Dave Mustaine is completely satisfied with the current Megadeth , consisting of Kiko Loureiro (guitar), Dirk Verbeuren (drums), and James LoMenzo (bass). And the Brazilian member of the band was chosen by the frontman as the best guitarist to have ever played in the band.
In an interview with Guitar World , Mustaine described the band's current lineup as "the nicest people" he's ever worked with. "They work hard, they're not driven by money, and they live to play. A lot of people have been in this band, and I've dealt with a lot of jerks. Not everyone can handle this level of exposure. Not everyone shares my vision. But I'm not kidding when I say that the current Megadeth is the best in the last 40 years," he stated.
While fans speculated about Marty Friedman to the group after the guitarist's performance with Megadeth , Dave Mustaine doesn't even seem to consider the possibility – he already has the best.
“When I first heard Kiko play, I was blown away. Megadeth had guys like Jeff [Young] and Marty [Friedman], but Kiko is the best we’ve ever had. I’m not saying that because Kiko is in the band now, I’m saying it because it’s the truth. Kiko is the best guitarist of them all,” he said.
In addition to Loureiro's technical skills, the Megadeth frontman cited the Brazilian's personality as one of his essential characteristics. "Kiko and I got along well, and I ended up discovering that he was a good fit in terms of personality. So, I told Kiko, 'Look, you're going to join Megadeth, and your life is going to change,'" Mustaine recalled.
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