Whatever you think of Dave Mustaine, one thing is undeniable: he’s one of the greatest metal guitar players to ever live. He’s so good, in fact, that he recalls getting his “gig” with Metallica after only “warming up” during his audition with the band.
In a January 2026 interview, Mustaine reflected on his brief tenure with the band. While speaking to Premier Guitar, he shared the story of auditioning for Metallica’s founding frontman, James Hetfield, and original bassist Ron McGovney in Norwalk, California.
“When I went to Norwalk the day that I met James Hetfield and Ron McGovney, I didn’t know what was gonna happen,” Mustaine shared. “But I had my style, and it was based around the riff.” He also revealed that at the time, he didn’t even own any standard heavy-metal gear.
Dave Mustaine played with Metallica from 1981 to 1983
“I didn’t have any Marshalls yet because I was just starting to get serious,” he said. “I had these Risson amps—they were tan—so from the moment I set up my stack, I was different.”
Finally, it was time to play, so Mustaine started getting prepped. Soon, he realized he was alone. “I plugged in my guitar, and I started warming up, and I kept warming up and warming up,” he remembered. “And I finally said, ‘Where the f*** are these guys?’”
Mustaine set down his guitar, switched off his amp, and went to find Hetfield and McGovney. He eventually located them, and they had some good news. “They said, ‘You got the gig.’ So I got my job just by warming up,” Mustaine quipped.
While he was with the band for only a short time, Mustaine directly impacted Metallica’s legacy. He helped to write music that turned into songs recorded for two of the band’s biggest albums: Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning. He would almost immediately go on to form Megadeth and achieve Big Four status as one of the greatest thrash bands of the 80s. The other three bands are Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax.
Dave Mustaine’s post-Metallica rivalry with the band was legendary for years
Elsewhere in the interview, Mustaine offered his opinion on being considered “one of metal’s greatest rhythm guitarists.” He, very candidly, admitted that he doesn’t love that qualifier of his talent. “The term ‘rhythm guitar player’ seems a little diminishing for me,” he confessed. “I love the riff.”
The thrash metal godfather said he much prefers being considered a great “guitarist that sings.”
The post Dave Mustaine Reveals the Surprising Way His Metallica Audition Panned Out: ‘I Didn’t Know What Was Gonna Happen’ appeared first on VICE.
