“People don’t know that I wrote that part”: Dave Mustaine on creating one of Megadeth’s most well-known bass riffs
One of Megadeth’s most recognised instrumental parts was written by Dave Mustaine on bass, which went on to be used as intro music in a rather peculiar context.
The bass riff that can be heard on Peace Sells of Megadeth’s 1986 album Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? was formerly used as intro music for MTV News in the 1990s. Played by David Ellefson, it was originally crafted as a guitar riff by Mustaine who then transferred to bass.
READ MORE: Dave Mustaine’s new memoir, In My Darkest Hour, has arrived, and he’s embarking on a three-stop US book tour
Speaking to The New York Post in promotion of his new book, In My Darkest Hour, Mustaine claims that the band never received any royalties for its use: “MTV cut it off right before I would get paid for it … at least that’s what I was told by our management and the auditors,” he says.
“So it was kind of bittersweet. Funny thing is, people don’t know that I wrote that part, because it’s played on a different instrument. I was in our rehearsal room in a place called Vernon, California.
“God’s been good to me,” he adds. “I don’t need to have every single crumb, that I’ve earned. I can afford to walk away from certain things. You know, when you get into legal battles, nobody ever wins.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Mustaine also speaks of his battle with throat cancer in 2019. Now in complete remission, he underwent more than 50 rounds of radiation and chemotherapy.
Speaking to Metal Hammer last month, Mustaine shared how a number of people reached out to him during his treatment, including fellow cancer survivor Bruce Dickinson.
“Bruce had some fantastic stuff to say as a cancer survivor,” Mustaine said. “There’s a big difference between someone saying, ‘You’re in my thoughts and prayers’, versus somebody who goes into detail about his treatment and tells you about the outcome.”
Megadeth are currently on their final tour ever. You can view their full list of remaining live shows via the Megadeth website.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
