MEGADETH mainman DAVE MUSTAINE has spoken at length about his guitar playing's influence on all four "Big Four" thrash metal acts — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, and ANTHRAX — and has once again floated the idea of a final reunion concert at the L.A. Coliseum.
Speaking in a new interview, Mustaine reflected on his foundational role in shaping thrash metal's sonic blueprint: "I've been very influential with the guitar with these three bands." Mustaine spent two years in METALLICA from 1981 to 1983 before his dismissal and subsequent founding of MEGADETH — widely regarded as the greatest second act in metal history. It was also Mustaine who personally taught early SLAYER guitarist Kerry King several MEGADETH riffs, a fact that highlights just how interconnected the Big Four origin story truly is.
The last time all four bands shared the same stage was September 14, 2011, at Yankee Stadium in New York City — a historic show that capped a series of events kicked off on June 16, 2010 in Warsaw, Poland. Since then, fans have been clamoring for a reunion, and Mustaine has remained one of its most vocal advocates.
"I would love to see it done in a way where we all got treated fairly," Mustaine said, implying the logistical and financial arrangements of previous events left something to be desired. Despite band politics and decades of complicated history, Mustaine believes there is still unfinished business — and that a final Big Four show at the L.A. Coliseum could be the perfect send-off for one of heavy metal's most important chapters.