💔 Dave Mustaine, the iconic frontman of thrash legends Megadeth, has offered fans a candid glimpse into the band’s impending retirement plans, confirming that the curtain will close after the cycle surrounding their final studio album.
In August, Mustaine delivered the news that would break the hearts of metalheads worldwide: Megadeth will retire following the release and tour for their seventeenth, self-titled record, which is set to land in January.
> “Don’t be mad, don’t be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that’s truly wonderful and will probably never happen again,” he stated at the time.
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Bouncing Back from the Brink
Now, Mustaine has opened up about the personal reasons driving this decision, telling Kerrang! that while he has consistently battled and overcome massive health challenges, even his incredible resilience must eventually give way.
Mustaine referenced a formidable list of medical setbacks he’s faced, any one of which would have caused most musicians to walk away.
> “I think when things happen like the throat cancer, or my neck being fused, or the saturnine palsy in my arm, most people would stop,” he explained. “Most people would be terrified, and I did step back and regroup. But this is what I love doing, and I know that at some point the time is going to come for our last show.”
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Three to Five Years of Thrash
Fortunately for the dedicated ‘Droogs,’ the final note is still years away. While the intent to wind down is clear, Mustaine assured fans that they have ample time to celebrate the band’s legacy on the road.
He estimates that the accompanying world tour for the final album cycle could last the better part of half a decade.
> “We’re easily talking about touring for another three to five years,” Mustaine teased, adding a moment of reflection on his age. “And if we’re going to be doing it for that long then, shit, I’ll be looking at the birthday I don’t even want to think about [70, which Mustaine will turn in 2031].”
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So, while the final chapter is written and the countdown has begun, Megadeth fans can look forward to years of celebration before Mustaine finally hangs up his plectrum for good.