menza replied that "it'll be final when it's final" when he was asked if there has been any communication between him and the MEGADETH camp about him returning to the band.

If they get a lead player like Loomis or Marty back, I can see this being an important step for Megadeth.

Getting a faceless generic "shredder" won't do the trick. But then again, can Loomis play any tasteful, slower, melodic leads like Poland did on "Good Mourning"?

Things are starting to look like it's going to be Marty and Nick. When asked in public, both Nick and Marty are giving vague, cryptic answers to the media about re-joining. If it wasn't going to happen, why not just say "Nope, not happening!" and be done with it? At the very least, there must be some talking going on with Dave.

Unless things fall apart during negotiations, I'm thinking those guys are coming back.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Things are starting to look like it's going to be Marty and Nick. When asked in public, both Nick and Marty are giving vague, cryptic answers to the media about re-joining. If it wasn't going to happen, why not just say "Nope, not happening!" and be done with it? At the very least, there must be some talking going on with Dave.

Unless things fall apart during negotiations, I'm thinking those guys are coming back.

I hope this happens.

Witchfinder wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Things are starting to look like it's going to be Marty and Nick. When asked in public, both Nick and Marty are giving vague, cryptic answers to the media about re-joining. If it wasn't going to happen, why not just say "Nope, not happening!" and be done with it? At the very least, there must be some talking going on with Dave.

Unless things fall apart during negotiations, I'm thinking those guys are coming back.

I hope this happens.

I honestly could go either way on it. If it happens, cool. I have no problem with those guys coming back. They made great music in the past and maybe they can do it again.

If it doesn't happen, Dave will find other suitable players to do his bidding. I'll just be happy with a new album, regardless of who's on it.

Witchfinder wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Things are starting to look like it's going to be Marty and Nick. When asked in public, both Nick and Marty are giving vague, cryptic answers to the media about re-joining. If it wasn't going to happen, why not just say "Nope, not happening!" and be done with it? At the very least, there must be some talking going on with Dave.

Unless things fall apart during negotiations, I'm thinking those guys are coming back.

I hope this happens.

I am definitely excited about the prospect of having them in the band again.

I don't think Marty is being that vague or sounding that excited about Megadeth.  He's just keeping the door open.

Nick sounds like it's just a matter of time until it's announced.

I see this as a big difference between being committed vs. being open-minded.

I'll be surprised if Marty returns but it's certainly possible.

Nick was basically trying to put together his own version of Megadeth and had no financial success outside of his tenure in the band. Not so with Marty. He hasn't really been interested in Megadeth's brand of thrash metal since he left over a decade ago.

A few years ago when Megadeth was celebrating the 20th anniversary of Rust In Peace, Marty was pretty adamant that he was not interested in rejoining the band. He was perfectly fine doing his own thing, with good reason. At least now he's more open to the idea, which I don't think he's been for a long time.

Does that mean he's been talking to Dave? Who knows. But at least now, he's not saying "NO WAY". I see that as a big hurdle.

Nick would just be happy to have a steady gig.

I'm still thinkin' that a reunion/anniversary tour for the Rust in Peace line up is in the works to celebrate that album's 25th (!) anniversary.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Rust in Peace turns 25 (!) years old this year. I wouldn't be surprised if a reunion/anniversary tour for that line up is in the works.

They kinda did that already for the 20th. Sure, it wasn't the original players, but they toured, played RIP in it's entirety and released a live album and dvd. Even with the original players, it seems too soon to go that route again.

It would have to be 25th anniversary of Youthanasia or something ... and do many people care about that? That's when their worldwide sales began to slide so why celebrate that?

If Skolnick can come back to Testament and do whatever outside projects he wants, I think it's possible that Marty could too. The only major difference is that Marty didn't really write songs for Megadeth and Alex did for Testament.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Rust in Peace turns 25 (!) years old this year. I wouldn't be surprised if a reunion/anniversary tour for that line up is in the works.

They kinda did that already for the 20th. Sure, it wasn't the original players, but they toured, played RIP in it's entirety and released a live album and dvd. Even with the original players, it seems too soon to go that route again.

Yep, saw that tour... with Slayer and Anthrax..... wore the shirt last week lol!

This is promising. From a recent interview with Dave Mustaine...

Quote :

Mustaine: "I'm going in the studio March 2 no matter what. And the songs that we have right now, we talked to the label, and I said, 'I'm not making another radio song ever.' 'Cause that's what record companies want. And I think that was the bane of MEGADETH's existence. When 'Countdown [To Extinction]' came out, we had so many radio songs… From 'Countdown' to 'Youthanasia' to 'Cryptic [Writings]' to 'Risk' and going down and down and down, it was more radio, radio, radio… You know, I love all those songs, but it's not really what MEGADETH fans wanna hear; they wanna hear stuff like 'The Conjuring', like 'Set The World Afire', like 'Devil's Island', stuff like 'Holy Wars', stuff like 'Take No Prisoners'… And I get it — I wrote those songs, [and] I can do that in my sleep — but when you're having someone else say, 'This is what you have to do,' either you listen or you don't."

MetalGuy71 wrote:

This is promising. From a recent interview with Dave Mustaine...

Quote :

Mustaine: "I'm going in the studio March 2 no matter what. And the songs that we have right now, we talked to the label, and I said, 'I'm not making another radio song ever.' 'Cause that's what record companies want. And I think that was the bane of MEGADETH's existence. When 'Countdown [To Extinction]' came out, we had so many radio songs… From 'Countdown' to 'Youthanasia' to 'Cryptic [Writings]' to 'Risk' and going down and down and down, it was more radio, radio, radio… You know, I love all those songs, but it's not really what MEGADETH fans wanna hear; they wanna hear stuff like 'The Conjuring', like 'Set The World Afire', like 'Devil's Island', stuff like 'Holy Wars', stuff like 'Take No Prisoners'… And I get it — I wrote those songs, [and] I can do that in my sleep — but when you're having someone else say, 'This is what you have to do,' either you listen or you don't."

