Fans hoping for a historic all-star reunion at Megadeth’s farewell tour may have to adjust their expectations. Dave Mustaine has confirmed that bringing all surviving former members together for the final show isn’t going to happen, citing past behavior from one ex-bandmate as the main obstacle.
During a December 5 appearance on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Mustaine addressed the idea of a final-show lineup featuring past members. “Well, I can’t really do that, because of the behavior of one of the bandmembers in the past,” he noted (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “I just can’t — I can’t. Because, first off, it would be unfair to the other bandmembers if I didn’t play with them as well,” he said.
Reflecting on past collaborations, Mustaine highlighted his special connection with former guitarist Marty Friedman, who rejoined him on stage in Japan in early 2023.
“The thing about what we did with [former Megadeth guitarist] Marty [Friedman] in Japan [in early 2024], that was a no-brainer. That was brilliant. And I love Marty. We had our separation, and he went his way and we went our way. But it was a very, very intense relationship I had with Marty, because that was the first relationship I had with a guitar player.
He also spoke about his relationships with other former guitarists, noting that while they were positive, they didn’t match the depth he shared with Friedman. “My relationship with [former Megadeth guitarist] Chris [Poland] was really great, but it wasn’t as good as it was with Marty,” Dave said. “My relationship with [former Megadeth guitarist] Jeff [Young] was good, but it wasn’t as good as it was with Marty.
Mustaine clarified that aside from the late Gar Samuelson, he wouldn’t have an issue performing with most of the former members. Still, he emphasized fairness to the current lineup: “I’m just not gonna do anything that is gonna, in any way, seem unfair to the other bandmembers.”
When asked whether Megadeth would announce a definitive final show or quietly end their touring career, Mustaine admitted he’s uncertain. “I don’t know. I was joking around with our management and said, ‘You guys should probably book some fake dates at the end of the tour that I don’t know about so I won’t go out there on the last date and just blubber like a f**king 175-pound wuss.’”
