List of Megadeth band members

Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine—after he departed from Metallica—along with bassist David Ellefson, guitarist Greg Handevidt, and drummer Dijon Carruthers, in 1983.[1] Early in 1984, Megadeth recorded Last Rites, a three-song demo. The demo featured new drummer Lee Rausch.[2] Slayer guitarist Kerry King covered live dates while a permanent replacement was sought.[1] This lineup was short-lived and after a few shows in 1984, Lee Rausch was replaced by jazz fusion drummer Gar Samuelson, in addition to the second guitarist Chris Poland.[3] During Megadeth's 1985 tour promoting their debut album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, Poland left the band and was temporarily replaced by Mike Albert. Poland then rejoined Megadeth in October of the same year, shortly before they began work on Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?.[1] After years of problems stemming from substance abuse, Mustaine fired both Poland and Samuelson before recording the third album So Far, So Good... So What!, being replaced by Jeff Young and Chuck Behler, respectively.[3]

Megadeth band members

2008–2010 line-up, performing live at Metalmania in Spodek, on March 8, 2008

During their world tour in support of So Far, So Good... in February 1988, Mustaine noticed problems developing with Behler.[4] Six months later, Mustaine fired both Behler and Young.[3] In July 1989, Nick Menza was hired to replace Behler on the drums.[1] After a lengthy search for a new lead guitarist, Megadeth enlisted Marty Friedman, who officially joined in February 1990.[5] The lineup remained unchanged for almost eight years, until Menza discovered a tumor on his knee, which forced him to leave the tour to undergo surgery. He was replaced by Jimmy DeGrasso, temporarily at first. Following the Ozzfest tour in 1998, however, DeGrasso replaced Menza permanently, after Mustaine claimed that Menza had "lied about having cancer".[6] Following the release of Risk, the band began a new world tour in September 1999. Three months into the tour, Friedman announced that he would be leaving the band, citing "musical differences".[1] Megadeth enlisted guitarist Al Pitrelli as Friedman's replacement in January 2000.[1] In early 2002, Mustaine suffered several injuries, which led him to announce in a press release that Megadeth had disbanded.[7] Following nearly a year of recovery, Mustaine began work on what was to be his first solo album.[8] The new material was recorded with session musicians Vinnie Colaiuta and Jimmy Lee Sloas, but the project was put on hold when Mustaine agreed to remix and remaster Megadeth's eight-album back catalog with Capitol Records.[3]

In May 2004, Mustaine returned to his newest recordings, intended as a solo effort, but because of outstanding contractual obligations with the band's European label EMI, he was forced to release one more album under the "Megadeth" name.[8] Mustaine decided to reform the band, and contacted the Rust in Peace line-up to re-record backing tracks on his latest songs. While drummer Nick Menza initially signed on, Marty Friedman and David Ellefson were both unable to come to an agreement with Mustaine.[9] Chris Poland was hired by Mustaine to contribute only with guitar solos to the new album.[1] Megadeth began a world tour in October 2004, enlisting bassist James MacDonough and guitarist Glen Drover.[1] While in rehearsal for the tour, newly returned drummer Nick Menza once again parted ways with the band, as he was unable to prepare for the physical demands of a full U.S. tour.[10] He was replaced five days before the first show by Shawn Drover, brother of new guitarist Glen Drover. In February 2006, MacDonough left the band, citing "personal differences" for his decision, and was replaced by bassist James LoMenzo.[11] Two years later, Dave Mustaine announced that Glen Drover had quit Megadeth to focus on his family. He was replaced by Chris Broderick.[12] On February 8, 2010, David Ellefson rejoined the band, replacing James LoMenzo.[13]

In late November 2014, Shawn Drover quit the band after ten years, wanting to pursue his own musical interests. This was quickly followed by the departure of Chris Broderick, due to artistic and musical differences.[14] Ellefson denied rumors that the band would disband, and said he and Mustaine would continue working on new music.[15] In early 2015, Megadeth announced that Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro was hired as the new guitar player for the band[16] to record Megadeth's fifteenth studio album alongside Lamb of God's drummer, Chris Adler. On July 7, 2016, Soilwork's Dirk Verbeuren was announced as Megadeth's new drummer.

