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Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece
FEATURING A FOREWORD BY SLASH
A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE MAKING OF MEGADETH'S ICONIC RECORD, RUST IN PEACE , BY THE BAND'S LEAD VOCALIST AND GUITARIST
When Rust in Peace was released in 1990, the future of Megadeth was uncertain. Fresh off their performance at the record-breaking Monsters of Rock festival, and with knockout new albums from Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica dominating the charts, the pressure to produce a standout statement record was higher than ever.
In Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece, the band's leadvocalist and guitarist, Dave Mustaine, gives readers a never-before-seen glimpse into the artistry andinsanity that went into making the band'smost iconic record. He recounts the arduoustask of hiring the band and supportingcast, of managing egos and extra curricularsduring the album's ensuing success,and succumbing to the pressures of fameand fortune-which eventually forced theband to break up.
And yet, Megadeth's demise was just the beginning; the birth pangs of the record were nothing compared to what came next. Alcohol, drugs, sex, money, power, property, prestige, the lies fed to the band by the industry--and the lies they told each other-threatened to eat away at the band's bond like rust, devouring it until only the music survived.
A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE MAKING OF MEGADETH'S ICONIC RECORD, RUST IN PEACE , BY THE BAND'S LEAD VOCALIST AND GUITARIST
When Rust in Peace was released in 1990, the future of Megadeth was uncertain. Fresh off their performance at the record-breaking Monsters of Rock festival, and with knockout new albums from Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica dominating the charts, the pressure to produce a standout statement record was higher than ever.
In Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece, the band's leadvocalist and guitarist, Dave Mustaine, gives readers a never-before-seen glimpse into the artistry andinsanity that went into making the band'smost iconic record. He recounts the arduoustask of hiring the band and supportingcast, of managing egos and extra curricularsduring the album's ensuing success,and succumbing to the pressures of fameand fortune-which eventually forced theband to break up.
And yet, Megadeth's demise was just the beginning; the birth pangs of the record were nothing compared to what came next. Alcohol, drugs, sex, money, power, property, prestige, the lies fed to the band by the industry--and the lies they told each other-threatened to eat away at the band's bond like rust, devouring it until only the music survived.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2020
86 people are currently reading
674 people want to read
About the author
Dave Mustaine
19 books149 followersDavid Scott Mustaine is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. He is best known as the co-founder, guitarist, and lead singer of the American thrash metal band Megadeth, and well known as the original lead guitarist for the American thrash metal band Metallica.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
September 15, 2020
Meh. Just some people arguing with each other. A few tidbits for hard core fans, which I am one but still..... Reading this lowers my respect for any of these guys. No thought for the fans in this one, just measuring egos. Thank goodness it's short. My advice: Write songs not books.
August 9, 2025
Rust In Peace, the album, is phenomenal. It’s a thrash juggernaut, with insane, buzzsaw riffage (courtesy of Dave Mustaine, whose guitar snarls like a wild animal), exotic, beautiful, eastern-tinged solos (courtesy of ex-Cacophony shredder Marty Friedman), a swinging, tight rhythm section (Ellefson and Menza), interesting lyrical themes, and rhythmic and melodic hooks aplenty. Hell, even the vocals are good, which is unusual for Mustaine. It’s a fabulous album which I bought in 1990 and have never stopped listening to or (trying to) play along to. For me it’s better than Reign in Blood, perhaps even better than Ride The Lightning and …And Justice for All. In the thrash pantheon it’s bested only by Master of Puppets. Make no mistake, it’s fantastic, and Mustaine is a genius.
Rust In Peace, the book, is woeful. To be honest, I didn’t expect much, having read Mustaine, Dave’s previous memoir (inexplicably a NYT bestseller). The joke is on me for buying this new offering, but I can’t help myself, when it comes to Rust In Peace I have to read everything. But come on, man! Not only does this book fail to do the album justice, it actually demeans the experience of hearing the album. Megadeth was always supposed to be the thinking person’s metal band but Dave’s descriptions of the genesis of his songs reveal him to be a moronic ignoramus (see: Holy Wars). His narcissism is on full display here too: Dave is virtually the only person who can make Trump look humble. As a case in point, consider his description of Friedman’s guitar skills. Mustaine admits that he was intimidated by Marty’s ability, so much so that he bought heroin and ended up back in rehab (I found this pretty fascinating). But he just can’t help himself – rather than just admit that Marty is a preternaturally gifted player, he has to shore up his own ego by putting Marty down: “granted, he was really good at lead, but he was not a well-rounded player; not a rhythmic-lead-acoustic-electric-songwriter-lyric-writer-producer-engineer. He was not all these things. He was only a lead guitar player…” (p. 81).
