biomegadeth

 

Megadeth was formed by Dave Mustaine after he was fired from Metallica. That fueled Dave's rage so much that he wanted to create a new band that would be even faster than his old band. Megadeth might have some  of that smaller brother complex but they have definitely carved a brilliant career for themselves. As a pioneer of the American thrash metal movement, Megadeth rose to international fame in the '80s, but due to endless line-up changes, partly because of the band's notorious substance abuse. But in the '90s the band shaped up and released a couple of gold and platinum albums in a row when the lineup was somewhat stable.

But the nineties wasn't just a glorious time for the band as some of their old fans were starting to ask questions if the band was on a downward spiral creatively, when Megadeth adopted a more mainstream sound. Megadeth are still having problems with the lineup but Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson are still keeping the band intact, even if Ellefson and Mustaine had a feud and was separated during a few years in the 2000's. So without further ado, this is the biography of Megadeth.

THE BEGINNING... (1983-1984)

When Dave Mustaine was fired from Metallica, he and his neighbour and bassist David Ellefson formed Megadeth together. They originally intended to find a vocalist but they struggled to find one so Dave Mustaine decided to do the vocals. Kerry King of Slayer also did a few gigs with an early incarnation of Megadeth but he declined to join the band. They also struggled to find a good drummer but after many try-outs they found Lee Rausch and they recorded the Last Rites demo tape in 1984. But soon thereafter Dave and David found a new drummer in Gar Samuelson and a guitar virtuoso in Chris Poland. In late '84 the band does it's first New York show with Slayer.

KILLING IS MY BUSINESS... AND BUSINESS IS GOOD! (1985)

Killing is my Business... And Business was Good was recorded in June of 1985 with a budget of 8000$ provided by Combat Records, but the band bought food, drugs and alcohol for at least half of the money so the band was forced to produce the album themselves, resulting in a bad low-budget production. The album was recorded in Indigo Ranch Studios, in Malibu and the album was released through the small but now legendary New York label Megaforce. The album featured the song Mechanix which is an early version of Metallica's The Four Horsemen, a song Dave Mustaine co-penned while being in Metallica.

Other prominent tracks here are: Rattlehead, Chosen Ones, Skull Beneath the Skin and Looking Down the Cross. The album was successful, on Killing is my business... Megadeth explored themes of death, violence and occultism. Something Dave Mustaine regretted in later years when he "found" god. In 1985 the band toured the US and Canada together with Exciter to promote the album. Killing Is My Business didn't end up on the Billboard top 200 but it still was one of Combat Record's most succcessful releases.

The band also introduced Vic Rattlehead as their mascot on the debut. But Vic Rattlehead evolved as a more living and cartoonish figure after getting the Ed Repka-treatment.

PEACE SELLS... BUT WHO'S BUYING? (1986)

In 1986 Megadeth recorded their legendary Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?-album. Combat Records couldn't fully deliver a budget for the recording of the album so Capitol Records stepped in and took over the rights. They hired Paul Lani to remix the album so it was released a few months later in late 1986. The end result was a better production and more sophisticated songwriting which led up to the bands big breakthrough. The album had social conscious lyrics and were a bit different from their more hedonistic and somewhat occult debut album.

Songs like Peace Sells, Wake up Dead, Devils Island and Good Mourning / Black Friday are classic tracks from the album, songs that Megadeth still performs live to this day. Megadeth recorded videos for Peace Sells and Wake up Dead and both got a lot of airtime on MTV. Ed Repka painted the classic artwork and made the skull from their debut album more like a living character. Megadeth also scores some important gigs opening up for King Diamond and Motörhead. Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? was an excellent thrash metal album and an absolute classic for the ages. 

SO FAR, SO GOOD... SO WHAT! (1987-1989)

In 1987 Dave Mustaine fires Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson for being drug abusers and not be able to perform at a high level. On the tryouts a teenage Jeff Loomis tried out to become Megadeth's new lead guitarist but the job went to Jay Reynolds from Malice, but he was unable to do the solos to the standard that Dave & David wanted so Jeff Young was hired instead. In 1987 Megadeth tours the US with Overkill, after that they went on their first world tour. They also get the opportunity to open up for Alice Cooper, one of Dave Mustaine's childhood idols.

The following year, in 1988 Megadeth released their third studio album So Far, So good... So What! which had a punkier feel to it, not only because the band recorded the Sex Pistols cover "Anarchy in the U.K.". Megadeth surfed on the wave of the success from Peace Sells and the band got the opportunity to play the Monsters of Rock festival with Kiss, Guns 'N' Roses, Iron Maiden and David Lee Roth.

In 1986 Dave Mustaine's former bandmate in Metallica dies and Dave Mustaine dedicates the song In My Darkest Hour to Cliff. Both newcomers Jeff Young and Chuck Behler was fired in late 1988 and Dave Mustaine gets a reputation of being hard to work with and the band was heavily into drugs and booze during this chaotic period. In 1989 Dave gets busted for drunk driving and is forced into a 12 step program. During this time Megadeth recruits a new drummer in Nick Menza.

RUSTED PIECES (1990-1991)

In 1990 Megadeth started the trials to find a new lead guitarist, Lee Altus of Heathen and Eric Meyer of Dark Angel applied for the job but Megadeth instead recruits Marty Friedman as their new lead guitarist. With a sober Dave Mustaine and a new lineup to back him and David up, the band enters the Rumba Studios and starts the recording of their critically acclaimed Rust in Peace album. Megadeth had created longer and more complex songs on Rust in Peace, the album also features a few of the fastest tracks Megadeth has ever recorded.

