DAVE MUSTAINE On Auditioning For METALLICA: “I Got The Gig Just By Warming Up”

Dave Mustaine has reflected on his early days with Metallica, revealing how his distinctive riffing style landed him the gig — and why he bristles at being labeled simply a “rhythm guitar player.”

In a January 5 interview with Premier Guitar, the Megadeth mastermind revisited his short but hugely influential tenure in Metallica between 1981 and 1983, a period that helped define the foundations of thrash metal. Though his time in the band was brief, Mustaine’s songwriting and aggressive guitar style left a lasting imprint, with material he helped write appearing on Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning — including early versions of songs that would later evolve into Megadeth classics.

Despite being widely regarded as one of metal’s greatest rhythm guitarists, Mustaine said the label doesn’t quite sit right with him. “The term ‘rhythm guitar player’ seems a little diminishing for me,” he explained. “I love the riff.”

Instead, Mustaine prefers to be known as “a guitarist that sings,” emphasizing that riffcraft — not lead guitar flashiness alone — has always been at the core of his musical identity.

Mustaine also shared a now-legendary story about how he joined Metallica after meeting 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 recalled. “But I had my style, and it was based around the riff.”

At the time, Mustaine didn’t even own the standard gear associated with aspiring metal guitar heroes. “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.”

As he plugged in and began warming up, Mustaine grew confused when no one else showed up to play. “I plugged in my guitar and I started warming up, and I kept warming up and warming up,” he said. “And I finally said, ‘Where the fuck are these guys?'”

After setting his guitar down and switching his amp to standby, Mustaine went to look for them — only to receive unexpected news. “They said, ‘You got the gig,'” he recalled. “So I got my job just by warming up.”