Being Dave Mustaine is a full-time job

Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine has admitted it's almost a full-time job dealing with the results of his outspoken comments.

He reports it’s a constant struggle to deal with misquotes and misunderstandings – but that doesn’t mean he plans to stop saying what he believes is true.

Mustaine tells Rock Cellar: “You have to ask yourself: ‘What does Dave have to gain? Why would he jeopardise his career and everything he’s worked for to say, ‘Oh, this thing that’s totally fake and make-believe is real’?

“I wouldn’t do that. I would say, “Is this real? Is this something that is happening to us, is it bad? And if they can do it, why wouldn’t they do it with other stuff?‘”

And he thinks he could be a victim of changing times as people become more volatile when faced with alternative opinions. “When I was growing up, if you had somebody that you were talking to, and you didn’t agree with something they said, you guys could still be friends and just disagree in that area.

“Now, if you have a friend and you disagree about something, the friendship could be up for discussion.”

He cites examples of members of the media who have claimed he’s anti-gay or anti-black, while he insists nothing could be further from the truth.

“They try and come up with stuff to make it out like I’m a fucker,” he says. “So it’s pretty much a full-time job to figure out who you’re gonna answer and who you’re not.”

Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that he took a hands-on role in the bottling of his sold-out brand of wine.

Those who purchased from the 59 cases of Mustaine Vineyards’ Symphony Interrupted was created after he and his wife Pam introduced themselves to the owners of Failbrook Winery near their home.

Boss Vernon Kindred tells Wine Spectator: “Both Dave and Pam were totally involved in picking the blend and they chipped in and helped bottle it. It turned out to be a really good wine – very drinkable.”

Megadeth play this year’s Bloodstock festival at Catton Park, Derbyshire, in August.

Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.