Metallica Vs Megadeth - The Cause Of Their Beef After They Sacked Dave Mustaine
The feud between Metallica and Megadeth is one of the most well-documented rivalries in metal history. It all began in 1983 when Metallica fired their lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine, due to his aggressive behavior, heavy drinking, and conflicts with other band members, particularly Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield. Mustaine was replaced by Kirk Hammett from Exodus, and this decision deeply affected him, fueling a decades-long rivalry.
### **Dave Mustaine’s Firing and Resentment**
Mustaine was dismissed abruptly while the band was in New York preparing to record their debut album, *Kill ‘Em All*. Instead of allowing him to return to California with the band, they woke him up and handed him a bus ticket for a long ride home. Mustaine later claimed that his firing was unfair, especially since other members, like Hetfield and Ulrich, also drank heavily. The way he was ousted—without prior warning or a second chance—left him feeling betrayed.
During his bus ride back, Mustaine vowed revenge, setting out to form a band even bigger and better than Metallica. That band became **Megadeth**, and from its inception, it was fueled by Mustaine’s bitterness toward his former bandmates. He openly stated that Megadeth’s purpose was to be faster, heavier, and more technically skilled than Metallica.
### **Musical and Personal Rivalry**
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the rivalry between Metallica and Megadeth played out in the media. Mustaine frequently criticized Metallica, calling them sellouts and accusing them of stealing some of his early riff ideas, which appeared on *Kill ‘Em All*. He also resented that his name was listed in the songwriting credits for a few Metallica songs, even though he never got to record them.
On the other hand, Metallica rarely responded publicly, but their success spoke volumes. *Master of Puppets* (1986) and *…And Justice for All* (1988) cemented them as the biggest metal band of their era, while Megadeth, despite its success, was always seen as the "runner-up."
### **Reconciliation and Lingering Tension**
By the 2000s, tensions had softened, with Mustaine even appearing in the *Some Kind of Monster* documentary and later joining Metallica on stage in 2010 for their 30th-anniversary celebration. However, occasional jabs from Mustaine in interviews suggest that while the rivalry has cooled, some bitterness remains.
Despite everything, the Metallica-Megadeth feud helped shape thrash metal, pushing both bands to create some of the genre’s most iconic music.
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