Dave Mustaine has opened up about his decision to embark on MEGADETH's farewell tour, revealing that a progressive hand condition makes it inevitable — and sharing heartfelt reflections on his historic creative partnership with METALLICA's James Hetfield.
In a candid interview, Mustaine disclosed that he has been diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture, a condition that causes connective tissue under the skin to thicken and gradually pull fingers into a permanently bent position. "I have an injury to my hand here... And it's gonna get worse so that it eventually pulls my finger like this, and I won't be able to play like that," he explained. Unwilling to perform without playing guitar — "part of the magic is me playing guitar" — Mustaine made the difficult but definitive decision to wind down MEGADETH.
The interview also touched on MEGADETH's self-titled final album, which includes the band's own version of "Ride The Lightning" — co-written by Mustaine and Hetfield before Mustaine's dismissal from METALLICA in 1983. That album debuted at #1 in the United States in January with 73,000 equivalent album units. The duo sped up the tempo and adjusted the drum and guitar arrangements to make the track definitively MEGADETH's.
On his partnership with Hetfield, Mustaine was reflective: "It just shows you how talented a guitar player that James and I were. And we made a really good team." The farewell "This Was Our Life" Latin American tour continues. After MEGADETH, Mustaine says his priority is family: "Probably just be a happy grandpa."