Megadeth
Megadeth can be booked through this site. Megadeth entertainment booking site. Megadeth
is available for public concerts and events. Megadeth can be booked for
private events and Megadeth can be booked for corporate events and
meetings through this Megadeth booking page.
Unlike most middle agents that would mark
up the performance or appearance fee for Megadeth, we act as YOUR agent in
securing Megadeth at the best possible price. We go over the rider for
Megadeth and work directly with Megadeth or the responsible agent for
Megadeth to secure the talent for your event. We become YOUR agent,
representing YOU, the buyer.
In fact, in most cases we can negotiate for
the acquisition of Megadeth for international dates and newer promoters
providing you meet professional requirements.
Megadeth Biography
After he left Metallica in 1983, guitarist/vocalist Dave
Mustaine formed the thrash metal quartet Megadeth. Though Megadeth
followed the basic blueprint of Metallica's relentless attack,
Mustaine's group distinguished themselves from his earlier band by
lessening the progressive rock influences, adding an emphasis on
instrumental skills, speeding the tempo up slightly, and making the
instrumental attack harsher. By streamlining the classic thrash metal
approach and making the music more threatening, as well as making the
lyrics more nihilistic, Megadeth became one of the leading bands of the
genre during the mid-'80s and late '80s. Each album they released went
at least gold, and they continually sold out arenas across America, in
addition to developing a strong following overseas. By the early '90s,
they had toned their music down slightly, yet that simply increased
their following; all of their proper '90s albums debuted in the Top Ten.
Throughout Megadeth's many lineup changes, the two core members were
bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine (born
September 13, 1961), who was the band's official leader. Mustaine grew
up in the suburbs of Southern California, where he was raised by his
mother in a broken home; frequently, his mother left him to be raised
by aunts and uncles, who never encouraged his musical inclinations and
often belittled him for his fondness for heavy metal. In 1981, he
formed Metallica with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Mustaine spent
two years with Metallica, developing a strong cult following in
California's underground metal scene, before he was kicked out of the
group in 1983, allegedly over his substance abuse. Immediately
following his firing, he formed Megadeth with Ellefson, Slayer
guitarist Kerry King, and drummer Lee Rauch. This lineup was extremely
short-lived, and Mustaine and Ellefson soon recruited guitarist Chris
Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson.
For the next few years, Megadeth toured and gained a following, signing
with the independent label Combat in late 1984. The following year, the
group released their debut, Killing Is My Business...And Business Is
Good!, which received strong reviews, not only in metal-oriented
publications, but also in mainstream music magazines. The album sold
very well for an independent release, which attracted the attention of
major record labels. By the end of the year, the group had signed with
Capitol. Megadeth's first major-label album, Peace Sells...But Who's
Buying?, was released in the fall of 1986. Like its predecessor, Peace
Sells was greeted by strong reviews and sales; it eventually went
platinum.
Although the band's fortunes were on the upswing, Mustaine was
beginning to sink deeper into drug abuse, specifically heroin. Soon,
his addictions began to affect his work. Many stories concerning his
erratic behavior were circulating within the metal community, and they
seemed to be proven correct when he fired both Poland and Samuelson
before the recording of the band's third album; they were replaced by
Jeff Young and Chuck Behler, respectively. The new lineup debuted on So
Far, So Good...So What!, released early in 1988. So Far, So Good peaked
at number 28 on the charts and also eventually went platinum (despite
less enthusiastic reviews); it also featured a notorious cover of the
Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK with incorrect lyrics.
In the years immediately following the release of So Far, So Good...So
What!, Mustaine was impaired by his drug addictions. In early 1990, he
was arrested for driving under the influence and entered a
rehabilitation program. By the end of the year, he was not only sober,
but he had reconvened the band, firing Young and Behler and replacing
them with guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. This lineup
recorded Megadeth's fourth and most progressive album, Rust in Peace.
The record peaked at number 23 on the American charts and went
platinum. 1991 saw Metallica break through to the mainstream, and
sensing the possibility for similar success, Mustaine followed suit in
stripping down the band's sound, though it remained as technically
perfectionistic as Rust in Peace. The result, Countdown to Extinction,
was released in 1992, entering the charts at number two; the record
went double platinum and became the band's biggest hit, confirming that
they had retained their audience in the wake of grunge.
Now one of the most popular metal bands in the world, Megadeth moved
further toward the mainstream with Youthanasia in 1994, which entered
the charts at number four and, like its predecessor, went platinum. The
following year, the group released Hidden Treasures, a rarities
collection that featured some of the soundtrack tunes that had helped
expand the group's MTV audience in the early '90s. 1997's Cryptic
Writings found Megadeth fully embraced by album rock radio, which
formerly would never have touched the band. Ex-Suicidal Tendencies
drummer Jimmy DeGrasso signed on in 1998, in time for the following
year's Risk. In 2000, following the release of the best-of Capitol
Punishment, Marty Friedman followed Nick Menza out the door; he was
replaced by former Savatage and Alice Cooper guitarist Al Pitrelli.
After signing with the BMG subsidiary Sanctuary, Megadeth debuted its
new lineup on 2001's The World Needs a Hero.
While on break from touring, Mustaine suffered a serious injury in
January 2002 while staying in Texas. He was diagnosed with having
radial neuropathy shortly thereafter, a condition that prevented him
from playing guitar. The compressed radial nerves in his left arm and
hand were strained, leaving Megadeth little recourse but to disband in
April 2002, after almost 20 years in the music industry. During his
time off, Mustaine prepared an elaborate reissue campaign, remastering
each album and reissuing them all with bonus material. This campaign
set the stage for a Megadeth revival, which came in 2004-2005 with a
surprising comeback album, The System Has Failed, and some heavy
touring. Capitol released a new best-of, simply titled Greatest Hits,
just as Megadeth hit the summer concert circuit, headlining Mustaine's
own Gigantour festival. In 2007 Megadeth released the politically
charged United Abominations. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Written by Stephen Thomas Erlewine