During a recent interview with Chile’s Teletrece, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine addressed the role of celebrities in politics, stating that public figures should refrain from telling their fans how to cast their ballots. The musician discussed his past legislative work regarding voter registration and explained his current stance as a political independent in the United States.
The conversation originated when the interviewer asked about the inspiration behind the classic track “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” and whether the song’s lyrical themes relate to the ongoing global conflicts involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
“I’m a songwriter, and I don’t think people should listen to celebrities about stuff, what they should do or how they should vote. And in fact, in America, that used to be private. Nobody would go around and tell people who they voted for. It was important. It was your right. And I even worked with the government in America to get a law passed called the Motor Voter bill, and it made it so that Americans can go to get their driver’s license and also register to vote at the same time, and I did that with MTV and the ‘Rock The Vote’ campaign. But that was a nonpartisan effort,” Mustaine replied (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Expanding on his belief that celebrity endorsements cause unnecessary division, the guitarist detailed how political alignment can negatively impact a musician’s relationship with their audience.
“Like I said, I don’t think celebrities should be telling their fans how to vote, because if I say I’m a Democrat, all the people who are Republicans are gonna be affected by that statement. They may say, ‘You know what? I like his music. I don’t care if he’s a Democrat.’ Or they may say, ‘You know what? F**k him. He’s a Democrat, and I don’t wanna listen to his music anymore,'” he explained.
Concluding his thoughts on the matter, Dave Mustaine clarified his personal political affiliation and offered a brief perspective on the expectations placed on musicians to comment on the current situation in the Middle East.
“In fact, I’m not a Democrat or a Republican. I have my viewpoints, which are pretty strict. But I’m what you would call an independent in America. So I don’t think that I should be telling anybody about what’s going on in the Middle East, ’cause I don’t really know. But I do know that the Bible talks about it, and if you really wanna get an idea on what’s going on in the world, maybe do some reading. Do some reading,” he added.
In a recent appearance on “Roisin O’Connor’s Good Vibrations“, the podcast hosted by The Independent music editor Roisin O’Connor, Mustaine revisited the topic of his political views, offering further clarification.
“I’m a very keen observer, and I probably see things very similar to the way you see things. But the world has developed into a place where if you’re somebody offering a product, it’s best for you not to talk about your political persuasion. We never used to do that. People never used to say who they voted for. It’s none of your goddamn business. And people think I’m a right-winger. I’m not. I’m an independent. I’ve voted for Democrats, I’ve voted for Republicans. I vote for whoever’s the least of two evils, sometimes three.”
When questioned about why he believes that perception has followed him for so many years, Dave responded:
“Well, I believe that people who get fired from Megadeth are bitter, whether it’s musicians or people who work in another area with the band. And it’s really easy to say bad stuff about me. You can ask anybody I work with… All you can do is show up and be the best person you can be. And my reputation will precede me, of course, but my character will remain. And I think a lot of people are finding out that a lot of the stuff they hear about me or about the band is not true, because we’re very personable and I’m very approachable. When we’re down in South America, we’ll sit out on the steps of the hotel and serenade the fans. That’s how we really are. That’s how we live. We love our fans.”
In a January interview with The New York Times, Dave Mustaine has directly addressed long-standing assumptions about his political identity, making it clear that he does not view himself as a right-wing figure.
“I’m a Christian, and I answer to a different set of angels. I obey the law, but no, I’m not a right-winger,” Dave said. He went on to describe the distinction he draws between faith and organized belief, adding: “We used to always say that religion’s for people who are afraid of going to hell, and spirituality is for people like us who have been there.”
Less than two years ago, he was asked during a press conference in Peru about his involvement with the “Rock The Vote” campaign during the 1992 Democratic National Convention, when Megadeth visited the White House.
Reflecting on that experience, Mustaine said: “What was it like going up to the White House and doing the ‘Rock The Vote’ thing? Well, I think if you wanna say something, you need to know what you’re saying. And I was asked to help get people in my country registered to vote — not to become a Democrat, not to become a Republican, but to vote. And I’ve always said, when I talk to people, I try and show them both sides and then let that person pick. I don’t try and tell people in my songs what to do.”
He added that the underlying principle remains part of how he views his role as a public figure: “Would I do it again? I guess I kind of do it still every day, just being an example in heavy metal music that not everyone in metal is uninterested in civil matters in their country, singing about things that matter.”
Four years ago, while introducing “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” during a Megadeth concert at the Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona, he made headlines with an explicit story about that same White House visit. Addressing the crowd, Mustaine said in part: “I want you guys to know that I’ve lived through a lot of different eras in the United States and seen different things, and one thing that makes me the most proud of everything here in our country is you guys, the way that you are handling yourselves and the way that… as the metal community. There’s a lot of people that go out there and they say things and they totally embarrass themselves. And I want you guys to know how proud I am to represent you.”
He continued: “When I went up to the White House, I was so proud to be able to go up there and say, ‘F**k you. You think we’re stupid? We are not stupid, motherf**kers.’
“By the way, when I went into the White House, I went into the royal — whatever the f**k it’s called — White House bathroom, and I peed on the floor. I had to. I had to.”
In a 2012 interview with Artisan News, he stated: “I’m an independent, not a Republican — I’ve never been a Republican. I’ve always said that. I don’t belong to any party — I’m non-partisan. And for me, the sad thing is, instead of voting for the best man, I have to vote for the lesser of two evils.”
Even during the 2016 U.S. presidential election cycle, Mustaine avoided declaring support for a specific candidate. While he declined to say whether he would vote for Donald Trump, he referred to the businessman as “a very successful businessman” and confirmed that he would not vote for Hillary Clinton.
