When Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine slammed all bass players on ABC News
(Image credit: Photo by Chiaki Nozu/Getty Images)
Often viewed as lower-class citizens in the music world, it seems nobody has worse press than the bass player. When Megadeth's Dave Mustaine appeared on Good Morning America back in 2008, he accused the then-Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee of 'rockstaritis,' and suggested the art of bass playing is only "one step up from playing the kazoo.”
Mustaine also insisted he'd be a great campaign ally, being the “unofficial elected official of the disenfranchised youth of America." He said: "I can get into the focus groups and actually say what is relevant. Even though I'm not 18 anymore or struggling with Stridex, I do still have an 18-year-old inside of me.”
Having been shown a video of Huckabee playing bass guitar with local musicians while on the campaign trail, Mustaine said, "This is so bad, besides the bass isn't a difficult instrument to play. It's one step up from the kazoo isn't it?”
Mustaine has never been one to shy away from the world of politics, famously starring in a nineties video for Rock the Vote with Megadeth, in which the group sit in silence before urging young people to vote.
More recently, Mustaine confirmed Megadeth will welcome back guitarist Marty Friedman for the first time in 23 years for a concert at Tokyo’s Budokan arena. “It has been a long time since I’ve been on the same stage with Dave Mustaine making music,” Friedman said in a statement. “That doesn’t change the fact that I’m extremely proud of the part that I played in Megadeth’s history and legacy.”
Friedman originally joined Megadeth in 1990, playing on the celebrated Rust in Peace album. “I’m very proud of the band’s many great achievements and continued success in my absence,” said Friedman. “For right now, I just feel immense joy and some serious adrenaline. I am looking forward to playing with Megadeth at this very cool place, the Budokan.”
(Image credit: Mick Hutson/Redferns via Getty)
The Budokan concert will be livestreamed on February 27th. For tickets, head over to Dreamstage.
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Nick Wells was the Editor of Bass Guitar magazine from 2009 to 2011, before making strides into the world of Artist Relations with Sheldon Dingwall and Dingwall Guitars. He's also the producer of bass-centric documentaries, Walking the Changes and Beneath the Bassline, as well as Production Manager and Artist Liaison for ScottsBassLessons. In his free time, you'll find him jumping around his bedroom to Kool & The Gang while hammering the life out of his P-Bass.