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Dave Mustaine	1983–2002, 2004–present	guitars, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, piano	All Megadeth releases
	David Ellefson	1983–2002, 2010–present	bass, backing vocals	All Megadeth releases from Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985) to Rude Awakening (2002), and from Rust in Peace Live (2010) to present
	Kiko Loureiro	2015–present	guitars, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano	Dystopia (2016)
	Dirk Verbeuren	2016–present, touring member early 2016	drums	none

Former

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Dijon Carruthers	1983	drums	none
	Richard Girod
	Lee Rausch	1984		Last Rites demo (1984)
	Gar Samuelson	1984–1987 (died 1999)		Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985) and Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986)
	Greg Handevidt	1983	guitars	none
	Chris Poland	1984–1985, 1985–1987, 2004 (session only)	guitars	Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985), Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986), and The System Has Failed (2004)
	Jay Reynolds	1987		none
	Chuck Behler	1987–1989	drums	So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)
	Jeff Young		guitars
	Nick Menza	1989–1998, 2004 (died 2016)	drums, backing vocals	All Megadeth releases from Rust in Peace (1990) to Cryptic Writings (1997)
	Marty Friedman	1990–2000	guitars, backing vocals	All Megadeth releases from Rust in Peace (1990) to Risk (1999)
	Jimmy DeGrasso	1998–2002	drums, backing vocals	Risk (1999), The World Needs a Hero (2001), and Rude Awakening (2002)
	Al Pitrelli	2000–2002	guitars, backing vocals	The World Needs a Hero (2001) and Rude Awakening (2002)
	Shawn Drover	2004–2014	drums	All Megadeth releases from That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires (2005) to Countdown to Extinction: Live (2013)
	Glen Drover	2004–2008	guitars, backing vocals	That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires (2005), Gigantour (2006), and United Abominations (2007)
	James MacDonough	2004–2006	bass	That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires (2005) and Gigantour (2006)
	James LoMenzo	2006–2010	bass, backing vocals	United Abominations (2007) and Endgame (2009)
	Chris Broderick	2008–2014	guitars, backing vocals	All Megadeth releases from Endgame (2009) to Super Collider (2013)
	Chris Adler	2015–2016	drums	Dystopia (2016)

Session

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Steve Jones	1988	guitar solo on "Anarchy in the U.K."	So Far, So Good... So What!
	Jimmie Wood	1994	harmonica on "Train of Consequences" and "Elysian Fields"	Youthanasia
	Heather Keckler	2001	Spoken word on "The World Needs a Hero" and "1000 Times Goodbye"	The World Needs a Hero
	Bob Findley	2001, 2013	Trumpet on "Silent Scorn", horn on "A House Divided"	The World Needs a Hero (2001), Super Collider (2013)
	Suzie Katayama	2001	strings on "Promises" and "Losing My Senses"	The World Needs a Hero
	Chris Vrenna	2001–2002	Pro Tools	The World Needs a Hero and Killing is My Business... Remastered
	Vinnie Colaiuta	2004	drums	The System Has Failed (2004)
	Jimmie Lee Sloas		bass
	Tim Akers		keyboards
	Darien Bennet		additional vocals on "Blackmail the Universe"
	Eric Darken	2004, 2016	percussion	The System Has Failed (2004), Dystopia (2016)
	Michael Davis	2004	sound effects	The System Has Failed (2004)
	Lance Dean		additional vocals
	Scott Harrison
	Charlie Judge		keyboards
	Celeste Amber Montague		additional vocals on "Blackmail the Universe"
	Justis Mustaine		backing spoken word vocals
	Ralph Patlan		additional vocals, spoken word
	Chris Rodriguez	2004–2011, 2016	background vocals	The System Has Failed (2004), United Abominations (2007), Endgame (2009), Thirteen (2011), Dystopia (2016)
	Robert Venable	2004	additional vocals	The System Has Failed (2004)
	Jonathan Yudkin		strings, banjo
	Axel Mackenrott	2007	keyboards	United Abominations (2007)
	Cristina Scabbia		backing vocals on "À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)"
	Brett Caldas-Lima		spoken word vocals on "United Abominations"
	Marie Soler
	Chris Clancy	2009	backing vocals	Endgame (2009)
	Mark Newby-Robson		keyboards on "The Hardest Part of Letting Go...Sealed with a Kiss"
	David Draiman	2013	vocals on "Dance in the Rain"	Super Collider (2013)
	Yao Zhao		cello on "Dance in the Rain"
	Tom Cunningham		Fiddle on "The Blackest Crow", violin on "Dance in the Rain"
	The Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band (Brian Costello, Sean Costello, Mary Kate Peterson)		bagpipes on "Built for War"
	Electra Mustaine		backing vocals on "Forget to Remember" and "Beginning of Sorrow"
	Sarah Phelps		backing vocals on "Beginning of Sorrow"
	Willie Gee		guest speaker on "The Blackest Crow"
	Charlie Judge	2016	orchestra & arrangements on "Poisonous Shadows"	Dystopia (2016)
	Farah Siraj		vocals on "The Threat Is Real" and "Poisonous Shadows"
	Miles Doleac		voiceover in "Conquer or Die!"
	Blair Masters		keyboards, programming

