Dave Mustaine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dave Mustaine
Mustaine with Megadeth at Hellfest 2022
Background information
Birth name	David Scott Mustaine
Born	(1961-09-13) September 13, 1961 (age 63) La Mesa, California, U.S.
Genres	Thrash metal heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter producer
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1978–present

David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is famous as the co-founder, leader, and main songwriter of the thrash metal band Megadeth. He was also the lead guitarist for Metallica for a short time.

Mustaine has released sixteen studio albums with Megadeth. The band has sold over 50 million records worldwide. Six of their albums have been certified platinum, meaning they sold over a million copies each. In 2017, Megadeth won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their song "Dystopia". This was from their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia.

Before starting Megadeth, Mustaine was the lead guitarist for Metallica. He helped write four songs on their first album, Kill 'Em All. He also co-wrote two songs on their 1984 album, Ride the Lightning. Mustaine is married to Pamela Anne Casselberry, and they have two children, Electra and Justis.

Many people recognize Mustaine as a top guitarist. He was ranked third among the best rhythm guitarists of all time by Ultimate Guitar. He was also ranked first in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Dave Mustaine's Childhood

Dave Mustaine was born on September 13, 1961, in La Mesa, California. This is a suburb near San Diego. His parents were Emily Marie and John Jefferson Mustaine. Dave had three older sisters. They were much older than him, so he sometimes thought of them as aunts.

Mustaine has said his family life was difficult when he was young. His father left the family when Dave was four years old.

First Band: Panic

Panic was Dave Mustaine's very first band. He played lead guitar. The band had a few different members early on. Their first concert was in Dana Point, California. Sadly, two people involved with the band died in a car crash after that show.

Mustaine wrote his first song, "Jump in the Fire", for Panic. Some songs he wrote for Panic were later used for Megadeth. These include "N2RHQ" (which became "Hangar 18") and "Mechanix".

Joining Metallica

In 1981, Mustaine joined Metallica as their lead guitarist. The band's drummer, Lars Ulrich, had placed an ad looking for a guitarist. Mustaine remembers meeting James Hetfield and Ulrich. He said they hired him right away without an audition.

Metallica started recording their first album, Kill 'Em All, in 1983. But Mustaine's time with Metallica was short. On April 11, 1983, he was asked to leave the band. This was due to disagreements and his aggressive behavior. The band put him on a bus back to Los Angeles. On that bus ride, Mustaine started writing lyrics for a song. This song later became "Set the World Afire" for Megadeth.

Mustaine toured with Metallica and helped write several songs. He co-wrote four songs on Kill 'Em All. He also co-wrote two songs that appeared on Metallica's 1984 album, Ride the Lightning.

Forming Fallen Angels

After leaving Metallica, Mustaine started a band called Fallen Angels. This band didn't last long. Mustaine felt they didn't have the right "spark" or energy.

This led him to meet Dave Ellefson and Greg Handevidt. Ellefson was playing bass in the apartment below Mustaine's. Mustaine, annoyed by the noise, threw a potted plant out his window. It hit the air conditioner below. Ellefson and Handevidt came up to ask for cigarettes. Soon, they were talking about music and decided to form a band together.

They first had a singer named 'Lor' Kane. Kane suggested changing the band's name to Megadeth. This was because Mustaine had written a song with that name. After Kane left, Mustaine took over singing. The first version of Megadeth included Mustaine, Ellefson, Handevidt, and drummer Dijon Carruthers.

Megadeth: A Metal Journey

The Early Years: 1980s

Megadeth's first rehearsal had Mustaine singing and playing guitar. In 1984, they made a three-song demo with drummer Lee Rauch. Kerry King from Slayer joined for a few shows but then left. Jazz-influenced drummer Gar Samuelson then joined.

Megadeth recorded another demo, which caught the eye of guitarist Chris Poland. He was a friend of Samuelson and also a jazz player. Poland joined the band. In November, Megadeth signed with Combat Records and began touring.

