DAVE MUSTAINE: BLABBERMOUTH.NET Detractors 'May Be Mean, But They're Not Stupid'

Jeff Kerby of KNAC.COM recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. An excerpt from the chat follows:

KNAC.COM: There is one statement I'd like clarification on, and that concerns a comment you made in the [METALLICA documentary] film "Some Kind of Monster" where you said that sometimes you viewed your accomplishments as not being as great as another person might.

Mustaine: It's because it was edited, and you didn't get the entire context.

KNAC.COM: That is important to know because the way the final cut of the movie plays, it makes it seem like you aren't happy with your career simply because you don't think it compares with that of METALLICA.

Mustaine: Of course, and if you know me or know my career well enough by now as an entertainer I have full grasp of the King's English. The way the sentences were put togethereven when I was drunk, I still made sense (laughs)

KNAC.COM: That is important for you clarify, though. I mean, because the movie made it sound completely like you viewed your career as inferior based on their massive popularity and record sales.

Mustaine: You've got to think about it whose movie was it? Theirs. Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] and I were friends at one time, but we aren't friends anymore. I think it's safe to say that we are acquaintances, but the movie was a very negative, ugly look into the private side of some people who were heroes to a lot of people. That's always why they say, "Don't meet your heroes, you might be disappointed." When that part was filmed, it was September 13th [2001] two days after our country had just been attacked. September 13th of that year, I turned 40. Do you think that for my 40th birthday a day when I was supposed to fly from Canada to my house to have dinner with my family, make love to my wife get a new Mercedes for my birthday that I wanted to spend it with Lars? What kind of a cruel joke is that? When we were doing the filming for it, Lars had said, "If you don't like it, then you don't have to approve it." I said, "That's great." When I got the reel, though, I said, "I don't approve it." He went ahead and printed it. I said, "I told you I didn't want to approve it." Lars decided he was going to use Blabbermouth as a forum to call me out [presumably referring to this January 2006 article in which Ulrich called Mustaine's METALLICA bashing "sad and pathetic" Ed.], and it didn't work. Sure, at Blabbermouth there are a number of people who don't like me, but there are also an equal number who don't like him. Given a choice, when they have to choose between two people they don't like, people that are fans of the metal community and people who are fans of Blabbermouth may be mean, but they're not stupid. I think the majority of the people who looked at that situation decided that I looked pretty good even though some of the diatribes may have looked a little nutty. It just shows you the way things were happening. Not that many people would have been able to have hung in there through the psychological abuse that was taking place. Sure you know I like James [Hetfield, METALLICA guitarist/vocalist]. I like James more than I do Lars, but I think the whole world does. You know, but to wrap up the question about what I did and what they did no matter what I do, I could be having the time of my life, and really enjoying myself, and questions will just pop up. Just weird shit happens sometimes. It's like if you happen to see an old girlfriend when you're out having fun, and it's like that feeling when the chain comes off the bicycle. You can sometimes just feel like you're spinning your wheels a little bit. The actual comment was towards Lars and how difficult it was for me they were talking shit about me when they had never given me a chance to go and get some help about my drinking. If it was such a problem we were all alcoholics that was the context. Out of context though, it looks like I'm ungrateful and nothing I ever do is good enough. You know, I am successful. I have two children that I love, and I've traveled the world, and I don't have any complaints.

Read the entire interview at KNAC.COM.