Dave Mustaine is internationally renowned as a metal guitarist, having co-founded band Megadeth. Before his time with Megadeth, he was the original lead guitarist for Metallica. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including a Grammy and 12 Grammy nominations.
| Net Worth: | $14 Million |
|---|---|
| Born: | September 13, 1961 |
| Origin: | La Mesa, California, United States |
| Last Updated: | 2023 |
Early life
Dave Mustaine was born in La Mesa, California to Emily Marie and John Jefferson Mustaine. His dad had French, German, Irish, and Finnish roots, and his mom was of German Jewish heritage. The Mustaine family followed the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Metallica
In 1981, Mustaine’s previous band, Panic, disbanded and he joined Metallica. Mustaine answered an ad in the paper and auditioned in front of Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield – although the two founding members of Metallica informed Mustaine he had booked the gig before he had even finished warming up. Mustaine contributed to Metallica‘s debut album: Kill ‘Em All.
In 1984, Mustaine founded Megadeth. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the “big four” of American thrash metal along with Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer, responsible for the genre’s development and popularization.
Megadeth has achieved the highest level of certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for five of its sixteen studio albums and have been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards.