Dave Mustaine on METALLICA’s “Enter Sandman”: “Their Biggest Song? Go Look Up the Band Excel”

In a new interview with ‘The Shawn Ryan Show’, Dave Mustaine opened up about his turbulent exit from Metallica and the fallout that followed. The Megadeth frontman, whose brief stint in the iconic thrash outfit ended abruptly in 1983, didn’t hold back when revisiting the events that led to his dismissal and the long-standing tension that has simmered ever since.

As originally highlighted by Blabbermouth, Mustaine claims that the catalyst for his firing wasn’t solely rooted in alcohol or behavioral issues, but rather a serious car accident that occurred while the band was en route to New York. At the time, Metallica was headed east to meet with Jonny Zazula of Megaforce Records after he heard the now-famous ‘No Life ’Til Leather’ demo.

“We were driving through snow and hit black ice,” Mustaine recalled. “I managed to keep the truck from flipping, but it stopped dead in the middle of the freeway with oncoming traffic headed toward us.” During the chaos, Mustaine said he saved the life of Mark Whitaker, who worked with the band at the time. Despite his actions, Mustaine said the incident was used against him. “James and Lars decided that was the last straw and made the decision to replace me.”

The narrative that Mustaine’s alcohol use was the key reason for his ouster has persisted for decades, but he disputes that.

“We all drank. That’s why they called it ‘Alcoholica,’ not ‘Dave-Alcoholica,’” he quipped. “They kept drinking after I was gone. But when I drank, I got violent — that’s probably what made me different.”

He shared a specific altercation that likely sealed his fate, involving a scuffle outside San Francisco’s Mabuhay Gardens. After witnessing a woman being assaulted in an alley, Mustaine jumped in to help. The situation escalated when James Hetfield, who was with him, encouraged the fight but backed away when things got heated. “James got a punch in the mouth from me… because he kicked my puppy,” Mustaine bluntly stated.

That incident wasn’t isolated, either. Mustaine detailed another confrontation during rehearsals that saw him hit Hetfield and slam bassist Ron McGovney into a TV setup. “We had multiple moments where I said, ‘It’s either me or James,’ and once even told James it was either me or Lars. In the end, I got the axe. So, fine.”

Upon his return home, Mustaine said he refused to describe the situation as him quitting. “I wanted people to know I was unfairly dismissed. I didn’t want it twisted.”

The most contentious part of Mustaine’s retelling centers around songwriting credits. Despite his firing, many of his riffs ended up on Metallica albums. “I told them not to use my music. And of course, they did,” he said. Tracks like “Ride The Lightning”, “The Call Of Ktulu”, “Phantom Lord”, “Jump In The Fire”, and “The Four Horsemen” all bear his fingerprint, he claims.

“They didn’t credit me on ‘Leper Messiah,’ but listen to the riffs — you know they’re mine. And all the solos on the first record were mine. Kirk [Hammett] just tried to copy them.”

While Megadeth may not have reached the same commercial peaks as Metallica, Mustaine offered a jab at the band’s biggest hit: “Go look up the band Excel and their song ‘Tapping Into The Emotional Void.’ Pretty similar to ‘Enter Sandman.’”

Despite some moments of reconciliation over the years — most notably during the ‘Big Four’ shows — the relationship between Mustaine and Metallica remains fragile, with royalty disputes and unresolved tensions still lingering.

Whether history views Mustaine’s Metallica days as a footnote or a foundation, his perspective remains unapologetically raw — and far from settled.

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