Live

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Kerry King	1984	guitars	none
	Mike Albert	1985
	Tony Laureano	2015–2016	drums

Recording timeline

Role	Album
	Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985)	Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986)	So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)	Rust in Peace (1990)	Countdown to Extinction (1992)	Youthanasia (1994)	Cryptic Writings (1997)	Risk (1999)	The World Needs a Hero (2001)	The System Has Failed (2004)	United Abominations (2007)	Endgame (2009)	Thirteen (2011)	Super Collider (2013)	Dystopia (2016)
Guitars/Lead Vocals	Dave Mustaine
Bass	David Ellefson									Jimmie Lee Sloas	James LoMenzo		David Ellefson
Guitars	Chris Poland		Jeff Young	Marty Friedman					Al Pitrelli	Chris Poland	Glen Drover	Chris Broderick			Kiko Loureiro
Drums	Gar Samuelson		Chuck Behler	Nick Menza				Jimmy DeGrasso		Vinnie Colaiuta	Shawn Drover				Chris Adler

Timeline

References

General

• "Timeline of the band's history". Megadeth.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
• "Band lineups". Megadeth.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2009.

Specific

1. "Timeline of the band's history". Megadeth.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
2. "Megadeth.com – History". Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Megadeth Biography". AllMusic. TiVo Corporation. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
4. Doreian, Robyn (September 1990). "The Big Four". Hot Metal Magazine. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
5. Stix, John (1990). "A Founding Forefather of Thrash". Guitar for the Practicing Musician. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
6. "An Ugly American". March 2001. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
7. "Dave Mustaine suffers serious injury, announces departure from Megadeth; Group disbanding after nearly 20 years together" (Press release). Megadeth.com. April 3, 2002. Archived from the original on October 21, 2006. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
8. Nalbandian, Bob. "Dave Mustaine Interview, Pt. 6". HardRadio. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
9. Nalbandian, Bob. "Dave Mustaine Interview, Pt. 2". HardRadio. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
10. "Megadeth Tour Manager Talks About Drummer Nick Menza's Departure". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. November 5, 2004. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
11. "Ex-Megadeth Bassist MacDonough: 'There Is No Animosity Here'". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. February 20, 2006. Archived from the original on July 10, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
12. "Gigantour 2008 North American tour dates announced; Megadeth to headline bill with In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job for a Cowboy and High on Fire" (Press release). Megadeth.com. January 14, 2008. Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
13. "Bassist David Ellefson Returns To Megadeth Line-Up" (Press release). Megadeth.com. February 8, 2010. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
14. Kielty, Martin (November 26, 2014). "Broderick & Drover Quit Megadeth". Classic Rock. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
15. Kaufman, Spencer (December 2, 2014). "Megadeth's David Ellefson: We Are Not Disbanding". Loudwire. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
16. "Kiko Loureiro joins Megadeth". Loudwire. Megadeth. April 2, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.

External links

• Official website