Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan recently offered insights into the enduring bond between the band members, describing their long-standing relationship as a “marriage” built on mutual respect and a shared vision, especially as they’ve matured together. Speaking on “The Rockman Power Hour,” Donegan discussed how these strong internal dynamics have contributed to their longevity, particularly as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal debut album, The Sickness.
“Even as we’ve gotten older over the years too, just that level of respect and brotherhood and… Yeah, of course, for 25 years, or actually since 1996, when we finally formed and got David [Draiman, Disturbed singer], of course, it’s a marriage — it’s a marriage between the four of us,” Donegan stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). He recalled the early days of touring in close quarters: “You have to learn to — especially in those early days when we were in the RV… You’re on top of each other… you’re in each other’s face all the time.”
While acknowledging that disagreements are natural in any long-term relationship, Donegan emphasized how the band now handles them constructively. “Everybody butts heads a little bit. We have disagreements, but now, as we’re older, we do it with respect. We hear each other out, and we have our moments — creatively mostly, in the studio, stuff like that,” he explained. “But that’s very common… If there are those moments of disagreements, whatever, those arguments are usually short-lived. You put all the things into perspective and it’s like, we all want what’s just best for this band. And we share the same vision… it’s become a lot easier to talk to each other, like I said, the older we get and just be okay. If it’s a disagreement, it’s usually gone after 10 minutes.”
This strong foundation allows Disturbed to continue looking forward. “We’ve been around the block long enough too, and we still feel like we have a lot left in the tank and we wanna keep creating,” Donegan added. “And so I think we’ve just grown to be closer over the years.”
Disturbed has been celebrating the legacy of The Sickness with an extensive anniversary tour that kicked off in Nampa, Idaho, on February 25, 2025. Produced by Live Nation, each night of the tour features two powerful sets: first, Disturbed plays their five-times platinum debut album in its entirety, followed by a full set of their greatest hits. The U.S. leg of the tour, which recently concluded, featured support from acts like Three Days Grace (with original singer Adam Gontier) and Sevendust on its first half, and Daughtry with Nothing More on the second half.
The celebration is set to continue with a European leg later this year, where Disturbed will be joined by thrash legends Megadeth.
Disturbed – Upcoming “The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour” European Dates 2025 (with Megadeth):
- Sep 28 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
- Oct 01 – Düsseldorf, Germany – PSD Bank Dome
- Oct 03 – Stuttgart, Germany – Schleyerhalle
- Oct 04 – Zürich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
- Oct 06 – Budapest, Hungary – László Papp Budapest Sports Arena
- Oct 07 – Prague, Czechia – O2 Arena
- Oct 10 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena Krakow
- Oct 12 – Paris, France – Zenith
- Oct 14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
- Oct 15 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National
- Oct 17 – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle
- Oct 18 – Berlin, Germany – Velodrom
- Oct 20 – Birmingham, United Kingdom – Utilita Arena Birmingham
- Oct 22 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
- Oct 24 – Manchester, United Kingdom – AO Arena
- Oct 26 – London, United Kingdom – The O2
- Oct 28 – Glasgow, Scotland – OVO Hydro
