In a new interview with Carmen Coronado of Monterrey Rock, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine was asked about the critical and fan response to the band’s latest album, 2022’s “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!” He said: “Well, it’s been very well received. It was successful for us. We have had some really high-charting records before, but this was the highest-charting record of all when it comes down to around the world. In the past, we’d have a record that was good in one place, but it wasn’t good everywhere, and this record has been really good in a lot of places. There’s been a couple places where they just don’t like metal. But for the most part, I’ve been very, very, very, very happy with the outcome of this record.”

Regarding the secret to MEGADETH‘s success and longevity, Mustaine said: “I think it’s not compromising and sticking to your convictions, being true to yourself and just not being a mean asshole. (Laughs) There’s a lot of musicians who get successful and they start to believe their own hype, that they’re really cool. And you know what? We’re all the same. That’s the end of the story. Period.

“When I hear stories out on the road, like when I was younger, I heard about some bands where this woman singer would make everyone call her ‘miss something,'” he continued. “And you couldn’t look at her. I know Madonna did that, but this was somebody else before that. And I thought, ‘Wow, I don’t like her anymore.’ And it wasn’t that I liked her in the first place, but I just thought, ‘What kind of an asshole does that?’ ‘Don’t look at me!’ ‘All right! Don’t look at this! Fuck you!’

“When you start thinking you’re better than other people… You might be better at something than other people, but you know what? Man, we’re all the same. We’ve gotta stop treating people like other people don’t matter.”