My Megadeth Bio

[1Lionhearted]

Megadeth


Biography

Megadeth was formed 1983 after Dave Mustaine (The bands future vocalist, lead guitarist, and chief songwriter) was kicked out of Metallica for various reasons, including 1)His drinking and drug habits 2)Clashes with other band members (including pouring beer down the neck of McGovney’s bass and driving the bands bus off the road while driving drunk) and 3)Unprofessional behavior such as swearing incoherently at the audience during live gigs (Metallica claims this was the main reason they dumped Dave). According to Dave when he formed Megadeth his only goal was to become more successful than Metallica. He was quoted as saying, “I could only focus on one thing [after being kicked out of Metallica]: I wanted blood... Their's”
The bands original line-up was Dave Mustaine (G/V) Greg Handevidt (G) and David Ellefson (B) but, Greg soon left the band (to form Kublai Khan) and was replaced by Kerry King (of Slayer fame). The band also added Gar Samuelson on drums. However King was only a temporary member and was soon replaced by Chris Poland.
Planning to get signed onto a bigger label later, they were signed onto Combat Records in late 1984 and soon thereafter (may 1985) released the band’s first album, Killing is My Business… And Business is Good!. Even though the band spent over half of their $8,000 production money on drugs forcing them to fire their producer and produce it themselves. However, the album did mildly well. It included songs such as “Skull Beneath the Skin” which introduced the bands mascot Vic Rattlehead who appears on many Megadeth album covers, "Mechanix," a song Dave wrote before he joined Metallica about a rich girl who came to a gas station he worked at whom he fantasized about, and many others. In 1986 the band released their second album Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? This is generally accepted as one of the band’s best albums. Later that year Megadeth followed through with their plans and signed with Capital Records which bought the rights to Peace Sells From Combat.
A while later Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson were fired from the band, Samuelson for reportedly being too hard to handle while intoxicated (Ironic…) and Poland for allegedly selling band equipment for drug money.
Megadeth’s next album, So Far, So Good, So What!, released in 1988, with Chuck Behler replacing Samuelson on drums and Jeff Young replacing Poland, had many fans split. Some liked it and some hated it, and rightfully so. The album contained many good songs such as “In My Darkest Hour” inspired by the death of Metallica’s bassist Cliff Burton, a close friend of Mustaine’s, but it also included many awful songs making the album inconsistent (including a cover of “Anarchy in the UK” By the Sex Pistols with incorrect lyrics, Mustaine claims he could not understand the vocals in the Sex Pistols version). The line-up for this album was short lived, both Chuck and Jeff were fired later that year and replacing them with Nick Menza on drums and Marty Friedman on guitar.
In 1990 Rust in Peace which is considered by many to be the bands best album was released. The album was very technically sophisticated and considered by many to be one the most exciting/best thrash metal albums of all time. Featuring such tracks as “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” and “Hanger 18." The only criticism this album has received is for being overall too consistent.
After the Success of Rust in Peace Megadeth released their 5th album in 1990 Countdown to Extinction. Which included a lot more pop-metal influences than previous albums and an increased emphasis on vocals, similar to what Metallica was doing at the time. With time this trend of pop-metal influence would increase in the band's following albums and Countdown since became Megadeth’s best selling album.
Their next album Youthanasia, had more pop-metal influences than coutdown and led some fans to accuse the band of selling-out.
After that Megadeth released Hidden Treasures a compilation of various songs Megadeth had recorded for soundtracks. It is now out of print.
After their next album, Cryptic writings, which some fans considered an improvement over Youthinasia Nick Menza was kicked out of the band after an arm injury.
Megadeth’s next album Risk(the name allegedy came from Metallica's drummer Lars Ulrich telling Mustaine to "take a risk" with the albun), with Jimmy DeGrasso on drums, had the most pop influences of any of their previous albums and created a large backlash from fans. After this album Friedman left the group because Mustaine has cut one of his solos without telling him, he was replaced by Al Pitrelli. Shortly thereafter Megadeth released a Greatest hits album entitled Capital Punishment: The Megadeth Years. Including two new songs and fullfilling Megadeth's contractual obligation to Capital.
In 2001 Megadeth signed a deal with Sanctuary Records and released another album, this one titled The World Needs a Hero and was better accepted by fans than Risk had been. It was described by band members as being the first major turn of a ship at sea trying to turn around. And was followed by Rude Awakening, a live album.
Sadly, Megadeth was disbanded the next year because Mustaine suffered from radial neuropathy, which damaged his left arm. Gradually though Mustaine went through physical therapy, and although he had to “relearn” much of his guitar skills he managed to remaster previous Megadeth albums and write a new album which was to be his first solo album while still undergoing therapy.
The new album he had written that was supposed to be his first solo album was changed to Megadeth’s final album because of pressure from Sanctuary. Mustaine enlisted the help of Vinnie Colaiuta (D) Chris Poland (G) and Jimmy Sloas (B) to record the album. It was released in 2004 as The System Has Failed and was hailed as the return of he old Megadeth. The band then kicked off on their Blackmail the Universe tour with Glen Dover (G) Shawn Dover (D) and ex-Iced Earth James MacDonough (B).
Mustaine decided to let the band continue, despite having said The System has Failed would be the band’s last album and kicked off the bands biggest tour yet, Gigantour. At the same time the released Back to the Start, a greatest hits album which was better received than Capital Punishment.
In 2006, the band dumped Sanctuary in favour of Roadrunner Records, and MacDonough was fired for “personal differences” and replaced James Lomenzo.

