DAVE MUSTAINE Blasts Musicians Who Think They're 'Better Than Other People': 'We're All The Same'

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 (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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."

In September 2022, "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.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

MEGADETH received its thirteenth Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "We'll Be Back" from "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!".

MEGADETH won the 2017 Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the title track of the band's 2016 album "Dystopia". This marked the group's twelfth Grammy nomination in this category (including nominations in the discontinued "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category).

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 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.