These excursions into Mustaine’s psyche are at least interesting (if predictable), but perhaps the biggest sin is that the book is boring. Truth be told, there really isn’t that much of an interesting story behind the making of Rust in Peace. It’s mostly a bunch of disjointed, vague recollections from various producers and engineers. The second biggest sin is that the writing is awful. And it’s ghost-written! I don’t see how it could have been any worse if Mustaine had written it all himself. Sample line: “I still wonder in wondrous wonder what it would have been like with Vinnie and Darrell.” Jesus. And while we’re on the topic of Pantera, let me get one last grievance off my chest: the book lacks basic fact-checking. I realise this is hardly The New Yorker, but still a little attention to detail wouldn’t go astray. On page 24 Mustaine recounts how he tried to get Diamond Darrell in the band: “We needed a guitar player. I called Dimebag Darrell Abbott from Pantera. We knew each other from touring together. The guy had one of my lyrics tattooed on his leg.” Now, this presumably takes place in late 1988 (according to the chronology of the book). It must have taken place before February 1990, which is when Friedman joined the band. But the lyric Diamond Darrell has tattooed on his leg turns out to be from Sweating Bullets, which is on Countdown to Extinction (released years later in July 1992). So there’s no way Diamond Darrell can have had this lyric tatttoed on his leg at the point Mustaine suggests he did.
Bottom line: this book is shoddily written, boring and inaccurate (even Slash’s “foreword” sounds literally phoned in: Slash didn’t bother to write it himself, and he talks more about Peace Sells than Rust in Peace). I wouldn’t care, but the album is just such an exciting, intelligent, landmark effort that it would be great to have a book that didn’t confirm all the obvious stereotypes of 80s metallers: that they’re egotistical and thick. This is a sadly missed opportunity.
Rust In Peace, the book, is woeful. To be honest, I didn’t expect much, having read Mustaine, Dave’s previous memoir (inexplicably a NYT bestseller). The joke is on me for buying this new offering, but I can’t help myself, when it comes to Rust In Peace I have to read everything. But come on, man! Not only does this book fail to do the album justice, it actually demeans the experience of hearing the album. Megadeth was always supposed to be the thinking person’s metal band but Dave’s descriptions of the genesis of his songs reveal him to be a moronic ignoramus (see: Holy Wars). His narcissism is on full display here too: Dave is virtually the only person who can make Trump look humble. As a case in point, consider his description of Friedman’s guitar skills. Mustaine admits that he was intimidated by Marty’s ability, so much so that he bought heroin and ended up back in rehab (I found this pretty fascinating). But he just can’t help himself – rather than just admit that Marty is a preternaturally gifted player, he has to shore up his own ego by putting Marty down: “granted, he was really good at lead, but he was not a well-rounded player; not a rhythmic-lead-acoustic-electric-songwriter-lyric-writer-producer-engineer. He was not all these things. He was only a lead guitar player…” (p. 81).
These excursions into Mustaine’s psyche are at least interesting (if predictable), but perhaps the biggest sin is that the book is boring. Truth be told, there really isn’t that much of an interesting story behind the making of Rust in Peace. It’s mostly a bunch of disjointed, vague recollections from various producers and engineers. The second biggest sin is that the writing is awful. And it’s ghost-written! I don’t see how it could have been any worse if Mustaine had written it all himself. Sample line: “I still wonder in wondrous wonder what it would have been like with Vinnie and Darrell.” Jesus. And while we’re on the topic of Pantera, let me get one last grievance off my chest: the book lacks basic fact-checking. I realise this is hardly The New Yorker, but still a little attention to detail wouldn’t go astray. On page 24 Mustaine recounts how he tried to get Diamond Darrell in the band: “We needed a guitar player. I called Dimebag Darrell Abbott from Pantera. We knew each other from touring together. The guy had one of my lyrics tattooed on his leg.” Now, this presumably takes place in late 1988 (according to the chronology of the book). It must have taken place before February 1990, which is when Friedman joined the band. But the lyric Diamond Darrell has tattooed on his leg turns out to be from Sweating Bullets, which is on Countdown to Extinction (released years later in July 1992). So there’s no way Diamond Darrell can have had this lyric tatttoed on his leg at the point Mustaine suggests he did.