If I have heard right Megadeth is currently working on a new album.


Discography

Albums:
Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! (June, 1985)
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?(November, 1986)
So Far, So Good... So What!(January, 1988)
Rust In Peace(September, 1990)
Countdown To Extiction(July, 1992)
Youthinasia(October, 1994)
Hidden Treasures(July, 1995)
Cryptic Writings(June, 1997)
Cryptic Sounds - No Voices In Your Head(EP)(November, 1998)
Risk(August, 1999)
Capital Punishment: The Megadeth Years(Greatest Hits)(October, 2000)
The World Needs A Hero(May, 2001)
Rude Awakening(Live)(March, 2002)
Still Alive... And Well?(Live/Previously Release Material)(September, 2002)
The System Has Failed(September, 2004)
Back To The Start(Greatest Hits)(June, 2005)

Singles
Peace Sells(1986)(off Peace sells... But Who's Buying?)
Wake Up Dead(1986)(off Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?)
In My Darkest Hour(1988)(off So Far, So Good... So What!)
Anarchy In The UK(1988)(off So Far, So Good... So What!)
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due(1990)(off Rust In Peace)
Hangar 18(1991)(off Rust In Peace)
Foreclosure Of A Dream(1992)(off Coutdown To Extinction)
High Speed Dirt(1992)(off Coutdown To Extiction)
Symphony Of Destruction(1992)(off Countdown To Extinction)
Skin O' My Teeth(1993)(off Countdown To Extinction)
Sweating Bullets(1993)(off Countdown To Extinction)
Train Of Consequences(1994)(off Youthanasia)
A Tout Le Monde(1995)(off Youthanasia)
Reckoning Day(1995)(off Youthanasia)
Almost Honest(1997)(off Cryptic Writings)
Trust(1997)(off Cryptic Writings)
Use The Man(1998)(off Cryptic Writings)
A Secret Place(1998)(off Cryptic Writings)
Crush 'Em(1999)(off Risk)
Breadline(2000)(off Risk)
Insomnia(2000)(off Risk)
Kill The King(2000)(off Capital Punishment: The Megadeth Years)
Moto Psycho(2001)(off The World Needs A hero)
Dread And The Fugitive Mind(2001)(off The World Needs A Hero)
Die Dead Enough(2004)(off The System Has Failed)
Of Mice & Men(2005)(off The System Has Failed)
The Scorpion(2005)(off The System Has Failed)

**Please note that most tracks off Hidden Treasures were released as singles with movie soundtrack and are not included in this discography**

-1Lionhearted


Band Members

Current members

Dave Mustaine - Lead vocals, first guitar (1983 -)
Glen Drover - Second guitar (2004-)
James Lomenzo - Bass guitar (2006-)
Shawn Drover - Drums (2004-)

Former members

Guitarists
Greg Handevidt - Second guitar (1983-1984)
Kerry King - Second guitar (1984)
Chris Poland - Second guitar (1984-1987)
Mike Albert - Second guitar (fill-in) (1985)
Jay Reynolds - Second guitar (1987)
Jeff Young - Second guitar (1987-1989)
Marty Friedman - Second guitar (1990-1999)
Al Pitrelli - Second guitar (2000-2002)

Bassists
David Ellefson - Bass guitar (1983-2002)
James MacDonough - Bass guitar (2004-2006)

Drummers
Dijon Carruthers - Drums (1983-1984)
Lee Rausch - Drums (1984)
Gar Samuelson - Drums (1984-1987)
Dave Lombardo - Drums (1987)
Chuck Behler - Drums (1987-1988)
Nick Menza - Drums (1989-1998. 2004)
Jimmy DeGrasso - Drums (1998-2002)

Session musicians

Chris Poland - Second guitar (The System Has Failed, 2004)
Jimmy Sloas - Bass guitar (The System Has Failed, 2004)
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums (The System Has Failed, 2004)

**note that this includes band members who were tempoary fill-ins and did not record**