Before building his legendary career with Slayer, Kerry King briefly joined Megadeth in 1984, playing with the band during his first five shows as second guitarist. In a recent interview with Metal HammerKing spoke about what Megadeth could have become if he had continued to collaborate with Dave Mustaine. Although his time with Megadeth was short, King revealed that the experience wasn’t bad, but that the group’s substance abuse at the time wasn’t what he wanted. .
An aborted collaboration with Megadeth
In a question-and-answer session with readers of Metal HammerKerry King explained: “I almost was in Megadeth. I think if Dave Mustaine and I could have coexisted for four years, it would have been a very different band. I’m not saying I would have made them better – I would have made them different.” This statement is intriguing, because it raises questions about the musical evolution that the group could have followed with King’s influence.
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A love for Mercyful Fate and Judas Priest
During the interview, King also shared his thoughts on other bands he would have liked to play with. A big fan of Mercyful Fate, he tells a funny anecdote: “I was backstage at a Mercyful Fate concert in Las Vegas and I told Hank Shermann [guitariste] : ‘I thought you would come get me.’ And there, I saw his astonishment. ‘It never crossed my mind!’” King adds that playing with this group would have been a dream for him.
Furthermore, he talks about his admiration for Judas Priest and the idea of playing with them when Richie Faulkner was temporarily absent. King explains: “They considered playing with just one guitarist, and if I had been asked, I don’t think I would have been able to accept, because Judas Priest relies so much on their guitar duo. Luckily they never asked me, but if they had, I think it would have been the hardest ‘no’ of my life.”
Megadeth’s Perspective Revisited
Kerry King has often been asked about his short time with Megadeth, most notably during a 2015 interview with Loudwire. He spoke of his initial interest in the band, being fascinated by the style of Dave Mustaine, whom he had discovered at a Metallica concert. “He played like no other, and I found it incredible. When I heard that Dave was looking for a guitarist for Megadeth, I thought it was an opportunity to learn a lot,” he explained.
However, King quickly realized that staying in Megadeth wasn’t right for him: “I don’t know how anyone can stay in Megadeth for more than a few hours, this guy is crazy.” For King, the differences in styles between the two musicians and Mustaine’s complex personality made this collaboration difficult to achieve.