In June 1985, Megadeth released their first album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!. They toured the U.S. and Canada. In October, they started recording their second album. On New Year's Eve, Megadeth played with Exodus and Metal Church. Metallica was the main band that night. This was the only time Megadeth and Metallica played together until 1991.

In 1986, Mustaine asked Jackson Guitars to build him a custom guitar. Jackson added two more frets to their King V model for him. Later, Jackson started selling a Dave Mustaine signature guitar.

The next year, Capitol Records signed Megadeth. They released the band's second album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?. This album came out on September 19, 1986. It is often called a classic thrash metal album. It includes the famous title track and "Wake Up Dead".

In February 1987, Megadeth opened for Alice Cooper. They also toured with King Diamond. In March, Megadeth started their first world tour in the U.K. Mustaine and Ellefson also played on the band Malice's album. Megadeth re-recorded "These Boots" for the movie "Dudes". Mustaine later fired Poland and Samuelson.

Chuck Behler became the new drummer, and Jeff Young replaced Poland on guitar. Megadeth released their third album, So Far, So Good... So What!, in January 1988. This album has the song "In My Darkest Hour". Mustaine wrote it after the death of Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton. The song "Hook in Mouth" criticized the Parents Music Resource Center.

Later that year, Megadeth opened for Dio and Iron Maiden. They also played at the Monsters of Rock festival in the U.K. Mustaine then fired Behler and Young. Nick Menza, who was Behler's drum tech, joined Megadeth in 1989. The band recorded a cover of Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" for the horror film Shocker.

The 1990s: Success and Changes

In February 1990, Marty Friedman joined Megadeth as the new lead guitarist. In September, the band went on the ""Clash of the Titans" tour overseas. They played with Slayer, ... Tendencies, and Testament. One month later, Megadeth released Rust in Peace (1990). This album is considered one of the best thrash metal records ever. They then toured with Judas Priest.

In 1991, Megadeth played for 145,000 people at Rock in Rio. They then started their own world tour with Alice in Chains. Mustaine got married in April. That summer, the Clash of the Titans tour came to the U.S. It featured Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. The Megadeth song "Go to Hell" was in the movie Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.

Mustaine also worked with Sean Harris from Diamond Head. Mustaine's son, Justis, was born on February 11, 1992. The band's song "Breakpoint" was in the movie Super Mario Bros.. In July 1992, Megadeth released Countdown to Extinction. This became their most successful album. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It included popular songs like "Symphony of Destruction" and "Sweating Bullets".

Pantera and ... Tendencies opened for Megadeth on the Countdown to Extinction tour. Mustaine also covered the Democratic National Convention for MTV News. In 1993, Mustaine played on a new album by Diamond Head. Megadeth played with Metallica in Europe. Megadeth was removed from Aerosmith's U.S. tour after Mustaine made a comment that Aerosmith found offensive.

Megadeth spent most of 1994 making Youthanasia. This album was more commercial. The band covered Black Sabbath's "Paranoid". They also performed on MTV's "Night of the Living Megadeth" for Halloween.

In 1995, Megadeth's song "Diadems" was on a movie soundtrack. They toured for "Youthanasia" with Corrosion of Conformity. The Hidden Treasures album was released in Europe and then the U.S. The "Reckoning Day" tour followed with Flotsam and Jetsam and Korn.

In 1996, "Paranoid" was nominated for a Grammy. Mustaine also released an album called The Craving under the name "MD.45". In September, Megadeth recorded Cryptic Writings in Nashville, Tennessee.

Cryptic Writings (1997) had both heavy songs and radio-friendly ones like "Trust". "Trust" reached the top 5 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. Misfits opened for the band on tour.

Mustaine's daughter, Electra, was born on January 28, 1998. "Trust" was nominated for a Grammy that same month. Megadeth played at Ozzfest. Nick Menza left the band after knee surgery. Jimmy DeGrasso replaced him as drummer. On New Year's Eve, Megadeth opened for Black Sabbath.

