Who left Metallica and started his own band?

Metallica is one of the most influential and successful heavy metal bands of all time, but it has also faced some challenges and controversies throughout its history. One of the most notable events was the departure of guitarist Dave Mustaine in 1983, who went on to form his own band, Megadeth.

Dave Mustaine joined Metallica in 1981 as the lead guitarist and co-songwriter, along with James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Ron McGovney. He contributed to the band’s first two demos, No Life ’til Leather and Metal Up Your Ass, and helped shape their early thrash metal sound. However, he also had a troubled relationship with the other members, especially Hetfield and Ulrich, due to his drug and alcohol abuse, violent behavior and creative differences.

In April 1983, while Metallica was on tour with Raven, Mustaine was fired from the band and replaced by Kirk Hammett, who had previously played in Exodus. The decision was made by Hetfield and Ulrich, who claimed that Mustaine’s erratic and aggressive conduct was jeopardizing the band’s future. Mustaine was given a bus ticket back to Los Angeles and had to leave behind his equipment and belongings.

Mustaine was devastated by his dismissal and felt betrayed by his former friends. He vowed to form a band that would be faster and heavier than Metallica, and soon recruited bassist David Ellefson, drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland. He named his new band Megadeth, inspired by a pamphlet he found on the bus that warned about the dangers of nuclear war.

Megadeth released its debut album, Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!, in 1985, followed by Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? in 1986. Both albums received critical acclaim and commercial success, establishing Megadeth as one of the leading bands in the emerging thrash metal scene. However, Mustaine also continued to struggle with substance abuse and personal issues, which led to frequent lineup changes and conflicts within the band.

Mustaine and Metallica remained rivals for many years, often exchanging insults and accusations in interviews and songs. Mustaine claimed that Metallica stole some of his riffs and lyrics for their albums Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, while Metallica mocked Mustaine’s drug problems and musical style. The feud reached its peak in 1988, when both bands were nominated for the first Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental, but lost to Jethro Tull.

In 2004, Mustaine and Metallica finally reconciled after appearing together in the documentary film Some Kind of Monster, which chronicled Metallica’s internal turmoil and therapy sessions. Mustaine expressed his gratitude for being part of Metallica’s history and apologized for his past behavior. He also joined Metallica on stage for several shows during their 30th anniversary celebration in 2011.

Today, both Metallica and Megadeth are regarded as pioneers and legends of heavy metal music, having sold millions of albums worldwide and influenced countless other bands. Dave Mustaine is widely recognized as one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of all time, as well as a survivor of addiction and cancer. He remains the leader and main creative force of Megadeth, which has released 15 studio albums to date.