GLEN DROVER Says Music 'Was Definitely Being Abused' While He Was A Member Of MEGADETH

Online teaching site Guitar Zoom recently conducted an interview with Canadian guitarist Glen Drover (MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, EIDOLON). You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Asked what it has been like stepping in and playing parts originally performed by other guitarists during his stints with bands like KING DIAMOND and MEGADETH, Drover said: "I've always felt that you should always try to keep… in terms of playing solos, you should always try to keep it somewhat close, I think, and at least keep the stronger melodies of solos intact, so that people, when they listen to it, they can identify, because they know the songs and they know how the solos should sound and this and that, and I've always tried to do that, not by force, but because I wanted to, starting with KING DIAMOND. But at the same time, you have to inject your own kind of personality in there, because you're you. And with MEGADETH, it was a little bit different, because there was a lot of force of trying to be somebody else to a tee. And I don't think that's right, because I think that — like I said — you should try to keep certain pieces intact, certain melodies and certain key points of solos or whatever it is. But everybody's got their own DNA, and that should be injected. You shouldn't try to play something note for note. Because, for me, you sound like a robot, at the end of the day, if you try to do something note for note. And then you're just kind of a puppet. And I don't believe in that."

He continued: "In MEGADETH, there was a lot of pressure from not only the fans but certain people in the band for that. And I was just very… It's, like, 'This is not really what I envisioned from a musical standpoint.' As an individual guitar player, you have your own thing. For me, it didn't take too long to get to the point where it became boring."

Glen also spoke about the recent departures from MEGADETH of his brother, drummer Shawn Drover, and guitarist Chris Broderick. He said: "Well, I really can't speak too much for those guys a hundred percent, but all I can say is that there's definitely a lot of puppeteering going on, and I'm just not into that kind of thing, man. For me, it's more about the music, and it's about the individuality, it's about expression. Music is about that — it's not a sport, it's not about, you know, you're copying this guy to a tee or this and that. It's definitely an expression. I would never wanna abuse music in any way, and I felt it was definitely being abused."

He continued: "You know, when I played in bands like KING DIAMOND and TESTAMENT, where it was okay to be, like ,'Okay, try to play the solos like they are, but you're not that guy, so you inject your own personality into that.' For me, even outside of that, just watching as a fan, I wanna see what the guy has to offer. I don't wanna see somebody being a complete clone. That's boring. I can listen to the album at home, man. That's the way I see it. But not everybody sees it that way. And that's cool."

Glen Drover left MEGADETH in 2007 and was replaced by Broderick.

Glen's debut solo album, "Metalusion", was released in April 2011 via Magna Carta Records.

On September 25, 2011, Drover took part in a "historic" performance that was webcast worldwide as part of the "Live At Metalworks" series from Mississauga, Canada.