Megadeth are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their landmark 1990 LP, Rust in Peace, with a newly published oral history.
The book, titled Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece, features a foreword by Slash, and stories from frontman Dave Mustaine, bassist David Ellefson, and former members of the band, among others. It details how Megadeth struggled with drug addiction, finances, and more, only to record one of the definitive albums of their career.
Mustaine recently checked in with us from the studio to discuss Rust in Peace, the pandemic, and progress on the band’s forthcoming LP. The metal legend also updated us on his health, following his cancer diagnosis last year.
Among the highlights of our conversation with Mustaine is the story of how Megadeth reached out to Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell, then known as Diamond Darrell. At the time, the band was looking for a new guitarist heading into the recording of Rust in Peace.
As Mustaine tells us, “I think about it a lot. I didn’t even know who I was dealing with at the time. I knew who Darrell was but I didn’t know who Vinnie was. When I called up Darrell, he goes, ‘Can I bring my brother?’ and I was like, ‘Well, who’s your brother?’ And he goes, ‘Vinnie Paul! Whaddaya f**kin’ mean? My brother!’ … And I got back on the phone, ‘We already have a drummer,’ and he goes, ‘Well, then I can’t show.'”
Mustaine goes on to tell us more about Megadeth’s relationship with Pantera, and does so doing an impression of Dimebag that you’ll have to see in the video above to truly appreciate.
Elsewhere during our Zoom conversation, Mustaine talks about the drug addiction that he and Ellefson experienced during that time, and an exchange in the book between him and guitarist Marty Friedman in which they argue about songwriting credits. He also briefly addresses what could have been had he not been kicked out of Metallica.
Watch our interview with Dave Mustaine above, and pick up Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece here.
Trouble viewing the video above? Watch on YouTube.
