Hammer’s US scribe, Chaos, spoke to Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine who, when asked about his faith, said “I’ve been a Christian for a long time, I said it on ‘Peace Sells But Who’s Buying…?” He also told us a joke: “What’s the difference between a pig and a roadie?”

I bring up the topic of Christianity. He kind of grumbles Mmm Hmm, as if to say ‘fuck, here we go again’. I ask Dave what brought him to the Christian faith.
“It was a lot of things… that’s a very multifaceted question. Yeah I’m a Christian but I don’t push it on anybody. There are enough hyper-Christians in the world that push their ideas on people. And what they’re pushing… it ain’t what Jesus taught. I have no idea how many people think that Jesus was that dude in the dress, but he was a bad-ass, he really was. I keep [my faith] to myself. I’ve been a Christian for a long time, I said it on ‘Peace Sells But Who’s Buying…?’ the lyrics: ‘Whaddaya mean I don’t believe in God, I talk to him everyday!’ I mean come on! Hello! Second record? Surprise! I was mocked and ridiculed big-time when I first got saved, but you know what? I’m still the same guy, and I think people eventually realized that I wasn’t going to be one of these holy-roller type guys, I also think they realized… they didn’t lose ‘Dave’. I’m still here, and I’m a better musician because of it. I want to be a better friend, a better front-man, a better singer; I want to be a better producer… I want to be a better client. I completely attribute all of that to having a changed life. It’s like somebody went in with one of those cling-free sheets and rubbed it all over my brain, you know what I mean? It was like ahhh, a sigh of relief… all the static is gone…oh my gosh!”

“When my arm got destroyed I really had a renewal of what was important in my life at the time. I was so caught up in chasing that elusive number one. In every category in my life, whatever I had was good enough for most men, but not for me. I wanted to be THE best…I was driven. I’m nominated for my eighth Grammy, will I win? I have no idea, but if I was ever ready for it, it’s now. In the beginning I don’t think I was mature enough to really handle it. Even if I don’t get it, it’s the thought that goes along with it, the sentiment of our peers and contemporaries in the industry. But it’s kind of laughable when you see Jethro Tull win in the metal category. It sucks that the broadcast of the metal portion of the Grammy’s are relegated to only airing every other year.”

Dave is in the process of doing something extraordinary for under privileged kids. He wants to develop a music program for them where they can attend his program and learn to play an instrument free of charge. He also wants to personally teach as many kids as he can to play. One of the coolest things I have ever heard anyone say is, when Dave said “I have been blessed to be overpaid throughout my career, and I think it’s time for me to give something back”. He goes on to say “In a weird way, it’s not metal to wear your heart on your sleeve. I’ve been doing it for so long, I can’t not do it. For me not to be who I am, I think people would cry foul quicker than if I’m just being me. I equate it to this: If I always tell you the truth, I never have to explain anything, you know what I mean? There’s no smoke and mirrors. I don’t mince my words. After my mouth has stopped and my brain’s caught up to it, it becomes apparent that they had a separate path to the same point. I find more often than not my mouth takes the back road to where I want to go.”
And yes, in case you were wondering if you’d read this right, yes Dave Mustaine is being a little self-deprecating.
“That’s why I got myself in as much trouble as I did over the years: I said what I wanted to. The current tour for example, people asked me what the hell are you doing bringing these bands out with you? It’s basically to give something back to our younger fans. Am I a big fan of any of these bands? I know em’ but it’s not like back in the day when we would go out with bands that were all friends and hang and party and stuff like that, but I’m 48, these guys are still kids. Anybody who thinks I’m not cool anymore because I don’t go out and drink all night long, reminds me of the joke about the pig and the roadie: What’s the difference between a pig and a roadie? A pig won’t stay up all night to fuck a roadie.”

“I’m excited with what’s going on in my band. I’ve got my book coming out too. We’ve got this tour coming up with Slayer. I’ve got almost my entire next record ready to start recording so I can start packing my bags. Andy [Sneap] and I are going to be working together again on this one and we’ve forged an excellent relationship.”
I interject my humble but unsolicited opinion that Andy is a fantastic producer – everything he touches sounding incredible. Dave jumps in…
“Yeah, well not EVERYTHING he touches… well, it sounds good but that doesn’t make the songs any good. I’ve heard some of the stuff he produced and the songwriting is like… I feel like saying… ‘Andy, dude, you have to kinda turn some of these baby guys down’. I know his heart is too big to say no but at some point he just has to say I can’t for a couple of reasons. One because I think Andy is a genius and he needs to play hard to get a little bit, but that’s just because he’s my friend and I care a lot about him. And two because I also think it’s going to give some other producers an opportunity if he’s not doing it all, and he’ll get a chance to see people he has influenced because man he made one hell of an impression on me! I love him. The funny thing was that, Mike Gitter [former Road Runner employee], said that Andy told him that he started playing guitar because of me. I was like, REALLY? When I asked Andy, he was like…” And in a perfect English accent Dave says, “’Well… you’re one of the reasons… come on!’.”
Dave retorts: “’I don’t care if I’m the only or one of hundreds of reasons why you play guitar’. He’s a great guitar player and a great guy. He made recording more fun. I was still going through a lot of stuff too, you know with my personal life, all the touring caused my children to grow up without me around and that was very hard for me. You’re out working all the time and you have a family at home you want to stay loyal to, but you’re thinking all I do is go to work and send home a pay check. I don’t get to see my family, I don’t get to spend time with them. I know they’re there but I don’t get to realize them. I see people at the meet and greets and they’re so happy. For a moment I get really happy too. When they leave it gets even worse and the loneliness sinks in even deeper.”
Dave then pretends to start sobbing, self-deprecating to the last
“You’re a dad too, check this out. Sometimes at shows I will see a dad with a younger kid, and he’s like, next generation Dave! I’m like cool, thanks man!”