Mustaine wanted to write an album that mixed old and new Megadeth styles. However, after hearing comments from Lars Ulrich, his plans changed. Managers and producers had more input. The song "Crush 'Em" was written for wrestling events. Mustaine later said that Friedman wanted to go in a more "pop" direction. The album Risk was released on August 31, 1999. "Crush 'Em" was used in the movie Universal Soldier: The Return. The band covered "Never Say Die" for a Black Sabbath tribute. They played at Woodstock '99. Marty Friedman announced he was leaving the band.

The 2000s: New Beginnings

Mustaine performing in Bucharest, Romania in 2005

Al Pitrelli replaced Friedman on tour. In April, the band started working on a new album. They also left Capitol Records. That summer, they toured with Anthrax and Mötley Crüe. Capitol released a compilation album, Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years, with two new songs. One of these was "Dread and the Fugitive Mind". Megadeth signed with Sanctuary Records. They finished their new album and played a New Year's Eve show in Alaska.

In May 2001, The World Needs A Hero was released. Megadeth toured with AC/DC that summer. In September, they toured North America. VH1's "Behind the Music" special about Megadeth aired. At the end of the year, the band filmed two shows in Arizona. These were released as the Rude Awakening CD and DVD.

In January 2002, Mustaine had a kidney stone removed. During treatment, he had an injury to his left arm. He was diagnosed with radial neuropathy, also called Saturday Night Palsy. This made it hard for him to use his left hand.

On April 3, 2002, Mustaine announced he was ending Megadeth due to his arm injury. For four months, he had intense physical therapy. Slowly, he learned to play guitar again.

Mustaine in 2009

Mustaine fully recovered from his arm injury. He also explored other parts of the music business, like production. In 2003, Mustaine left Jackson guitars. He also released Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? as an audio DVD.

During this time, Mustaine became a Christian. He said his life changed after he looked at a cross and said, "What have I got to lose?" He believes his talent is a gift from God.

In 2004, Mustaine oversaw the re-mixing of Megadeth's albums from Capitol Records. All albums were re-released with bonus tracks. Mustaine then recorded what he planned as a solo album. But it became a new Megadeth album, The System Has Failed, released on September 14, 2004. Mustaine announced a new touring lineup for Megadeth: Glen Drover and James MacDonough. Nick Menza was briefly part of the band again but left. Shawn Drover, Glen's brother, joined as the new drummer.

The "Blackmail The Universe" tour started in February 2005. Capitol released a new greatest hits album, Back to the Start, in June. A month later, Mustaine created "Gigantour". This was a music festival with bands like Dream Theater and Anthrax.

Arsenal of Megadeth, a two-disc DVD, was released on March 21, 2006. James LoMenzo replaced James MacDonough on bass. On April 19, the band started recording a new album, United Abominations. They signed a deal with Roadrunner Records. United Abominations was released on May 15, 2007. On January 13, 2008, Dave Mustaine said Glen Drover left Megadeth. Chris Broderick joined as the new guitarist. The band's twelfth album, Endgame, was released on September 15, 2009.

Mustaine planned to open Megadeth's recording studio to children. He wanted to teach them about rock 'n' roll. He said he would teach them how to play instruments.

The 2010s: Reunions and Awards

Mustaine performing with Megadeth at the No Sleep Til Festival in Perth (2010)

In 2010, longtime bassist David Ellefson rejoined Megadeth. He had left the band in 2002. Ellefson and Mustaine agreed to move past their old issues. Ellefson felt that Megadeth was stronger with both of them. Megadeth then toured to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rust in Peace.

On June 16, 2010, "The Big Four" thrash metal bands played together. These were Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer. They played in many countries, ending at Yankee Stadium in New York City in 2011. Their show in Sofia, Bulgaria, was recorded and released on Blu-ray and DVD.

On August 3, 2010, Mustaine released his autobiography. It was called Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir. The book covered his life from childhood to the 2009 Megadeth album Endgame. In December 2011, Mustaine played with Metallica at their 30th-anniversary celebration.

Mustaine at the Electric Ballroom, London, 2012

After Megadeth's 14th album, Super Collider (2013), they started working on Dystopia in 2015. Guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover left the band. Chris Adler from Lamb of God joined as drummer. Kiko Loureiro from Angra became the new lead guitarist.

