Former MEGADETH Guitarist JEFF YOUNG's 'Deth And Life Experiences

During the late eighties at the tender age of 21, classically trained guitarist Jeff Young stepped into the metal world as lead guitarist for the legendary band MEGADETH. Jeff's highlight performances on the group's 1987 "So Far, So Good... So What!" album and tours astounded MEGA-fans and guitar aficionados alike. Fueled by an infamous cover of the SEX PISTOLS hit, "Anarchy" (complete with PISTOLS guitarist Steve Jones in tow),the platinum selling release was among the first of its genre to crack the Billboard Top 20 pop charts. Equally renowned is the band's film stealing performance of album's epic, "In My Darkest Hour", immortalized by director Penelope Spheeris in her rockumentary, "The Decline of Civilization Part II - The Metal Years".

In the years that followed, Jeff went on to pen the cult classic column Fingerprints in Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine. His eclectic musical trek led him to a prolific six-year musical partnership with Brazilian singer-guitarist Badi Assad. The Assad/Young collaboration bore fruits including the self-produced album "Chameleon" (1998, Verve/PolyGram),which climbed to number one in Europe and topped Jazziz magazine's Readers' Poll. Their "Chameleon" tour included highlight performances on Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair Tour and Willie Nelson's Farm Aid 2000.

Flash forward to 2005 and we find Jeff Young engaged in the process of cancer "survivorship" as he conquers a daily quest for mega-life. Early in 2003, Jeff was diagnosed with testicular cancer, the disease that also affected seven-time Tour de France winning cyclist Lance Armstrong and MTV comedian Tom Green. Jeff's untimely diagnosis came right in the midst of the creation process of his groundbreaking life's work album project. The new disk entitled, "Jeff Young - The Unmaking of Me...", reveals Jeff as a decidedly creative guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer representing a considerable departure from the music he became famous for with MEGADETH.

Performing on a myriad of historic and contemporary instruments, including flamenco, classical, steel-string, 12-string and electric guitars, Jeff's influences span the horizon from gypsy flamenco, Brazilian jazz, Middle Eastern, rock, classical, and reggae. Displaying a dizzyingly unique sense of invention, Jeff and a cast of renowned musical allies seamlessly unite these diverse genres on what promises to be a compelling and memorable listening experience. With 13 of the pending album's 16 tracks near completion, the independently financed project had to be placed on hold after Jeff's cancer was diagnosed.

After an initial surgery to remove Jeff's right testicle, doctors in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida monitored the situation to see if the cancer would spread to other susceptible regions. After noticing elevated HGC and AFP levels in blood tests, a PET scan confirmed that a grape sized tumor had in fact appeared in his right abdomen lymph nodes.

Inspired by Lance Armstrong's best selling book, "It's Not About the Bike", Jeff immediately contacted Lance's doctor, Lawrence Einhorn at Indiana's Indianapolis University hospital. Dr. Einhorn is the premier specialist in the testicular cancer field, having achieved recognition for pioneering the combination of chemotherapy drugs that literally flipped the T.C. survival paradigm from a 95% fatality rate to a 95% survival rate. "The first time I sat with Dr. Einhorn, I passed a copy of my album across the desk and told him quite simply that I do on guitar what Lance does on a bike and I'm ready to do whatever it takes to move through this disease."

Einhorn prescribed for Jeff, an initial treatment plan that included a grueling nine-week chemotherapy protocol. At the conclusion of the chemo process, tests confirmed that a small portion of the cancer known as teratoma was still present in Jeff's lymph nodes. The only option at this stage was for doctors to perform a radical abdomen surgery known as "nodal dissection." The nodal dissection is painfully debilitating leaving a six-inch vertical scar down the middle of the patient's abdomen. I.U.'s Dr. Richard Foster successfully performed the surgery in early April 2004.

Today, Jeff appears to have achieved a complete and full recovery and is fully engaged in his continuing survivorship. This entails a lifestyle reinvention process including revised diet, yoga, and cycling — spurred on by Armstrong's heroic influence. He looks forward to putting the finishing touches on his album, "The Unmaking of Me...", and is actively involved in raising cancer awareness and funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

2004 saw the re-release, special edition of MEGADETH's "So Far, So Good... So What!" which has been remixed and re-mastered complete with updated liner notes and photos.

Jeff states that the key to successfully transcending cancer is all about positivity, knowledge, diet, rest and most of all, "Not allowing the cancer or the chemotherapy to be viewed as the enemy." He goes on to say that, "You can't allow yourself to play the victim card... there are no victims in this life, only volunteers. Every challenging situation that we encounter appears to teach us something about life and about ourselves."

"Cancer has taught me is that destiny, fate, whatever you wish to call her, always hands us our life lessons with seemingly extreme conditions. Some call it the 'two hands of fate'. In my case, one hand gave me this cancer with all of the challenges, pain, potential fears, scars, and complications. On the other hand, I've been introduced to so many caring and compassionate people, life altering experiences, and invaluable lessons that I can't help but feel the journey of transcending cancer is a gift not a curse."

Young will be riding with Lance Armstrong and a peloton of cancer survivors and advocates in the 2005 Ride for the Roses! The Lance Armstrong Foundation's cancer research fundraising 100-mile bike ride in Austin in October. Jeff's goal is to raise at least $8,000.00.