During a conversation with uDiscover Music, Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine looked back on 35 years of the band, touching on various topics along the way.
You can check out what Dave had to say below:
Relating to fans
“I don’t know what sets us apart from the other bands, so I think probably trying to be normal and be just one of the ‘guys.’ You would be surprised – I eat at fast-food joints, you know, I like normal stuff that people do and like.
“When you see certain people that are celebrities and stuff, they’re making up for lost time, and when they get wealthy real quick they make up for lost time by buying all kinds of stuff.
“You see it in the professional sports world, they actually have a class that they teach athletes how to not get taken by your own family, so for me, I never had anything that I needed to make up for myself because, I was already starting from less than zero, so I mean, everything was just a blessing.
“And I look at this way that we connect with our fans, is that there’s no socio-economic difference between us because I was homeless, I’ve gone without meals, and I know what it’s like. I’d never put myself above our fans.”
Metal and the mainstream
“I don’t know that real, credible metal ever had mainstream dominance because that is what ultimately killed metal – mainstream exposure. I think that’s one of the things that’s kept us relevant.
“We’ve never tried to follow trends, and it’s what’s kept us – I wouldn’t say better or above anybody – but having our own standards and not trying to fit in is what’s made us have that longevity.”