Former MEGADETH Guitarist CHRIS POLAND: 'The Music Business Is Cruel'

Jon (DJ ZED) Hernandez recently conducted an interview with former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland. The chat, which was originally broadcast on ListenerzChoiceRadio.com, can be streamed below.

Asked what advice he would give to aspiring musicians and up-and-coming artists looking to break into the music business, Poland said: "Well, I say go for it. But the one thing that I tell anybody… If you're gonna play music… If you're playing it because you wanna be rich and famous, that's gonna be really hard, because it might not work out. But if you play music — guitar, bass, drums, keyboards… whatever it is you do… whether you're a painter… It doesn't matter. Whatever it is that you love to do, if you love to do it and you'd do it for free, then you're gonna be fine. Because making money in music is not what it used to be."

He continued: "I can't help myself. This is what I've done my whole life. I love guitar. There's something about it that's very healing to me in a way; I don't know how to describe it. It's just good for me soul. And it's something I love to do and I'll do it until I'm dead, you know?! But as far as the struggle of trying to get out there and get a name for yourself, yeah, it's a struggle. You're gonna hold your head in your hands and wonder why. I mean, sometimes I say to myself, why didn't I follow a different path? [When you have] a daughter and a family [to support], and money is tight…"

Poland added: "Sometimes I say, maybe I should have done this, gone to college… whatever. Everybody has those thoughts. I don't second-guess that I love playing guitar. I just… I wish I could be like those bands and get out there and try to hustle money playing guitar, and I do do that, but…

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket, man, because it's cruel — the music business is cruel. If you're not attached to it in a monetary way and you just love music, then it's not cruel, because it can't touch you."

As previously reported, Poland and fellow former MEGADETH members Nick Menza (drums) and James Lomenzo (bass) have joined forces in a brand new band.

Regarding the new project's musical direction, which has been described by some as "LED ZEPPELIN meets METALLICA," Nick said: "It's got some elements of that, but I'd say we're just so far beyond everything that's been heard already. It's gonna be a conglomerate of styles. It's gonna be what we like to do best — have fun, play… Our material is gonna be really out there. It's gonna be different. It's gonna pumped, it's gonna be heavy, but it's gonna be us."

Poland is best known for his work on MEGADETH's first two albums — "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" (1985) and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" (1986).