Megadeth - Washington Is Next

There aren’t many things in the world of rock and metal that make for more interesting reading than the storied history of Megadeth and their only remaining founding member Dave Mustaine. From his beginnings as a Pete Best type figure as the lead guitarist for Metallica until he was booted for drug and alcohol abuse, to his long, long list of both controversies and more alcohol abuse, it’s safe to say that both the band and more pertinently the man are mired in some amount of spotlight, for better or worse. All of which led to being considered one of the legendary big four in the world of thrash metal. So, hey, party on, kids! But seriously, don’t be a Dave Mustaine.

While we’re on the topic, let’s take a slightly closer look at the band that have sprung forth from all that excitement. After Mustaine’s unceremonious exit from Metallica in 1981, Megadeth was born in ’83 with bassist Dave Ellefson, out of frustration at a succession of failed vocalist gigs. Now, after over forty years, the band have had numerous iterations; Megadeth have had more stars grace their line-up over the years than an all celebrity astronomy lab, with names ranging from Kerry King of Slayer fame to Chris Adler, formerly of Lamb of God. Despite this revolving door of musicians, the band have not only maintained a remarkably consistent sound, but their themes with Mustaine at the helm have stayed true to the course too.

Which brings us neatly onto this, our hallowed selection for the Rock Song of the Week, Washington is Next, a punchy, no-holds barred anthem that balances Megadeth’s usual sound – both somehow clean and slightly grungy all at once – with a good old fashioned rant against the American Way of the time that is such a big part of Mustaine’s toolkit. And when that tempo ramps up for the guitar solo? Hold onto your hats, boys and girls, because it’s a doozy.

So, we’ll leave you with the music for this week; as always, enjoy this loud and, as always, you’re welcome!