Megadeth mastermind Dave Mustaine is nothing if not outspoken, and that’s particularly true regarding his thoughts on music. Just look at his recent interview with Lifeminute TV, during which he candidly explained what he really thinks of one of metal’s most maligned subgenres: nu-metal.
Mustaine’s Thoughts on Nu-Metal
In the interview – posted to YouTube on March 20 and viewable below – Mustaine, his wife (Pamela) and their daughter (Electra) chatted with Lifeminute TV to discuss their family wine business: House of Mustaine. Naturally, Mustaine was also asked about music, and before long, he dove bluntly into his thoughts regarding nu-metal.
“There was a period in 2000 where we had these bands called – I think it was ‘nu-metal,’ and they didn’t do any solos,” he began, continuing:
Well, why didn’t they do any solos? They couldn’t do solos, and thank God that genre went away. People started to learn how to do solos. I would say, you know, if you’re in a “nu-metal” band, you probably would be challenged even playing [Chuck Berry’s] “Johnny B. Goode.” So, I’m glad that [nu-metal] went away.
READ MORE: The ‘Unique’ Dave Mustaine Guitar Technique Marty Friedman ‘Never Got Good At’
Mustaine’s Broader Thoughts on Music
Next, Mustaine was asked if there are any modern bands he enjoys, to which he replied: “Well, I like some of the older music because new stuff – I mean, all the good chords are taken.”
He elaborated:
If you think back [to]when I started 40 years ago, the music playing field didn’t have millions of kids sitting at home doing guitar riffs into their computer and then posting it online. There’s good and bad with everything, and when people do things for their own art, that’s great. But, when you start seeing these manufactured records that bandmembers didn’t play on, that’s fraud. So, I like bands that really play what they do.
One of my favorite guitar players is one of the simplest guys in the world – it’s the guy from Pink Floyd, David Gilmour. He could do more with one note than some of the guys playing nowadays can do with 12, and it’s just a matter of feeling, you know, feeling. The guitar, you’re touching it, so it’s an extension of your spirit, your soul, and how you make it sound. If it’s like [makes sarcastic crunching noises], that kind of stuff, well, you probably haven’t bonded with the instrument yet.
Playing a violin – violin has gotta be one of the most dreadful sounds ever when you’re learning it, because the sound of it and rosining the bow and all that stuff [is] almost as bad as having someone practice on a wind instrument, like a sax or a clarinet.
Mustaine was also asked, “What does music do for people?”
He responded:
It depends. If you believe all the colloquies about music, you know, there’s all kinds of sayings and stuff. The one that comes to mind first with your question is, “Music soothes the savage beast.” I don’t know who coined that phrase, but it’s pretty accurate, depending on the type of music. Now, if you play modern metal with the guys that can’t sing and they do the screaming bit, that’s really understandable to me ’cause they can’t sing and they’re making the best of what they can do.
Mustaine’s Prior Comments on Nu-Metal
Going back to nu-metal, this is far from the first time Mustaine has shared his thoughts on the divisive subgenre. Back in 2022, for example, Loudwire reported on him telling 89.5FM WSOU that Megadeth actually “laughed about” the nu-metal groups that joined them on tour in the late 1990s (due to the changing landscape of the metal scene):
And so, there were several situations where we would make decisions [that] were presented to us in a way kind of, like, “You got to do this,” or “That’s just how it is.” I can’t tell you how much we would laugh about the bands that we were forced to take out on tour with us, especially during the nu-metal period that we went through years ago. You know, all these bands that wouldn’t play solos and stuff.”
Specifically, Megadeth toured with bands such as Coal Chamber, Korn and Static-X, and it’s interesting to see that Mustaine’s remained consistent regarding his thoughts on nu-metal’s lack of guitar solos. As Blabbermouth notes, Mustaine has given similar takes on nu-metal several times before (to various publications), too.
So, what do you think of the Megadeth maestro’s most recent assessment of nu-metal (as well as his other thoughts on music)? Are you a fan of nu-metal, and if so, who are some of your favorite bands?
Let us know!
Also, and as mentioned above, you can watch Mustaine’s full interview with Lifeminute TV below.
Dave Mustaine Discusses Nu-Metal + More With Lifeminute TV
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