Bottom line: this book is shoddily written, boring and inaccurate (even Slash’s “foreword” sounds literally phoned in: Slash didn’t bother to write it himself, and he talks more about Peace Sells than Rust in Peace). I wouldn’t care, but the album is just such an exciting, intelligent, landmark effort that it would be great to have a book that didn’t confirm all the obvious stereotypes of 80s metallers: that they’re egotistical and thick. This is a sadly missed opportunity.
December 1, 2020
Barely a book. A collection of magazine-style interviews conducted by Joel Selvin...why is Mustaine credited as the author? Ironic that he dismisses all 3 bandmates' claims that he unfairly took their songwriting credit on tracks they helped write (all but two are credited to only him), when he does the same thing again here. His ego is massive.
He also says in the beginning Ellefson has the most reliable memory, but then each time something negative about himself is brought up, and only then, he suddenly disagrees with his version of events.
Maybe 25% is about creating the music. The rest is drug stories and petty ego measuring, complete with overlong interviews with Dave's wife about their relationship...? No other members' wives are interviewed, just his. It all comes off like one big ego trip.
He also says in the beginning Ellefson has the most reliable memory, but then each time something negative about himself is brought up, and only then, he suddenly disagrees with his version of events.
Maybe 25% is about creating the music. The rest is drug stories and petty ego measuring, complete with overlong interviews with Dave's wife about their relationship...? No other members' wives are interviewed, just his. It all comes off like one big ego trip.
September 10, 2020
It's written more as an oral history from the perspective of the people involved, and as a Megadeth fan it's a must read. Even if you're not a fan, trying to figure out how they survived 1988 and 1989 is worth the effort.
September 20, 2020
I liked that the book dealt with the build up to the album and not just the making of it. I also liked that it even covered some of the writing of "Countdown To Extinction." There were definitely a LOT of drugs involved. Heh heh.
I'm not quite sure how the book gets credited to Dave Mustaine but not the rest of the guys. The book reads like a long magazine interview because it is made up of interviews with the other members. Therefore, Dave and Marty wrote their parts. Maybe Dave organized everything.
I'm not quite sure how the book gets credited to Dave Mustaine but not the rest of the guys. The book reads like a long magazine interview because it is made up of interviews with the other members. Therefore, Dave and Marty wrote their parts. Maybe Dave organized everything.
August 6, 2023
When it comes to art, I most respect dedication and passion. The troubled production of Megadeth's Rust in Peace album shows that they are not needed for greatness. The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece is less the story of writing songs than it is about getting clean.
To be honest, I was surprised just by how much the story was about drugs. Sure, it's nonfiction about a popular heavy metal act, so you should expect your fair share of sex, drugs & rock'n'roll. Actually, the entire first half of the book was on various drugs and alcohol related failures and how Dave and "Junior" got into the habit of complementing their regular cocaine use with snorting heroin.
It's amazing to think that this turned out to be a success story. Chuck Behler and Jeff Young, who played on So Far, So Good... So What!, had to be replaced and it took a very long time to fill the guitar position. As the book makes clear, in some respects Marty Friedman wasn't the perfect fit for the band, but he sure know how to play. But it was a long way until then. For a long time it feels the guys were content with carefree jamming (noticably with Slash from Guns n’ Roses). It was only when their record company threatened them to be dropped that they got their shit together. Well, it took many more returns to rehab until Dave took it seriously on a personal level.
The actual recording session is even more puzzling. The songs certainly weren't the result of continuous hard work. Did they come out of nowhere in a spontaneous outburst of creativity? Before entering the studio Ellefson wondered whether he could even play soberly. Mustaine had a relapse and left again early on. In fact, he was in rehab for most of the recording. Yet, what came out at the end was easily their best album (even though I shamefully admit that I love Youthanasia).
I find it quite interesting how they themselves interpret their history. To their minds the album was conceived in their darkest moments and recorded when they sorted things out. Frankly,, that's not really how they told the story. Actually, the disputes over who wrote the songs and who deserves what (not the least financially) were particularly noteworthy. It must require quite the ego to claim it's your album when you had hardly been in the studio. Similarly, I thought it was kind of funny that the book is published with Mustaine as its writer when clearly – and explicitly – the story is told by many different voices.
