Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine firmly believes that thrash metal surpasses both drugs and alcohol in terms of the exhilaration it provides.
In a recent conversation with Rock Hard Greece, the legendary guitarist and vocalist shared his deep appreciation for the genre, describing it as something that invigorates and energizes him. Mustaine expressed his gratitude for still being able to perform at his best, emphasizing the importance of staying true to the roots of thrash metal:
“It’s remarkable that I can still play. I am glad I’m still playing. I don’t want to play if the fans think I shouldn’t be playing. If we started doing music that wasn’t heavy and it wasn’t thrash, I would probably not want to do it anymore.”
He continued to reflect on the unique joy that thrash metal brings, noting that nothing else in his life has ever matched its impact:
“And thrash metal music is one of those things that makes you feel alive inside. I can’t remember anything that I’ve ever experienced that makes me feel as good as thrash metal — not a drug, not a drink, not a person, not a thing.”
During an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live, Mustaine delved into what he believes is the secret to crafting a successful thrash song. He cited influential tracks such as Chuck Berry’s 1958 hit ‘Johnny B. Goode’ and Mott the Hoople’s 1970 classic ‘All the Young Dudes’ as pivotal in shaping his musical perspective. He highlighted the simplicity and beauty of ‘All the Young Dudes’ melody, attributing its success to its straightforward yet captivating structure:
“Quincy Jones is a very famous producer here in America, we were making the ‘Rust in Peace’ record at the time, and had gone to their party and Quincy was there. He’d said to our engineer and producer that the key to successful songs was beat, melody, and 10 simple words.”
Mustaine elaborated on this advice, adapting it to the thrash metal context:
“So I guess the most important thing I would like to leave to future generations is to echo what Quincy had said. But to make it my own, I’d say in order to be successful in thrash, you need to have a heavy beat, melody and, I’d say probably 20 simple words because we sing so much faster.”
You can check out the full interview below.
