Dave Mustaine’s exit from Metallica was not only filled with bitter emotions but also fuelled an infamous feud in the music world that continues to fascinate fans till date.
In the wake of his dismissal, Dave Mustaine was spurred by a potent mix of resentment and ambition to form his own band, a process that began on a rather poetic note during his 48-hour bus ride back home.
Mustaine’s parting words were a declaration of war: he was hell-bent on not only matching but surpassing Metallica, and he had a name in mind that would embody this fiery determination – Megadeth.
A term he discovered from a pamphlet by Senator Alan Cranston, struck him as being more ‘metal’ than Metallica itself.
Initially a working title for a song, it eventually turned into the name of his band and the title of a track, “Set the World Afire”, on their album So Far, So Good… So What!
Mustaine’s fury was not just reflected in the naming of his band, but also in the music they created. One notable instance is the song “Mechanix”.
Originally written by Mustaine while he was still part of Metallica, it was performed at their shows. However, after Mustaine’s departure, Metallica modified it into “The Four Horsemen”.
“I hated them, I was so angry. I thought I needed to regroup and start over again because now I’m gonna get revenge.”
“On the ride back, I needed to come up with a name that’s more metal than someone who has metal in their name. While I was on the bus and there was a piece of paper there from Senator Alan Cranston ‘The arsenal of megadeath cannot be rid.’ I thought that was a great name for a song.”
Mustaine, in an act of musical defiance, sped up “Mechanix” for Megadeth, proclaiming his intent to be faster and heavier than his previous band.
Despite Megadeth’s success, Mustaine was often reminded of the lingering controversy around the band’s name
. He recalled a radio instance when, after a cover of “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, the DJ failed to mention ‘Megadeth’.
It dawned on him that people were uncomfortable saying ‘Megadeth’ on air. But regardless of such instances,
Mustaine’s revenge was well underway, and he was carving out a path for Megadeth to become one of thrash metal’s most significant bands, earning their place in the genre’s “big four” alongside Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer.
