"I’m not gonna let this beat me," says Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine.
As Megadeth gear up for a UK and European tour supporting Five Finger Death Punch in early 2020, frontman Dave Mustaine has spoken about his progress battling throat cancer – which he was diagnosed with earlier in the year, and has now reached "the other side of the majority of the treatment".
When asked by Rolling Stone in his first interview since the diagnosis if Dave is actually cleared to tour right now by the doctors – given that he's only just started rehabilitation following the radiation treatment – the singer admits that, "Well, they didn’t say that. But they’re freaking out over how well I’ve healed. I’ve got people around the globe praying for me. I take good care of myself, and I don’t know how anybody can expect any other outcome than this, knowing me. I never settle for anything but complete success or, in this case, victory."
Dave also takes the time to thank the outpouring of love he experienced within the scene when he first received the news back in May, confessing that "it came as quite a surprise". In fact, former Metallica bandmate James Hetfield was one of many rock stars who reached out, with Dave stating that he was "so, so happy to hear from him".
The Megadeth leader also reveals an emphatic and positive mindset that has undoubtedly helped him through this most testing of journeys: “I’m not letting the cancer get me down,” he says as he looks ahead to his return to the road. “I have to thank the fans and obviously my family and God but there was no way I was going to let this take me down. When [Black Sabbath guitarist] Tony Iommi got cancer, I thought, 'Oh, my God, he’s gonna die.' And I actually cried. I wept, because they had said it was stage 4 cancer. And then, when I got it, I thought, 'Oh, my God. I’m gonna die.' Because I didn’t know how bad it was. I thought of the fans and how sad everybody was gonna be. And I thought, 'I have to beat this.' No matter what, there’s no way I’m gonna act like I can’t do this. I can do anything if I set my mind to it."
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Catch Megadeth supporting Five Finger Death Punch European at the following:
January 2020
20 Helsinki, FI, Hartwell Arena
22 Stockholm, SE, Hovet
23 Oslo, NO, Spektrum
24 Copenhagen, DK, Royal Arena
26 Amsterdam, HL, AFAS Live
28 Paris, FR, Zenith
30 Cardiff, UK, Cardiff Arena
31 London, UK, Wembley Arena
February 2020
3 Berlin, DE, Max-Schmeling Halle
4 Hamburg, DE, Sporthalle
6 Frankfurt, DE, Festhalle
8 Oberhausen, DE, Koenig-Pilsener Arena
09 Stuttgart, DE, Schleyerhalle
10 Munich, DE, Olympiahalle
12 Warsaw, Poland, Torwar
14 Prague, CZ, Tipsport Arena
16 Milan, IT, Alcatrazz
17 Zurich, SE, Hallenstadion
19 Vienna, AT, Stadthalle
20 Budapest, HU, Budapest Sportarena
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