Rust in Peace became a milestone in thrash metal history and the album is hailed as one of the best thrash records to ever be released. Megadeth releases two singles from the album; Hangar 18 and Holy Wars... The Punishment Due. Once again Ed Repka created the artwork. Megadeth also records a home video called Rusted Pieces to document the recordings of Rust in Peace.

With newcomers Marty Friedman (guitarist) and Nick Menza (drummer) in the lineup Megadeth embarked on the Clash of the Titans world tour with Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies and Testament. Which was one of the last big thrash tours before things started to crumble for most thrash bands.

MAINSTREAM RECOGNITION (1992-1996)

After seeing Metallica break into the mainstream with their self-titled Black Album in 1991, Dave Mustaine understood the that some changes needed to be done to outdo his former bandmates. As a result of this Countdown to Extinction was released in 1992 and it had a more stripped down sound and the tempo had dropped significantly since 1990's Rust in Peace. But Megadeth didn't manage to make it the number one record in the U.S. Countdown to Extinction was pretty close though as it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Charts.

The album went double-platinum and it became Megadeth's most successful album. In 1994 Megadeth moved further towards the mainstream with the release of Youthanasia. The album reached number four and the album went platinum pretty quickly. Megadeth released a documentary called Evolver, which was about the recordings of the Youthanasia album. Megadeth continued their ventures into the 90's with the release of Hidden Treasures, a collection of rare Megadeth recordings and covers.

TAKING RISKS (1997-2000)

In 1997 Megadeth adopted almost a rock oriented sound with the release of Cryptic Writings. It had 1-2 faster songs but overall it was a pretty lame effort but still selling pretty good. Megadeth drummer Nick Menza is replaced by Jimmy DeGrasso. In 1999 Megadeth entered the studio again and recorded an even more mainstream sounding album called Risk. Risk was rediculed for being an industrial pop metal record and it is generally seen as the low point in Megadeth's career. In 1999 Megadeth played Woodstock '99. In 1999 longtime guitarist Marty Friedman leaves the band and in came Al Pitrelli. In 2000 Megadeth leaves Capitol Records and signs a deal with Sanctuary Records.

BREAK & REBOOT (2001-2005)

In 2001 Megadeth released The World Needs A Hero. It was a small step towards their older sound. To promote the album the band toured and opened up for AC/DC. In 2002 a remixed version of Killing is my Business is released, the band also released the double live album: Rude Awakening. In 2002 Megadeth disbands for a short time because of a nerve injury Dave Mustaine. In 2002 long time bassist Dave Ellefson got into an argument with Dave Mustaine and when Megadeth reformed in around 2004, it was without David Ellefson. The lineup of Vinnie Colaiuta, Jimmy Sloas and guest guitarist Chris Poland started to record the bands new album. In 2004, Shawn and Glen Drover became members of Megadeth.

In 2004 the band also releases The System Has Failed, which was hailed as a step back to their thrashing days with songs like Kick the Chair and Blackmail the Universe, but the album ended up with lukewarm reviews. In 2006 bassist James Lomenzo joins the band, Megadeth then signed a deal with Roadrunner Records and the band starts their own Gigantour Tour. In 2007 the band released their 11th studio album called United Abominations, which was their thrashiest record in a long time. In 2008 Chris Broderick became the bands new guitarist and in 2009 the band released Endgame, a title they lended from a documentary movie by professional nutjob Alex Jones. The album was a success and was praised as their best album in ages and it reached #9 on the Billboards.

LIFE AFTER ELLEFSON (2006-2009)

In 2006 bassist James Lomenzo joins the band, Megadeth then signed a deal with Roadrunner Records and the band starts their own Gigantour Tour. In 2007 the band released their 11th studio album called United Abominations, which was their thrashiest record in a long time. In 2008 Chris Broderick became the bands new guitarist and in 2009 the band released Endgame, a title they lended from a documentary movie by professional nutjob Alex Jones. The album was a success and was praised as their best album in ages and it reached #9 on the Billboards.

MORE RECENT YEARS... (2010-2017)

In 2010 original bassist David Ellefson returns to the band replacing James LoMenzo. The big four of thrash joins together and plays a few gigs throughout Europe during the summer of 2010. A DVD titled The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria was released soon after.The Big Four kept gigging in the U.S. in 2011. In 2011 Megadeth dropped another album Th1rt3en, which was the bands 13th studio album and the first with David Ellefson since 2001's The World Needs A Hero.

In 2013 Dave Mustaine's label Tradecraft takes over the rights to Megadeth's music. In 2013 the album Super Collider was released and it was a huge disappointment to most fans, but still it managed to debut as 6# on the Billboard list. In 2015, Kiko Loureiro of Angra joins Megadeth as their new guitarist and Lamb of God's drummer Chris Adler joins too. In 2016 Megadeth released their 15th studio album, Dystopia. Megadeth made music videos from the tracks "Dystopia" and "Post American World".  In July of 2016 drummer Dirk Verbeuren joined Megadeth. In 2017 Megadeth won their first Grammy for Dystopia.


THE SICK, THE DYING... AND THE DEAD (2018-2022)

In 2019 Dave Mustaine was diagnosed with Cancer so all their planned gigs were cancelled, fortunately Dave recovered and the band could continue. In 2021 the Dave Ellefson scandal led to him being fired from the band. Former Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo filled in on tour but session bassist Steve DiGiorgio played on their upcoming album The Sick, The Dying... And the Dead. Their new album is planned to come out on the 8th of July, 2022.