It's not a very exciting story and it might even leave you somewhat disillusioned about the creation of powerful art, but it certainly feels like a very honest account of what happened at the time. It moreover offers great insights into the big-money show biz before grunge fully took over. The portrayal of the different characters involved is perhaps the strongest aspect of the book. However, as a fan of the music I hoped to learn a bit more about how it came to be. But maybe that's the point – it somehow came to be when the originators had been preoccupied with their own personal demons.
Rating: 3/5
To be honest, I was surprised just by how much the story was about drugs. Sure, it's nonfiction about a popular heavy metal act, so you should expect your fair share of sex, drugs & rock'n'roll. Actually, the entire first half of the book was on various drugs and alcohol related failures and how Dave and "Junior" got into the habit of complementing their regular cocaine use with snorting heroin.
It's amazing to think that this turned out to be a success story. Chuck Behler and Jeff Young, who played on So Far, So Good... So What!, had to be replaced and it took a very long time to fill the guitar position. As the book makes clear, in some respects Marty Friedman wasn't the perfect fit for the band, but he sure know how to play. But it was a long way until then. For a long time it feels the guys were content with carefree jamming (noticably with Slash from Guns n’ Roses). It was only when their record company threatened them to be dropped that they got their shit together. Well, it took many more returns to rehab until Dave took it seriously on a personal level.
The actual recording session is even more puzzling. The songs certainly weren't the result of continuous hard work. Did they come out of nowhere in a spontaneous outburst of creativity? Before entering the studio Ellefson wondered whether he could even play soberly. Mustaine had a relapse and left again early on. In fact, he was in rehab for most of the recording. Yet, what came out at the end was easily their best album (even though I shamefully admit that I love Youthanasia).
I find it quite interesting how they themselves interpret their history. To their minds the album was conceived in their darkest moments and recorded when they sorted things out. Frankly,, that's not really how they told the story. Actually, the disputes over who wrote the songs and who deserves what (not the least financially) were particularly noteworthy. It must require quite the ego to claim it's your album when you had hardly been in the studio. Similarly, I thought it was kind of funny that the book is published with Mustaine as its writer when clearly – and explicitly – the story is told by many different voices.
It's not a very exciting story and it might even leave you somewhat disillusioned about the creation of powerful art, but it certainly feels like a very honest account of what happened at the time. It moreover offers great insights into the big-money show biz before grunge fully took over. The portrayal of the different characters involved is perhaps the strongest aspect of the book. However, as a fan of the music I hoped to learn a bit more about how it came to be. But maybe that's the point – it somehow came to be when the originators had been preoccupied with their own personal demons.
Rating: 3/5
March 15, 2021
Rust in Peace was one of the first ever metal albums I listened to, and it has stuck with me for all these years. It is the pinnacle of Megadeth's creativity, technicality and energy. It's just such a fun, adrenaline-fueled record. Rust in Peace is truly a masterpiece of the thrash metal genre and is a perfect example of all that it stands for. So I was really looking forward to reading the history pertaining to its creation.
Well...
First off, we have Slash's foreword, which is sloppy and off-the-point. It serves no real purpose, and he didn't even put in the effort to write it himself. But I guess it perfectly sets the tone for this book.
It's basically just a bunch of egotistical assholes arguing. This was a huge disappointment, because I have always looked up to these guys. It made me lose a lot of the respect I had for them, especially Dave Mustaine. And why is he even credited as the author of this book?? Because he wrote that one chapter about his lyrics? It just serves as further proof of Mustaine's narcissism (as if I needed any more after reading this book).
What's worse is that I feel like I could never enjoy this album to its fullest ever again. It was horrifying to learn that Holy Wars - Megadeth's most popular song and the intense, politically-charged opening number of this album - was conceived as a direct result of Mustaine's ignorance and brainlessness.
This book is a shoddily-written messy pile of boring, arrogant garbage. You know what? I'd rather listen to Risk and Super Collider back to back for the rest of my life than re-read this.
Well...
First off, we have Slash's foreword, which is sloppy and off-the-point. It serves no real purpose, and he didn't even put in the effort to write it himself. But I guess it perfectly sets the tone for this book.
It's basically just a bunch of egotistical assholes arguing. This was a huge disappointment, because I have always looked up to these guys. It made me lose a lot of the respect I had for them, especially Dave Mustaine. And why is he even credited as the author of this book?? Because he wrote that one chapter about his lyrics? It just serves as further proof of Mustaine's narcissism (as if I needed any more after reading this book).
