Ex-MEGADETH Guitarist KIKO LOUREIRO: 'Sometimes It's Good To Stop When You're At Your Best'

In a new interview with France's Loud TV, former MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro was asked for his opinion on SEPULTURA's decision to embark on a farewell tour. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "They have 40 years, right? Amazing, successful band. And I see it's not that youth is dying. I think it's more like you know you have another life — let's say, if you're 50 years old, you know you're gonna live until you're a hundred. And then it's, like, what can I do for the next half of my life? I think it's more like this. I think it's more of this feeling, like, I made it, the whole thing in SEPULTURA, it was amazing, but what can I do for my future? So it kind of connects with my decision to leave MEGADETH. I did eight years, nine years of MEGADETH — touring was amazing, great band, great guys, et cetera, et cetera — and then you have some situations in life that it's, like, you start reflecting. Do I wanna be another 10 years touring half of the year, playing those songs? And then start reflecting who you wanna be, who you are, and then what's the next step. And then you realize that you have the freedom to decide, because I can."

Kiko continued: "So that decision, I think, for SEPULTURA might be the same. They can do that. Everything is open for the future. Maybe they come back in 10 years, in two years, in 20 years, but I think open up, saying, 'Okay, it's a stop,' and it opens another path, even mentally you're, like, 'Okay, I don't need to do another album or do another tour. Everybody understood it's a stop, it's a farewell. So now let's see what happens.' A lot of people do the sabbatical year, sabbatical times. So if you can, why not?"

Loureiro added: "But it's hard to stop. We have [the legendary Brazilian soccer/football player] Pele — Pele, Brazilian, the best athlete of the century. So Pele was always an example. He quit soccer when he was in his peak. And he came back and played in the U.S. for a while. But he was at his peak and then he decided to quit, which was weird in a way, but it gives an example that sometimes it's good to stop when you're at your best. So that's the last image. The people don't see you going down or doing mistakes. But it's hard to do that, because if you're at your peak, you might think, like, 'All right, this is gonna be for another five years, another 10 years,' so you always believe that you can keep doing something, but it's never the case. So bands or artists, sometimes it's good to give a break. I think another example would be [American jazz trumpeter, bandleader and composer] Miles Davis. I think he stopped for six years in the '70s. So sometimes that break gives you a different perspective. Miles Davis, when he came back, he came back very different, with a different approach, and he was super successful during the '80s. So, yes, it is a thing to stop."

In November 2023, Kiko announced his decision to "extend" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, explaining that he didn't want to "hinder any of the band's plans or the hard work of all the incredible people involved in the tour."

Kiko revealed in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

One day after Kiko's announcement that he was "extending" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, band leader Dave Mustaine released a statement in which he said that he loves Loureiro and respects and fully supports Kiko's decision.

MEGADETH played its first concert with Kiko's replacement, Teemu Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick's exit from the group.

Kiko's new solo album, "Theory Of Mind", was released earlier in November.