MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE talks about singing about political issues: “I don't try and tell people in my songs what to do”
08-04-2024
On Friday, April 5, the four members of MEGADETH took part in a press conference one day prior to the kick-off of their spring 2024 South American tour in Lima, Peru. One of the first questions was for MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine, who went to the White House in 1992 with the “Rock The Vote” campaign for the Democratic National Convention coverage. Asked what that experience was like and if he would do it again, the 62-year-old Mustaine said: “What was it like going up to the White House and doing the ‘Rock The Vote’ thing? Well, I think if you wanna say something, you need to know what you’re saying. And I was asked to help get people in my country registered to vote — not to become a Democrat, not to become a Republican, but to vote. And I’ve always said, when I talk to people, I try and show them both sides and then let that person pick. I don’t try and tell people in my songs what to do.
“Would I do it again? I guess I kind of do it still every day, just being an example in heavy metal music that not everyone in metal is uninterested in civil matters in their country, singing about things that matter,” he added.
Two years ago, Mustaine claimed that he “peed on the floor” of the White House bathroom when he went there more than three decades ago. Dave made the outrageous claim while introducing the song “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” during MEGADETH‘s concert at the Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona. Mustaine said in part: “I want you guys to know that I’ve lived through a lot of different eras in the United States and seen different things, and one thing that makes me the most proud of everything here in our country is you guys, the way that you are handling yourselves and the way that… as the metal community. There’s a lot of people that go out there and they say things and they totally embarrass themselves. And I want you guys to know how proud I am to represent you.”
He continued: “When I went up to the White House, I was so proud to be able to go up there and say, ‘Fuck you. You think we’re stupid? We are not stupid, motherfuckers.’
“By the way, when I went into the White House, I went into the royal — whatever the fuck it’s called — White House bathroom, and I peed on the floor. I had to. I had to.”
Five years ago, Dave, who has attracted a fair amount of media attention over the years for his political thoughts, said that he and other public figures have fallen victim to so-called negative partisanship, in which people identify as being against the opposing political party, and vocalize their beliefs through anger or loathing.
Five years ago, Dave, who has attracted a fair amount of media attention over the years for his political thoughts, said that he and other public figures have fallen victim to so-called negative partisanship, in which people identify as being against the opposing political party, and vocalize their beliefs through anger or loathing.
“I’ve got this reputation that I’m a right-winger,” Mustaine told Ron Keel of the “Streets Of Rock ‘N’ Roll” radio show. “Well, check my voting record to see that I’ve voted Democrat and Republican. And it’s just a shame that people are trying to destroy people’s careers because of a vote.”
Mustaine has consistently denied that he is a Republican, telling Artisan News in a 2012 interview: “I’m an independent, not a Republican — I’ve never been a Republican. I’ve always said that. I don’t belong to any party — I’m non-partisan. And for me, the sad thing is, instead of voting for the best man, I have to vote for the lesser of two evils.”
Back in 2016, Mustaine refused to say if was going to vote for Donald Trump in that year’s U.S. presidential election but called the billionaire real estate mogul “a very successful businessman.” He also said that he wouldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.
MEGADETH played its first concert with new guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The 37-year old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.
Mäntysaari stepped into MEGADETH as the replacement for the band’s longtime axeman Kiko Loureiro, who announced in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH‘s “Crush The World” tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.
Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick‘s exit from the group.
In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH‘s current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.
Last September, MEGADETH‘s latest album, “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!”, debuted at the top of the charts during its first week of sales, taking the No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 as well as number ones on Top Album Sales, Top Current Albums Sales, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums. “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!” was the highest-charting MEGADETH album of all time around the world, notching No. 1 In Finland, No. 2 in Australia, Poland, Switzerland, and Scotland, No. 3 in the U.K., and more.
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