Former Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro has shed more light on his decision to step away from the iconic thrash metal band at the end of 2023. Following an acclaimed nine-year run that resulted in two studio albums and a Grammy award, the Brazilian musician ultimately prioritized his family and personal freedom over the relentless touring cycle.
In a recent interview with Niels Guns on “Sixty Scales And The Truth“, Loureiro explained that his exit wasn’t triggered by a singular dramatic event, but rather the cumulative weight of long-term touring conflicting with his evolving personal life.
“During Megadeth, it was great, so nothing to complain,” he clarified (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “But it was eight years, almost nine years, and then I was touring maybe — I don’t know — five months, maybe sometimes six months [in a year], so that’s a lot. It’s very different than doing 25 days [as I have done on my solo tour].”
He emphasized that domestic responsibilities, particularly raising three young children, were the primary driving force behind his departure.
“[There were] many reasons [that contributed to it]; there’s never one reason when you take a big decision in life,” Kiko expained. “So one of the reasons was the family. That was the more intensive reason. After doing the tour, there was another three-month tour, and then it was, like, ‘Oh, maybe this is too much.’ But I was fighting with these thoughts since I joined Megadeth, basically. My daughter was around five [when I joined Megadeth], and then one year later [in 2016], after joining Megadeth, the year that we released the Dystopia album, the Grammy winner and all that, I had twins. So all those years in Megadeth was difficult to be traveling and having newborn twins at home, and then traveling. So it makes you think a lot, because that’s what I always wanted, to be touring, etc., and playing guitar. And then also have the kids, and then your mentality, your mindset changes a lot. And then have the pandemic, and then do another album, etc. And then, at some point, I said, like, ‘I think eight, nine years is enough.’ And then I felt, like, okay. And then also I felt that the kids needed me more, more than before. [There were] some other issues happening. And there was a three-month tour [coming up], so [I said], like, ‘Look, I can help to find a substitute. If you can wait, great. If you don’t wanna wait, it’s fine as well.’”
Beyond his immediate family, Loureiro noted a desire to reclaim control over his own schedule to tend to other personal matters, including spending meaningful time with his elderly parents in Brazil.
“We did record the [2022] album [The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!] in between, in that period. And composing is something that I like as well. I think at some point, [you start thinking about having] freedom of your schedule. I have elderly parents in Brazil, so I wanted to [spend time] there, and there was never a time to travel and to stay — I don’t know — 10 days,” he added.
After decades of performing globally, the guitarist admitted that the repetition of the rock star lifestyle had started to lose its initial appeal.
“It’s a common thing, it’s a common thought [with touring musicians], I believe, depending on your age, of course. And then most of the places I played — we played in amazing places, but I’ve been doing this for a long time as well. So you think about this, like, ‘I did this a lot, and where [can I go] from here?’ And also there’s that too. Sometimes you think about, ‘I would love to do something else,’ or, like, ‘Should I play other kinds of music or compose differently or be more open to different things?’ But that’s a constant. The creative mind, let’s say, is never satisfied.”
Despite the growing internal conflict, Loureiro praised his collaborative relationship with Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, emphasizing that he felt artistically fulfilled during his tenure.
“In Megadeth, I could be creative there because we did two albums,” he added. “I could say whatever I wanted to say about the concert, or ideas for the lights, or stage performance, or whatever. Dave was very open to [my input]. I think we had great conversations about everything in life, and also about the Megadeth business. And that’s why I think I was such a long time there, and then I had maybe, like, 13 or 15 compositions with Dave, which is pretty much. But I think there’s always an expiring date, let’s say. There’s a moment that it’s, like, ‘Yeah, maybe it’s time to go to another place.’ So those actual forces kind of push you — maybe the family, maybe some stuff that was happening inside the band as well, maybe something about, as I said, I would love to decide when I want to go visit my parents or not. Because when you have kids, you cannot just travel. I was traveling a lot, and when you go home, you just wanna stay home.”
Kiko Loureiro initially stepped away from the band’s “Crush The World” tour in September 2023, introducing Teemu Mäntysaari as his temporary fill-in. By November of that year, Mäntysaari was officially named the permanent lead guitarist, solidifying the end of Loureiro‘s time in the band.
