Dave Mustaine Opens Up About Struggling To Hit The Higher Notes In Megadeth Songs

Dave Mustaine’s vocals aren’t what they used to be, but how can they be when he fought throat cancer in 2019 and had neck surgery in 2011? As long as he’s healthy, happy, and can continue playing the riffs, there’s nothing to worry about.

In a new interview with HEAVY Magazine transcribed by Blabbermouth, the legendary guitarist and singer opened up about his vocal changes in recent years.

“Well, I don’t really know what I cannot do that I used to do 40 years ago. I think that probably the only thing I have any difficulty doing is getting up in a certain pitch now that I’ve had my neck operated on and had a metal plate put into my spine because of the damage that happened to my neck,” he said.

“It’s a wonder, based on everything that’s happened, the guy upstairs is even letting me continue to do what I love.

“I don’t wanna be a victim — I can’t stand people who play the victim — so I’m not gonna give you a litany of all my injuries. But suffice to say, I feel great right now, and I don’t really think there’s anything that I cannot do.

“I won’t jump out of an airplane anymore because of the plate in my neck. And because… you may have seen something about this, but I’m gonna be an Opa [grandfather]; my son [Justis] is gonna be a dad. I remember when I found out we were gonna have Justis, I stopped skydiving. That’s one thing I don’t do anymore.

“I think given what’s happened to me with the stenosis and the broken neck bone, and I’ve got another broken bone in my back from riding horses, playing polo… ‘Cause I don’t know how to play polo, and for some stupid reason my wife convinced me to get out there and do it. And I ended up with a broken bone in my back. Go figure. Love makes you do some strange things, man.”

Megadeth will perform at the inaugural Knotfest Australia and play a couple of sideshows in a few weeks' time.

Spanning over four decades of existence, Megadeth’s legacy pioneering the thrash metal genre into the global zeitgeist has garnered multiple platinum albums, with over 38 million units sold worldwide, as well as a sea of Grammy Award nominations, including a win in 2017 for Best Metal Performance for their track Dystopia. Their 16th album, The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead was released last year.