Dave Mustaine: I cried onstage after dedicating song to Nick Menza

Dave Mustaine (Image credit: Getty)

Dave Mustaine says he cried onstage while performing a Megadeth song he dedicated to late former drummer Nick Menza on their last tour.

The frontman describes his tears during the set as “heavy,” adding that he never truly realised how much he loved his former bandmate after their dispute over the failed Rust In Peace reunion.

He tells Kerrang: “The craziest thing was, when we dedicated a song to Nick on the last tour, I got about halfway through the song and I couldn’t sing anymore – I just started crying. I turned around and I stood next to the drum riser with my back turned, because I didn’t want anybody to see me. But it was heavy.”

He continues: “With all the stuff that was going on at the end, with Nick talking about me in the press and stuff like that, I had no idea how much I really, really love him. That was what was evident when I sang about him.

“That’s the Nick I’ll always remember – the guy that made me smile, that made me happy and was a little bit of an annoyance, but somebody that I’ll always love.”

Menza died suddenly aged 51 from heart failure last month, while performing onstage with his band Ohm.

Mustaine also reiterated that he wants to organise a tribute show to Menza featuring all Megadeth members past and present if Menza’s family grant them permission.

He adds: “I think that instead of us all mourning and shit, we should celebrate his life and legacy. He doesn’t want people to sit down here and bellyache about that.

“He wants people to go and buy his pictures. He had some wonderful artwork. He had a lot of music that he’s done. He wants his legacy to be remembered, to support his kids.”

Megadeth are touring in support of their latest album Dystopia and played the Download festival over the weekend.

Megadeth tour dates 2016

Jun 14: Groningen Oosterport, Netherlands
Jun 15: Pratteln Z7 Konzertfabrik, Switzerland
Jun 16: Luxembourg Rockhal, Luxembourg
Jun 17: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium
Jun 17-19: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jun 22: Berlin Huxleys Neue Welt, Germany
Jun 23: Hamburg Docks, Germany
Jun 24: Copenhagen Copenhall, Denmark
Jun 25: Halden Tons Of Rock, Norway
Jun 28: Cologne Live Music Hall, Germany
Jun 29: Frankfurt Batschkapp, Germany
Jun 30: Munich Backstage, Germany
Jul 02: Rishon LeZion Live Park Amphitheatre, Israel
Jul 07: Sofia Universiada Hall, Bulgaria
Aug 02: Santiago Teatro Caupolican, Chile
Aug 07: Sao Paulo Espaco Das Americas, Brazil
Aug 12: Brasilia Net Live, Brazil
Aug 13: Fortaleza Siara Hall, Brazil
Aug 20: Ascuncion Independiente, Paraguay
Aug 22: Buenos Aires Luna Park, Argentina

Nick Menza: Obituary

Artists

Former TeamRock news desk member Christina joined our team in late 2015, and although her time working on online rock news was fairly brief, she made a huge impact by contributing close to 1500 stories. Christina also interviewed artists including Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and worked at the Download festival. In late 2016, Christina left rock journalism to pursue a career in current affairs. In 2021, she was named Local Weekly Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards.