MEGADETH Drummer Says 'Internet Piracy' Is To Blame For Lower 'Super Collider' Record Sales

EvilG of Metal-Rules.com recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metal-Rules.com: Tell us a bit about the writing process for ["Super Collider"] and what involvement you had.

Shawn Drover: We recorded "Super Collider" at our recording studio (Vic's Garage) in California over the course of about three months or so. About 4-5 songs were pretty close to being written musically, while the others were created from musical ideas, etc. The tune "Built For War" was a song that I wrote most of the music for along with Chris [Broderick, guitar] and Dave [Mustaine, vocals/guitar]. All in all I have good memories creating this record.

Metal-Rules.com: "Super Collider" debuted at #6 on the Billboard Top 200 albums in the USA and #4 on Canadian Billboard charts. That's the highest ranking since "Youthansia" back in 1994, so congrats! According to sales figures, "Super Collider" sold below "TH1RT3EN" for week one… Do you attribute that to changing times, illegal downloading, etc?

Shawn Drover: Of course it is. We are certainly thrilled to have a #6 record on Billboard in America and #4 in Canada, but sales are way down for the entire music industry right across the board, which is a real drag. Internet piracy, torrent sites and all that are the reason why. Concert attendance for us is still great around the world, so we are definitely happy about that.

Metal-Rules.com: As this is the first MEGADETH album since leaving Roadrunner Records, what has been the biggest difference you've noticed so far regarding promotion, etc.?

Shawn Drover: I have seen a ton of promotion for "Super Collider" in Europe while on tour, which was really cool to see. Just walking around town and seeing an HMV store with huge displays for "Super Collider" was great.

Metal-Rules.com: I believe you are now the longest-serving MEGADETH drummer. So congrats for lasting so long. To what would you attribute your continued success with the band?

Shawn Drover: I think just respecting the legacy of this band and keeping myself grounded is a big part of it. Knowing how to conduct yourself as a person and as somebody representing this band is also a key factor in longevity, I think. We are all friends in this band, so we respect each other and laugh a lot, which is something I highly recommend to anybody. Life is too short to not have fun and enjoy what you are a part of, believe me.

Metal-Rules.com: Does Dave Mustaine talk about his politics and his other beliefs with the band, or does he keep that mostly to himself, or to interviews where he's asked about such things?

Shawn Drover: Nah, we really don't talk about politics that much, though, like most people, we have opinions about this and that. For me, I would rather just let the music do the talking and keep whatever my beliefs are to myself. I always admired LED ZEPPELIN's mystique they had back in the day and wished more bands would go back to that. I'm not sure if that is realistic in this day and age, though, when anything you say can be spread worldwide within minutes on the Internet, for better or for worse.

Read the entire interview from Metal-Rules.com.