Kerry King , guitarist for Slayer , was asked in a Q&A session with readers of Metal Hammer which band he would choose if he could have been part of any other group.
In response, King said: “I almost joined Megadeth . I think if Dave Mustaine had managed to hang out together for four years, it would have been a very different band. I'm not saying it would have been better, but it would have been different.”
Kerry King was briefly in the band during 1984 before deciding to focus on his work with Slayer.
Previously, in an interview given to Loudwire Wikipedia: Fact Or Fiction? series , the legendary guitarist talked about his involvement with Megadeth in the early days of its formation, when he had already played in its first five shows as a second guitarist.
In the interview, Kerry revealed: “I was one of the lucky ones — and I'm not in any way taking anything away from Kirk Hammett ; Kirk is a wonderful friend — but I was lucky enough to see Metallica with Mustaine. And I say that because it's a rare thing to be able to say. I saw them playing at Woodstock, and I was so impressed with his performance, he was simply killing it. And I can't do that even today. I was simply blown away by his guitar skills.”
Regarding Mustaine's invitation to join the band, the guitarist commented that it was BC Rich , an American guitar brand, that learned Dave was interested in having King play with Megadeth. At the time, Kerry had already joined Slayer.
Kerry King's relationship with Dave Mustaine
Asked about any particularly bad experiences dealing with Mustaine in the early days of Megadeth, Kerry replied: “He was more laid-back back then. I think there were a lot of drugs and other crazy things during that period that helped shape who he is today. Those were good times.”
It is speculated that the relationship between the two is not harmonious, according to Kerry, due to Dave's difficult personality, contributing to the musicians' estrangement and the consequent lack of work and collaborations between them.
King, when questioned, commented on the vocalist's performance: “His style is definitely more… I wouldn't say 'intricate,' because we also have intricate parts, but he writes riffs with a very different perspective than mine. Even after playing with him for several months, I still wouldn't do that.” He further emphasized: “I don't know how anyone can stay in Megadeth for more than a few hours. Dave is crazy.”
Regarding former members, Mustaine revealed to Metal XS that, in the band's more than 40 years, contrary to what people might think, the vocalist and guitarist maintains several friendships, with the exception of those who became "bitter." During the band's existence, more than 20 musicians have been part of its lineup, with Mustaine being the only constant.
Although the musicians have made peace, the closest they came to a collaboration was in 2010. At the time, Megadeth and Slayer were touring together on The American Carnage Tour when the guitarist had the opportunity to join them on stage a few times to play "Rattlehead".
READ ALSO : Slayer says they broke with producer over offensive contract.
