Mustaine: A Life in Metal
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'Tales of the heavy metal high life' Record Collector
Product Description
Founding member of Megadeth and former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine tells a never-before-heard story of the lifetime he has spent in rock ‘n’ roll. But this extraordinary tale, riddled with his own personal ups and downs, is also the inside account of two of the most influential heavy metal bands in the world.
Here, for the first time ever, Dave Mustaine tells the tale of two of the biggest metal bands in history; a story yet to be told from the inside. Metallica, the pioneers of the thrash metal genre, rocketed to international fame in the 1980s, selling over 90 million records worldwide, making it the most successful band of its kind – ever. Megadeth, the second most successful thrash metal band ever, have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, including six consecutive platinum albums.
Despite their enormous success together, Dave and Metallica have bad blood by the bucket-load. In April of 1983, due in part to alcoholism and in part to personality clashes with founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, Dave was unceremoniously fired from the band, dumped at a Greyhound bus station in Rochester, NY with a single ticket back to LA. How did such an abrupt end come about? How did he pick himself back up, recover his dignity, and go on to send another band into the dizzying heights of rock stardom? The time has come to set the record straight.
From the early, crazy days of Metallica to his split with the band, and to his glorious reign with Megadeth, Dave has seen and experienced life’s extremities. This startlingly candid, refreshingly in-your-face memoir tells it all.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Such a well-written book, I read it in two sittings without even realising how quickly the pages were turning.
Dave Mustaine presents his take on his life and the events of a turbulent music career. The early days with Metallica are covered, but this time from Mustaine's mouth.
He's been driven for nearly two decades by wanting to beat Metallica, and it shows here. He's clear in his view that Metallica are legends, but part of getting there was earning a cult following on the tape-trading scene, which was a result of Dave's compositions (four of the seven demo songs) and blistering solos. This monkey on his back comes back again and again, even in the comparatively recent past where he felt he couldn't attend Metallica's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, unless he was on the stage with them. This seems to have impacted him on every step of his journey. (He saw flashbacks to the past when Enter Sandman became a hit with the same "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep ..." children's prayer that he had included in Go To Hell at the same time; every time he tried to step ahead, Metallica was always there.)
There are all sorts of trivia points: He's careful to let us know where the name of the band comes from, what inspired certain lyrics, and why MTV considered A Tout Le Monde to be about suicide. (Dave thought the next song in a live performance was Skin O' My Teeth, introduced it as being about trying to kill himself, then realised his mistake and carried on the live performance anyway.)
There are hirings and firings covered in detail, and it's interesting to see that he was big on giving people several chances, as he wished he'd had in Metallica, rather than being the tyrant that outsiders considered him to be. There's an interesting titbit involving a deviation from sobriety and return to rehab when Marty Friedman arrived, because he realised how much the pint-sized shredder was than him, and developed severe anxiety.
It's a top book, covering all the stuff that was only hearsay and partisan when I was growing up. I like it (and Dave, as it turns out) an awful lot. Highly recommended.
Dave Mustaine presents his take on his life and the events of a turbulent music career. The early days with Metallica are covered, but this time from Mustaine's mouth.
He's been driven for nearly two decades by wanting to beat Metallica, and it shows here. He's clear in his view that Metallica are legends, but part of getting there was earning a cult following on the tape-trading scene, which was a result of Dave's compositions (four of the seven demo songs) and blistering solos. This monkey on his back comes back again and again, even in the comparatively recent past where he felt he couldn't attend Metallica's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, unless he was on the stage with them. This seems to have impacted him on every step of his journey. (He saw flashbacks to the past when Enter Sandman became a hit with the same "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep ..." children's prayer that he had included in Go To Hell at the same time; every time he tried to step ahead, Metallica was always there.)
There are all sorts of trivia points: He's careful to let us know where the name of the band comes from, what inspired certain lyrics, and why MTV considered A Tout Le Monde to be about suicide. (Dave thought the next song in a live performance was Skin O' My Teeth, introduced it as being about trying to kill himself, then realised his mistake and carried on the live performance anyway.)
There are hirings and firings covered in detail, and it's interesting to see that he was big on giving people several chances, as he wished he'd had in Metallica, rather than being the tyrant that outsiders considered him to be. There's an interesting titbit involving a deviation from sobriety and return to rehab when Marty Friedman arrived, because he realised how much the pint-sized shredder was than him, and developed severe anxiety.
It's a top book, covering all the stuff that was only hearsay and partisan when I was growing up. I like it (and Dave, as it turns out) an awful lot. Highly recommended.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you grew up in the late 80s or early 90s listening to thrash metal, then this will be a nostalgic reminder about everything that was so brilliantly absurd about that scene. As someone who listened to 'Rust In Peace' pretty much constantly, and bought 'Countdown to Extinction' the day it came out, Mustaine was a bit of a hero to me, both in terms of talent and persona.
His unapologetic arrogance still comes through, but there's also wit and intelligence, even if some of the polish is supplied by the co-writer.
Inevitably, the early days are the most entertaining sections, charting the rise of Metallica, then The Firing, and finally the gradual rise of Megadeth as a true competitor to the throne of Metal. The whole adventure is fuelled by drug abuse and conflict, and it's amazing that Mustaine actually managed to produce some classic albums through this period.