This is sounding promising - I would love a Peace Sells or Rust In Peace influenced album.

Wow. I've never heard him being so assertive about this before.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

This is promising. From a recent interview with Dave Mustaine...

Quote :

Mustaine: "I'm going in the studio March 2 no matter what. And the songs that we have right now, we talked to the label, and I said, 'I'm not making another radio song ever.' 'Cause that's what record companies want. And I think that was the bane of MEGADETH's existence. When 'Countdown [To Extinction]' came out, we had so many radio songs… From 'Countdown' to 'Youthanasia' to 'Cryptic [Writings]' to 'Risk' and going down and down and down, it was more radio, radio, radio… You know, I love all those songs, but it's not really what MEGADETH fans wanna hear; they wanna hear stuff like 'The Conjuring', like 'Set The World Afire', like 'Devil's Island', stuff like 'Holy Wars', stuff like 'Take No Prisoners'… And I get it — I wrote those songs, [and] I can do that in my sleep — but when you're having someone else say, 'This is what you have to do,' either you listen or you don't."

Sorry, but I gotta call bullshit on that. Does Dave really expect us to believe that record label pressure for "radio songs" is still a factor in 2015? What radio station is going to play new Megadeth material? What record label would be delusional enough to think Megadeth could get radio play a good 20 years past their commercial peak?

This is Dave deflecting blame for HIS attempts at continued commercial success.

Oh yeah, and this is priceless:

"I wrote those songs, [and] I can do that in my sleep"

So, that's explains every album he's released since Rust In Peace!

No, I believe that if you're under contract to a record label, then yes, they are going to press the band (any band) to have commercial success.

The thing is, radio air-play and MTV video rotation as we once knew doesn't exist anymore. We, the listeners get it, bands are starting to get it. Label execs are still the ones that are living in the past.

Say what you will about Gene Simmons or KISS, but they get it. Their last coupla albums might not have been classics, but they were a lot better than the stuff they were putting out when they had to have a "hit" in the 80's and 90's. They sat together without outside help and wrote albums that fans wanted to hear, not caring if it got on radio or not.

So will Dave put his money where his mouth is? Time will tell. But at least he's admitting that it's a losing battle to try and write radio hits in 2015.

When Megadeth was still signed to a major label in the 1990s then yes, I'm sure they got all kinds of pressure to come up with a "hit".  I agree with that.

But I do not believe he's still getting pressure from labels to record radio friendly material in 2015. It's just him deflecting criticism about Super Collider.

I haven't listened much to Super Collider yet, which many old friends of mine would find strange, as I used to be a Megadeth fanboy.
(I stopped being one with the release of "The System Has Failed" album.)

While everybody else wanted and got them back to their roots, the "thrashy" Megadeth, it is the more "radio-friendly" songs I like these days by them.
There were reviews (and even friends of mine) ripping on "Public Enemy No. 1"  and  "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" from TH1RT3EN, some of the songs I thought were the catchiest on there.

By the way, I wonder if Mustaine was a Warren Zevon fan?
Or the similar titles mean nothing?
Megadeth - Guns, Drugs & Money (2011)
Warren Zevon - Lawyers, Guns and Money (1978)

I've found something to like on most Megadeth platters, but I find myself listening to the 90s albums the most (including RIP). I don't care if the next record thrashes like a maniac or finds Dave in Bon Jovi mode. I just want an album of good-to-great songs.

S.D. wrote:

Sorry, but I gotta call bullshit on that.  Does Dave really expect us to believe that record label pressure for "radio songs" is still a factor in 2015?  

Sure, it could be. But it's not radio stations per se, it's Satellite radio, videos for YouTube/VEVO, and other outlets. They want a single to put out to help sell the album to mainstream rock/metal audiences. Now there are just more avenues to hear "radio hits" than radio.

Quote :

So, that's explains every album he's released since Rust In Peace!

Kick the Chair, the Disintegrators, Headcrusher .... these are songs that could've been on their first 4 albums.

I don't think Metallica can write songs like their early albums but Dave has already shown that he can (when on rare occasions he decides to).

I honestly think the fans, by and large, worldwide, DO want "pop metal" songs. Like Trust, Symphony of Destruction, etc.

I don't ... but I'm in the minority.

Temple of Blood wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Sorry, but I gotta call bullshit on that.  Does Dave really expect us to believe that record label pressure for "radio songs" is still a factor in 2015?  

Sure, it could be.  But it's not radio stations per se, it's Satellite radio, videos for YouTube/VEVO, and other outlets.  They want a single to put out to help sell the album to mainstream rock/metal audiences.  Now there are just more avenues to hear "radio hits" than radio.

Yea, "radio hit" is a general catch-all for "commercially viable". They want to be able to sell the song. And that usually means it has to be easily accessible for the masses.

So sure, any label that wants to make money is going to put pressure on the talent to make a song or album that is commercially viable. While they aren't huge anymore, Megadeth as a brand is still big enough for a label to exercise their right for an accessible album.

I don't think Dave is copping-out here and making excuses for what he's done. He admits in the same paragraph that he still wrote those songs, good or bad. At the end of the day, it had the Megadeth label on it.

It's easier to look back on past mistakes and admit your wrongdoing than when you're in the moment. I'm sure getting airplay, Grammy nominations and execs kissing your ass and telling you it tastes like vanilla ice cream, etc, all seemed pretty sweet at the time. It's only now he can look back and say "Geez, what was I thinking? That wasn't me. I caved to label pressure".