DAVE MUSTAINE To Begin Mixing New MEGADETH Album In March/April

Dave Mustaine is scheduled to begin mixing the new MEGADETH album "somewhere around the middle of March/beginning of April," the guitarist/vocalist revealed in an online posting. "The time factor is based on [producer/mixer] Jeff Balding [JEWEL, TRISHA YEARWOOD, LONESTAR, SHANIA TWAIN] squeezing this session into his previously booked schedule. This worked out great for me because I always wanted to get some perspective in-between and away from the sessions but never had the opportunity." A late summer release through Sanctuary Records is expected.

In other news, Mustaine recently addressed the reasons for MEGADETH's numerous lineup changes over the years and explained his decision to release a new "MEGADETH" album with a virtually entirely new band.

"I am aware of everyone's curiosity about my decisions as of late, and how things may never be as good as back when such and such was in the band," Mustaine began. "Also, that you read this guy said this, and that guy said that, in this magazine or another. It is time to address these things.

"Fortunately, I don't believe what I read from band members when they are being interviewed, because I too have been caught up in the moment when the tape is rolling, and the little 'shit stirrers' are trying to goad me into going off on someone.

"Every story ever written why people got fired, quit, or pouted about something I did had to do with either 'my keeping all the money' (which isn't true) or 'my not using their music' (which in most cases was true due to the quality).

"I have laughed over the years at the bullshit stories from former members about how they were asked to leave or quit, how the idiots from the labels back then said they were wrestling with me and what not, and I can't help but think, what fucking planet were they all on?

"If you were around when Gar Samuelson and Chris Poland were in the band, you probably felt a little uneasy when they were asked to leave. What was to become of the MEGADETH that you know and love?

"Gar and Chris were great, true, but drugs and an enormous gap in musical differences, let alone dedication to other things, left me wanting. I did have the grace of seeing Gar a few times before his untimely death, and Chris and I are friends now.

"However, when a person does an interview, something strange happens. I dunno you just become a smart-ass. So, whatever was said before this session when Chris was out here doesn't, I repeat, doesn't matter to me.

"Let me assure you, Chris abso-fucking-lutely shredded on the new songs. Whether he is into metal or MEGADETH anymore, or not, who gives a shit? He shredded. End of subject — Poland killed it!

"And the remix of 'Peace Sells' is even better than the 5.1 DVD, since that was not remixed and only put into Surround Sound format.

"Once I had found a replacement for Gar and Chris, MEGADETH went on. In retrospect, people have said this second line-up was not as good as the previous line-up. To which I said, 'Bite me.'

"Chuck Behler and Jeff Young came into my world and I had my hands full. But it still worked and one of my favorite songs came from this period — 'In My Darkest Hour'.

"I had bellyaches for years about the production and all of the reverb on 'So Far, So Good, So What!', but I had a rude awakening during the remixes. We made a great record, which you will see, now that it is properly mixed, and Michael Wagener did what he had to with 'SF, SG, SW!' The production and the playing were horrible, but the songs were not.

"I know that Chuck and Jeff are going to be very excited to hear how great they sound.

"I am!

"Now, when Chuck and Jeff were asked to leave, it had to do with Chuck having different priorities, and Jeff having his eye on something that belonged to me.

"If you were around when Chuck and Jeff were in the band, you probably felt a little uneasy when they were asked to leave. What was to become of the MEGADETH that you know and love?

"I had found replacements for Chuck and Jeff, and MEGADETH went on. Once again, people said this line-up was not as good as the previous line-up. To which I repeated, 'Bite me.'

"Nick Menza and Marty Friedman came into my world and I had my hands full. But it still worked and many of my favorite songs came from this period – 'Sweating', 'Symphony', 'Holy Wars', 'Trust', etc.

"I had been satisfied for years with the production of 'RIP', but I had a rude awakening during the remixes. Sure, David 'Junior' Ellefson was consistently great, and Marty was amazing too, but the best performances of 'RIP' were by Nick.

"And that was why I still hold to my belief that since there is no chance of a 'RIP' line-up reunion that Nick should be in another supergroup. Playing solos for people or just having a job in the music business may be fitting for some of the past members, but Nick is just too much to put into words, and should be on top of the heap again.

"I did not say that Nick is dying, or that we need to force him to sober up, or anything of the sort. Only that he ripped it up on 'RIP'.

"I know that Nick and Marty are going to be very excited to hear how great they sound on 'RIP'. And I did have my doubts that I could make this one sound any better.

"But, I did!

"Remember the reasons that Nick is not in MEGADETH anymore: he said he had cancer, and was partying to extremes where he couldn't perform. Marty agreed that Nick needed to go, and suggested 'Junior' get the boot too, which I understood.

"After I had found a replacement for Nick, MEGADETH went on. Again, people said this line-up was not as good as the previous line-up. To which I said, you guessed it, 'Bite me.'

"Jimmy DeGrasso came into my world and I had my hands full. But it still worked.

"I am really looking forward to making the records with Jimmy sound the way that I wanted them to sound and not the way Bud Prager, Dann Huff, or Capitol Records wanted. I will keep you posted on that.

"Remember the reason that Marty is not in MEGADETH anymore: he wanted to be in a pop band with a female singer in Japan.

"He quit.

"That is what he is currently doing, and I am happy for him.

"I had found a new guitarist, but certainly not a replacement for Marty, and even still, MEGADETH went on. In a déjà vu moment, people said this line-up was not as good as the previous line-up. To which I mumbled, 'Bite me.'

"Al Pitrelli came into my world and I had my hands full. But it still worked and one of my favorite songs came from this period — 'Kill The King'.

"Now, you all know that I injured my arm and took time off to focus on my family, and the result is that I am completely healed, and my family is great.

"Things are so great that I have gone into the studio with Vinnie Colaiuta and Jimmy Sloas to make a new record. Sure it started off as just being a record, but there was so much stuff left over from my early years, I wanted a clean slate for what I do next.

"That is why I decided to make this a MEGADETH record. All of this music was written 100% by me, over the last dozen years, and it just makes sense to finish things up in a noble manner. And we would all be disappointed if this music just went away.

"I think you'll dig it. Hell, some of you have even heard a new riff on the web, or have been down to hang with me in the studio and heard more than just a minute clip. And yeah, a very brief bit of that clip was from Tokyo, but the rest of the song was written here in AZ while I was arranging the rest of the parts.

"So now, for those of you not related to Forest Gump, you may see that there has never been any change that wasn't prompted by a desire to improve things, and an outcome that was better than expected.

"Excluding Chris' guest appearance, there will not be a revisiting anymore of 'old' MEGADETH players, anymore than there will be a 'Dave Mustaine' in METALLICA.

"I tried to negotiate a reunion, but things were better left alone. 'Let sleeping dogs lie,' ya know?! The reasons of the failure are very personal and I do not want to discuss them, in the event that things ever change.

"Droogs, I know what I am doing, I trust in Vinnie and Jimmy as much as I did any of the other players I have recorded with over the last 20 years and the last 20,000,000+ records I have sold worldwide. At the very least, if you are not impressed, at least you will have something to bitch about for another 20 years.

"Love and bruises to you all. To be continued, trust me."