Jump to content

Ex-MEGADETH Guitarist GLEN DROVER 'Would Bet Money' Drummer NICK MENZA Will Rejoin Ba


Recommended Posts

Metal Wani's William Richards and Owais "Vitek" Nabi recently conducted an interview with former MEGADETH and KING DIAMOND guitarist Glen Drover. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On whether MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine is as difficult to work with as his reputation suggests: Glen: "Well, I mean, there's been a lot of personnel changes in the band throughout the years. There's [been] a lot of changes, period, with just anybody that's in the organization. What I can say is that I think that speaks for itself, and he'll probably tell you the same thing. But, for me, up until the time I left, we actually had a lot of good times. We never had any big falling out or anything like that. I have a lot of good memories, especially, probably, from the first two years. Maybe the last six months or so, things started to change and it wasn't as… A lot of people thought I left because I just wanted to stay home and look at the walls, which is quite ridiculous, but whatever… This is an old story, but I just didn't like it. I didn't like being in that atmosphere anymore, because it wasn't as fun and positive as it once was, and I was getting a little bit disillusioned and a little bit irritated with certain things, and it just got to a point where I was, like, 'Okay, I'm not happy. I've gotta leave.' And that was pretty much the story. There was really nothing more to it than that." On his recent comment that he had no interest in rejoining MEGADETH: Glen: "The thing is, with that, it's funny how the power of the Internet… All it was… That purely just came from… I had a bunch of messages sent to me on Twitter, Facebook, blah blah blah… People asked me that question [whether I was interested in rejoining MEGADETH]. But it wasn't, like, a million people asking. It was quite a few, but I just, instead of answering and giving everybody the same answer, I thought, 'I'm just gonna do a group thing here and say, 'Hey, guys, sorry,' for the people that inquired. It wasn't, like, this big announcement. But it turned into an announcement… that, 'Oh, yeah, I would never…' It wasn't even talked about. I'm sure they've moved on as much as I have. And it was that simple, but it turned into something where it was more like, like I said, an announcement, and it wasn't. All it was was just answering a few questions… Answering it once instead of answering it fifty times, you know?!" On what he thinks MEGADETH's next lineup will be: Glen: "Yeah. I don't know what they're gonna do. I would imagine, by the little video that they [posted on the Internet of Mustaine and MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson rehearsing with a drummer], I would bet money I don't have [that] it's [going to be] Nick Menza on drums. And whoever the guitar player is, we'll find out. But, you know, a lot of people, a lot of the fans want that, and that's great. I can understand, from the fan point of view, where you grew up with a certain band and you favor a certain lineup and you want that lineup to get back together. Like BLACK SABBATH, or whatever it is... So I get that." On how he looks back on his time with MEGADETH: Glen: "One thing I'm really happy and proud about is when we were in the band, it wasn't supposed to be a MEGADETH reformation; it was supposed to be a farewell tour. There wasn't supposed to be this thing that was supposed to carry on for the last ten years. When I joined, it was [Dave Mustaine saying], 'We're just gonna do this farewell tour. I wanna end it properly.' And that was it. But the reaction we were getting… Dave decided, 'No. I'm not gonna kill the band. I'm gonna keep this thing going.' So I'm really happy and proud to have put all that hard work in in really bringing the band back and making it powerful — just going out there and just playing really hard and doing the best we could. "A lot of people don't know that [MEGADETH's first tour with me in the band was initially supposed to be a farewell tour]. A lot of people though it was a reformation, period. Purely all it was… Apparently [Mustaine] hurt his arm at some point. And, basically, he put this album out, 'The System Has Failed' [in 2004], and it was getting good reviews, and he decided that he wanted to do a farewell tour. I think, initially, he was gonna be looking at [reuniting] that 'Rust In Peace' lineup. He had recruited Nick Menza, then me, and then we got Jim MacDonough [bass] in the band. And then we went to rehearsals, and Nick wasn't working out, and was let go, and then Shawn [Drover; Glen's brother] was brought in [to play drums]. That's how it went. It's very simple. And then after the farewell tour, he was gonna continue, with calling the band DAVE MUSTAINE, and he wanted us to be involved with that. And for me, it didn't make any sense, because one minute we're called MEGADETH, then the next minute we're called DAVE MUSTAINE. It just wasn't a good idea. And we all had said, 'Hey, we're all interested if you wanna carry on the MEGADETH thing. We're not really as interested in the DAVE MUSTAINE thing.' 'Cause that just creates confusion, and I didn't wanna have anything to do with that. And then he ended up keeing the name and then the band just kept going. And it hasn't stopped ever since."

Read more... then come back and comment below.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...