“We are a band again. It doesn’t feel like me and some side players”: Dave Mustaine on Megadeth guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari
Megadeth are no strangers to a line-up change. Since 1983, the thrash metal outfit has welcomed in a revolving door of musicians.
The band’s latest addition, guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, joined last September. Following Kiko Loureiro’s decision to step away from the band due to family reasons, Mäntysaari took on the role of lead guitarist – and he’s been doing a great job, according to Dave Mustaine.
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During a Loudwire Nights podcast episode, Mustaine expresses his gratitude over Megadeth’s current line-up, and says how, in his eyes, it’s the strongest Megadeth has felt in years. “We are a band again,” the frontman insists [via Blabbermouth]. “It doesn’t feel like me and some side players or session guys… I feel like Kiko did us a really huge courtesy by helping us find Teemu.”
“It was an even closer connection between me and Teemu than Kiko and I had,” he goes on to admit.
Of course, that doesn’t lessen Loureiro’s impact during his nine-year stint in Megadeth. “[Kiko and I] will always be friends,” the frontman emphasises. “But this new relationship… it harkens me back to the days when we had Marty Friedman, and the four of us actually felt like a band.”
Taking on the role of lead guitarist in Megadeth was no easy feat, but Mäntysaari has quickly proven his worth. Previously playing in Wintersun and Smackbound, the Finnish guitarist had a plethora of skills to bring to the table.
Speaking to Guitar World earlier this year, he admitted that he “never thought something like this” would happen to him “but at the same time, [he] always felt like being prepared was important in case a big band like this did call [him].”
“I have a specific skillset where I can learn fast, jump into new situations, and be comfortable,” he explained. “I’ve always liked doing that. I love teaching, and I’ve been on many cover projects, so being detail-oriented is part of my skillset.”
Speaking to Chaoszine in June, the new lead guitarist delved further into his new role. “I do wanna respect the songs… I try to play them as original as I can with my own little nuances,” he explained.
When asked which of his predecessors he struggles to emulate the most, he admits Jeff Young and Chris Poland’s riffs are his toughest challenges. “Chris Poland has a quite special style with his special intonation, very special vibrato and the whammy-bar use,” he said. “So that’s probably more out of my comfort zone, but it has also been very nice to be able to then learn some of those things.”
Mustaine has also praised Mäntysaari in conversation with YouTuber Kyle Meredith. “He’s such an amazing talent,” he asserted. “And as far as being a human is concerned, he’s a really humble guy. He’s fun to be around.”
While Loureiro’s departure was initially sold as a short leave of absence, Mustaine’s words on Loudwire Nights seem to suggest that the departure is permanent. “I thought I was gonna finish my career out with Kiko,” he says. “[But] he couldn’t tour anymore because he needed to be home for his kids.”
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