I began to lose interest towards the end, where everything seems to have gone wrong: having relapsed and lost the ability to play guitar, Dave is on the verge of losing his wife and kids. 'Finding God' is such a cliché for disgraced celebrities, but it's obvious that Christianity now plays an important part in Mustaine's life. He does try to take an 'each to his own' attitude and 'not shove it down people's throats', but it just seems completely at odds with the rest of the story, and my respect for him began to ebb away.
Last chapter aside however, this is an entertaining and candid autobiography.
His unapologetic arrogance still comes through, but there's also wit and intelligence, even if some of the polish is supplied by the co-writer.
Inevitably, the early days are the most entertaining sections, charting the rise of Metallica, then The Firing, and finally the gradual rise of Megadeth as a true competitor to the throne of Metal. The whole adventure is fuelled by drug abuse and conflict, and it's amazing that Mustaine actually managed to produce some classic albums through this period.
I began to lose interest towards the end, where everything seems to have gone wrong: having relapsed and lost the ability to play guitar, Dave is on the verge of losing his wife and kids. 'Finding God' is such a cliché for disgraced celebrities, but it's obvious that Christianity now plays an important part in Mustaine's life. He does try to take an 'each to his own' attitude and 'not shove it down people's throats', but it just seems completely at odds with the rest of the story, and my respect for him began to ebb away.
Last chapter aside however, this is an entertaining and candid autobiography.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you think that Dave Mustaine is an ego maniac then this book will not change your mind. If you were to believe everything that Dave says then you'd know that he more or less single handedly invented Thrash Metal. Admittedly he does have the skills and the history to back up the claim to an extent, but he is not as important as he obviously thinks he is.
Fans of Megadeth (and the bands involved in the early development of thrash metal and, in particular, the other members of the 'Big Four') will enjoy this book. However, I can't see it appealing to any other casual readers. This is not 'The Dirt' (apart from the drugs, they must be the most tame touring band out there - the guitarist puts gay porn on in the bus which gets him chucked out - Errr is that it?) it's not even 'Are you Morbid?' or 'This Monster Lives', it's sanitised, surface level stuff and you really don't learn anything about Dave that most fans of metal won't know already.
The back cover sums it up nicely, this book and it's subject matter are really only interested in telling us about how many bags of heroin can be consumed and how 'tough' Dave thinks he is. If you didn't like Dave before reading this then you certainly won't finish the last page feeling any warmth towards him. A missed opportunity in some ways (surely a chapter on 'Peace sells...' should be expanded and we should be given more details about touring, breaking MTV etc. rather than the repeated herion stories which aren't scandalous or funny) but still a reasonably interesting read which can be digested in a couple of days.
Fans of Megadeth (and the bands involved in the early development of thrash metal and, in particular, the other members of the 'Big Four') will enjoy this book. However, I can't see it appealing to any other casual readers. This is not 'The Dirt' (apart from the drugs, they must be the most tame touring band out there - the guitarist puts gay porn on in the bus which gets him chucked out - Errr is that it?) it's not even 'Are you Morbid?' or 'This Monster Lives', it's sanitised, surface level stuff and you really don't learn anything about Dave that most fans of metal won't know already.
The back cover sums it up nicely, this book and it's subject matter are really only interested in telling us about how many bags of heroin can be consumed and how 'tough' Dave thinks he is. If you didn't like Dave before reading this then you certainly won't finish the last page feeling any warmth towards him. A missed opportunity in some ways (surely a chapter on 'Peace sells...' should be expanded and we should be given more details about touring, breaking MTV etc. rather than the repeated herion stories which aren't scandalous or funny) but still a reasonably interesting read which can be digested in a couple of days.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
wonderful read
an excellent book and well worth the money!! As an introduction to Dave Mustaine and his band its interesting. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Nigelg68
Amazing insight into Daves Life
I first stumbled on the band Megadeth through a friends copy of a Kerrang video. The track... Peace Sells... and thus began my love affair with the sound. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Trish
Look! It's that dude who invented Metallica!
As you might expect there is a lot to recommend Mustaine's biography and a lot to compel you to keep turning the pages. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. SCM Bell
Interesting... but hoped for little more insight
This was a book that I knew I would buy and had to read. Having been a fan of both Metallica and Megadeth since the 80s and having grown up with the feud and animosity between,... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Shaun
An okay but tiresome read
There is more here about drugs than the music. How much Mustaine took; other band members took; anyone else took. Read more
Published 4 months ago by katyn1940
My first biography, now I may be addicted to it!
Amazing book, about addiction, but caution, I got addicted to it and read it in a couple of days!
Be aware I am a metal fan, so that helps... Read more
Be aware I am a metal fan, so that helps... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Fabio Barroso Mainieri
A great read
This book is an essential for any Megadeth fan, whether your of the "die-hard" type or just if you love their music. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Charles Davis
Disappointing
I'm a big fan of the band but what a poor book. There's zero reference to influences, lyrics, songs, other people in metal he must have encountered... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mr. R. M. Tyson
Great read- recommended
I was quite unsure what to expect from this book - to be honest 'Angry' Dave was the suspected undertone, but it is quite an honest and interesting read. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Metal Militiant
Well written, witty and clever
This is a book that is clever, extremely witty (laughing aloud a lot on this one), and very well written. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. Whitelock
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