The title Warheads On Foreheads (a borrowed military term for bombing missions) seems fitting, considering Mustaine has seen more action than most.

“My heroin days, my cocaine days, my alcoholism, losing band members and losing family members. “It shows what I went through in my life,” Mustaine says. “If you’re listening to Megadeth for the first time, I would have you listen to the new 35th anniversary record, Warheads On Foreheads, because, chronologically, it will show you how the band matured.”Īlong with the band’s evolution, the anthology is evidence of Mustaine’s past struggles and the art that came out of it. With 15 studio albums spanning over three decades, diving into the Megadeth cannon can be daunting for a newcomer, but Dave Mustaine offers some words of wisdom:

“Having our own standards and not trying to fit in, that’s what made us have that longevity,” Mustaine says. “But that is what ultimately killed metal… the mainstream exposure.”Īnyone who has seen The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years knows how that story goes, and yet the genre has adapted and thrived over the decades – and Megadeth along with it. “I don’t know if ‘real credible metal’ ever had mainstream dominance,” he explains. Having gone from the fringes of the industry to selling out stadiums, Mustaine knows that success can be a double-edged sword. When asked what sets Megadeth apart from their peers, he believes transparency and a real connection to the fans is what makes them unique.

As a radio host and DJ he has found the perfect gig to do both. Never one to mince words, Mustaine is known for being unflinchingly honest about his past and can equally rhapsodise about riffs as he can about philosophy.

“I was homeless, panhandled and have gone without meals. “The way we connect with our fans is that there’s no socioeconomic difference between us,” the frontman explains. Mustaine has been playing in bands since his early 20s, first with Panic, then famously with Metallica, before starting Megadeth, and has experienced boom and bust in equal measure. Click to load video “I would never put myself above our fans”

Mustaine by Dave Mustaine