Mustaine announced that writing for the album was almost done. Recording began soon after. Megadeth finished recording in July 2015. Mustaine said fans would be happy because the album was "really aggressive again." The first song from the new album, Fatal Illusion, was released on October 1. The album Dystopia was released on January 22, 2016. It reached number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. This was Megadeth's second-highest charting album since 1992. Critics generally liked the album. They noted its political themes.

Mustaine performing at Curitiba, Brazil in 2016, on the Dystopia world tour

The song "Dystopia" won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in February 2017. Megadeth started touring again. Mustaine also held a "Megadeth Boot Camp" at his home. Fans could learn guitar, bass, and drums. They also had a jam session to "Symphony of Destruction".

In June, Mustaine said work on the next album would start soon. The band played several European shows in August. Megadeth headlined festivals like Wacken Open Air in Germany. They also toured North America with Scorpions. In November, Mustaine started hosting The Dave Mustaine Show on Gimme Radio.

Gigantour: Mustaine's Festival

In the summer of 2005, Dave Mustaine started his own traveling metal festival. He called it Gigantour, named after a cartoon he liked as a child. The festival lasted six weeks. Megadeth and Dream Theater were the main bands. Other metal bands like Fear Factory also played. Mustaine wanted to offer an affordable and diverse metal festival.

The second Gigantour began in September 2006. It featured Megadeth, Lamb of God, Opeth, and Arch Enemy. Smaller bands also played on a second stage. The 2007 Gigantour included Bring Me the Horizon and Static-X. Megadeth played their first show in Bangalore, India, in March 2008.

The 2008 Gigantour featured Megadeth, Children of Bodom, and In Flames. A recording from the Gigantour 2008, Blood in the Water: Live in San Diego, was shown on HDNet. In November 2011, it was announced that Gigantour would return. The lineup included Megadeth, Motörhead, Volbeat, and Lacuna Coil. The tour started in Camden, New Jersey, on January 26, 2012.

Musical Gear and Style

A KV1, same model played by Mustaine before the Y2KV was created

As of 2021, Dave Mustaine uses Gibson guitars. He launched "The Dave Mustaine Collection" with Gibson. It includes acoustic and electric guitars from Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer.

Mustaine used B.C. Rich guitars early in his career, including with Metallica. He then switched to Jackson Guitars in 1987. He helped redesign their King V model. His KV1 model had shorter fins and 24 frets instead of 22.

Mustaine later switched to ESP Guitars. They released his DV8 signature model in 2004. In 2005, ESP released the ESP Axxion to celebrate Megadeth's 20th anniversary.

Mustaine with his Dean VMNT USA Gears of War guitar, during the United Abominations tour, 2007

On December 6, 2006, Mustaine announced he was leaving ESP. He then partnered with Dean Guitars. His new signature guitar, the Dean VMNT, was shown in January 2007. It looks similar to his earlier Jackson and ESP models.

Mustaine used his signature Dean VMNT and Zero models until 2021. He often used the VMNT on stage. In February 2021, he announced he was leaving Dean Guitars and returning to Gibson.

Mustaine also works with Marshall Amplification. They produce his signature 1960DM Dave Mustaine Signature Cabinets. He uses these Marshall cabinets on tour.

He uses Seymour Duncan pickups, including his own Signature Live Wire pickups. He also uses Cleartone strings. The Dean Zero guitar, resembling a Gibson Explorer, debuted in 2010. Mustaine has used it on TV shows and tours. He also used Ovation acoustic guitars for most of his career. He now uses a signature acoustic from Dean called the Mako.

Mustaine has his own signature Zoom pedal, the Zoom G2.1DM.

Music Style and Skills

Mustaine is known for a guitar technique called the "spider chord." This method helps play power chords more smoothly. It also reduces unwanted string noise.

Mustaine has a wide singing voice, from high tenor to lower baritone.

In 2004, Guitar World magazine ranked Mustaine and Marty Friedman together. They were No. 19 on the list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time.

In 2009, Mustaine was named the No. 1 player in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists. In 2012, a Guitar World magazine reader's poll ranked Mustaine as the 12th-greatest guitarist ever.

