While guesting on Full Metal Jackie’s show, Megadeth mastermind Dave Mustaine was asked if the current events in the world have influenced his lyric writing for the band’s new album, and he replied:
“It became clear to me several years ago that when you start talking about politics, you immediately divide your audience in half.
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“What in the beginning was quite tongue-in-cheek, kind of one-liner stuff started to, unfortunately, define me as a songwriter, and now people think that I’m a political songwriter, which I’m not.
“We write about all kinds of different things. But looking at the landscape right now, these are really, really crazy… Look at the natural disasters, everything that’s going on, the inability for anyone just about anywhere to get along. It makes you wonder, ‘How did we become so devolved?’ It’s like ‘The Decline of Western Civilization Part III’.”
About Megadeth’s current lineup and the new album, Mustaine offered:
“Playing with Kiko [Loureiro, guitar] has been really rewarding out on the road, and learning a little bit more about him as a player. Not having a chance to have played with Dirk [Verbeuren, drums] yet — Dirk came as a recommendation from Chris Adler, and Chris had said how much he believed in Dirk.
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“I have such high praise for Chris — I didn’t really know there were many drummers that would even fit the bill of what Chris was saying, and meeting Dirk was just amazing. It was what we were looking for — someone that kind of had the playing ability and spirit of Gar Samuelson and somebody who lives for metal like we do.
“I think that getting into the studio with the four of is now is going to be super-exciting… We’re all so familiar with each other right now, I think it’s going to be a kick-ass record, and I look forward to it.”