MARTY FRIEDMAN On His Music Career: 'I've Pretty Much A Hundred Percent Only Done Exactly What I Wanna Do'

In a new interview with John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman spoke about the relationship he has with some of his longtime fans. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "My fans, they put up with a lot of stuff because you never know what they found me from, you never know what they like me from. And I've pretty much a hundred percent only done exactly what I wanna do, so I never really kind of pandered to what I thought the fans would like. I knew that anything that I do is gonna delight some people and maybe some people are gonna say, 'Well, it's not for me.' But I'm fine with that. That's the expense of having the luxury of doing exactly what I want. And I think that's what's kept me happy to play music for all these years, because when you hear an album or when you see us live, that's when you know it's exactly what I wanna do. I'm not trying to get on any trend or try to do market research — 'What are they listening to?' — or any of that. It's just the real thing, and I think my super, super fans can follow the thread between all of those things, 'cause my musicality is the same no matter what I'm doing. So, I am so blessed and honored to have fans that followed me through all that stuff."

Marty continued: "When we do these VIP experience things [at my concerts], [my fans] bring so many wonderful things of my career that I'm just so glad that they followed me through all this stuff. It's like someone coming to your house and looking through your drawers and saying, 'Oh, yeah, I remember that jean jacket. That's cool, dude.' It's very personal — my music is personal — and it's just wonderful that people join the party at all. So, yeah, I'm very happy to have the fans around."

Friedman kicked off his "Live Drama 2025" U.S. tour on January 25 at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Friedman's latest solo album, "Drama", came out last May via Frontiers Music Srl.

Recorded in Italy, "Drama" showcases Marty's unique touch, for the first time using both vintage and modern guitars, delivering a pure delight for lovers of music everywhere. From the captivating first single "Illumination", to the album's breathtaking "Mirage" and 10 other emotionally charged mini-symphonies, Marty paints atmospheric elements with a modern and exotic flair, promising an unforgettable musical experience.

Marty's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His first major impact in music was in the game-changing guitar duo CACOPHONY, which he founded with equally enigmatic and now-legendary guitarist Jason Becker. He then spent 10 years as lead guitarist in the genre-defining thrash metal act MEGADETH before moving to Tokyo due to his love for Japanese music, language, and culture.

Following his move, he landed a starring role for a new TV comedy "Hebimeta-san" ("Mr. Heavy Metal") and its spinoff, "Rock Fujiyama", which ran for six seasons and propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. He has since appeared in over 800 TV shows, movies and commercials, including a two-year campaign with Coca-Cola for Fanta, authored two best-selling novels and was the first-ever foreigner to be appointed as an ambassador of Japan heritage and perform at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Marathon.

At the same time, Marty has continued his career in music with several solo albums in addition to writing and performing with the top artists in Japanese music, racking up countless chart hits, including a No. 1 with SMAP, two No. 2 songs with MOMOIRO CLOVER, a No. 2 with SOUND HORIZON — just to name a few.

Friedman's autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", arrived on December 3, 2024 via Permuted Press.