Personal Life and Interests

Family Life

Mustaine married Pamela Anne Casselberry in 1991. They have two children. Their son, Justis Mustaine, was born in 1992. He plays guitar and has acted in local plays. Their daughter, Electra Mustaine, was born in 1998. She is pursuing a career in country music. As of 2014, the family lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Health Updates

In 2011, Mustaine shared that he has a neck and spine condition called stenosis. He believes it was caused by many years of headbanging.

On June 17, 2019, Mustaine announced he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. On January 31, 2020, during a Megadeth concert, he happily announced that he was cancer-free.

Christian Faith

Mustaine was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. He is now a born again Christian. He became more focused on his faith while attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He has said that becoming a Christian helped him put his life back together.

Mustaine used to practice black magic when he was a teenager. This inspired some songs on Megadeth's second album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?. He has said he no longer wishes to play those songs because of his changed beliefs. However, in 2016, he mentioned that he might consider playing "The Conjuring" again if the lyrics were changed.

Politics and Views

Throughout his career, Mustaine has shared his thoughts on politics. He has criticized politicians and political issues. In 1992, he even covered the Democratic National Convention for MTV.

In a 1988 interview, Mustaine spoke about immigration. He said he would "build a great wall along the Mexican border" if he were President. In 2009, Mustaine was interviewed by radio host Alex Jones. Mustaine stated that his album Endgame was inspired by his Christian beliefs and ideas about a New World Order. In a 2016 interview, Mustaine said he doesn't belong to any specific political party. He describes himself as an Independent.

Martial Arts Training

Mustaine is skilled in martial arts. He holds black belts in taekwondo and Ukidokan karate. In 2007, the World Taekwondo Federation named him a Goodwill Ambassador of the World. Mustaine has also trained in Sanshou and Kickboxing. More recently, he has been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In January 2021, he earned the rank of Purple Belt. Shortly after Megadeth's sixteenth album, he was promoted to brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at age 61.

Television Appearances

Mustaine has appeared on several TV shows:

• In 1992, Mustaine covered the Democratic National Convention for MTV. He also hosted MTV2's Headbangers Ball twice. Once was a tribute to Dimebag Darrell in 2004. The second was in 2005. He also played the song "Gears of War" with Megadeth for a video game release.
• The Drew Carey Show: In a 1998 episode, Mustaine played a guitarist trying out for Drew's band.
• Black Scorpion: He played Torchy Thompson, an arsonist, in an episode called "Love Burns".
• Duck Dodgers: Mustaine and Megadeth appeared in a 2005 episode. Mustaine voiced a frozen version of himself. He was unfrozen because his loud music was needed to stop a Martian weapon. He played "Back in the Day" from The System Has Failed. Mustaine also appeared in the show's finale.
• Never Mind the Buzzcocks: Mustaine was on an episode of this show.
• Mustaine and Megadeth appeared in videos for the NHL team Philadelphia Flyers. This was in response to a comment suggesting Flyers fans could work security for Megadeth. Mustaine invited them to do so in a video.
• Mustaine appeared on Rock & Roll Jeopardy! and won the game.
• Mustaine was a diner on Hell's Kitchen in season 14.
• Mustaine was featured on The O'Reilly Factor in March 2016.

Discography

Metallica

Megadeth

• Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985)
• Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986)
• So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)
• Rust in Peace (1990)
• Countdown to Extinction (1992)
• Youthanasia (1994)
• Cryptic Writings (1997)
• Risk (1999)
• The World Needs a Hero (2001)
• The System Has Failed (2004)
• United Abominations (2007)
• Endgame (2009)
• Thirteen (2011)
• Super Collider (2013)
• Dystopia (2016)
• The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! (2022)

MD.45

• The Craving (1996)

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock (video game)

Mustaine wrote the song "Sudden Death" for the video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock (2010). The game also featured two other Megadeth songs: "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and "This Day We Fight!". Other Megadeth songs were available for download, like "Symphony of Destruction" and "Hangar 18".

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