What's worse is that I feel like I could never enjoy this album to its fullest ever again. It was horrifying to learn that Holy Wars - Megadeth's most popular song and the intense, politically-charged opening number of this album - was conceived as a direct result of Mustaine's ignorance and brainlessness.
This book is a shoddily-written messy pile of boring, arrogant garbage. You know what? I'd rather listen to Risk and Super Collider back to back for the rest of my life than re-read this.
January 8, 2023
My 5 stars is obligatory because I'm a super fan of all things megadeth. I've read Dave's autobiography, and loved it. Megadeth is the band that inspired me to play guitar, and shaped me as a musician. Rust in peace is an iconic record, and sadly this taints some of the magic.
With that said, reading this was painful. Most of these stories are not new, if you've seen the Vh1 behind the music, Arsenal of Megadeth, etc. But the perspective is so bitter. Mustaine is what he is and people love him or hate him. But something about this book makes the entire cast of players seem as equally unlikable. Marty seems like a greedy douche in this and I never got that impression of the rest of his body of work. But in his own words "money money money". Obviously, career musicians have to pay the bills. But it breaks the illusion that it's about musical integrity.
this was a well constructed look in to the bands past. The first half of the book is pretty much all about drug addiction, I don't know how any of them were functional human beings. The highlight though for me, is the breakdown of the lyrical inspiration for each track. I learned that Dave drew inspiration from 1984, the punisher, Timecop, and a fantasy novel called Master of the five Magics. This section of the book was the strongest in my opinion.
Out side of that, its mostly drama. With that being said though. At least it seems authentic, nobody is trying to hide anything or make them selves seem like they were the white knight during it all. All the contributors seem aware of the role they played, good and bad.
As I said, It taints a bit of the magic of the album for me. Some stuff I was better off not knowing. Still, the end result is undeniably incredible. Credit to this book for its honesty!
With that said, reading this was painful. Most of these stories are not new, if you've seen the Vh1 behind the music, Arsenal of Megadeth, etc. But the perspective is so bitter. Mustaine is what he is and people love him or hate him. But something about this book makes the entire cast of players seem as equally unlikable. Marty seems like a greedy douche in this and I never got that impression of the rest of his body of work. But in his own words "money money money". Obviously, career musicians have to pay the bills. But it breaks the illusion that it's about musical integrity.
this was a well constructed look in to the bands past. The first half of the book is pretty much all about drug addiction, I don't know how any of them were functional human beings. The highlight though for me, is the breakdown of the lyrical inspiration for each track. I learned that Dave drew inspiration from 1984, the punisher, Timecop, and a fantasy novel called Master of the five Magics. This section of the book was the strongest in my opinion.
Out side of that, its mostly drama. With that being said though. At least it seems authentic, nobody is trying to hide anything or make them selves seem like they were the white knight during it all. All the contributors seem aware of the role they played, good and bad.
As I said, It taints a bit of the magic of the album for me. Some stuff I was better off not knowing. Still, the end result is undeniably incredible. Credit to this book for its honesty!
September 9, 2020
A fascinating behind the curtains tale about the making of the legendary album Rust in Peace, by Megadeth. The story does have a heavy emphasis on the drug use and abuse during the making of the album, therefore the book might not be suitable for all. Dave does tell the story from a fascinating point of view, and the audiobook is engrossing and tells a compelling story.
Would definitely recommend the audiobook, for anyone interested in thrash metal and/or Megadeth :)
Would definitely recommend the audiobook, for anyone interested in thrash metal and/or Megadeth :)
August 22, 2024
Usually, when you become a fan of a band, you start by their songs, mostly listening to its discography, searching for the ones that you love the most. Then you have your favorites along with some albums, and then you discover their history. Now if you are lucky you can attend a concert and have the whole experience.
In my case with Megadeth was kind of the opposite, I knew about them but only discovered their music and their history just before a concert they announced in my country.
This book is a breif, yet touching and personal record of testimonials coming from the band members back then, talking about how dark it was that time and how they managed to release such a masterpiece as Rust in piece.
As a metal fan and now a Megadeth fan, this is a good reading for you to discover what happened behind the scenes and the achievement that album meant for the band!
In my case with Megadeth was kind of the opposite, I knew about them but only discovered their music and their history just before a concert they announced in my country.
This book is a breif, yet touching and personal record of testimonials coming from the band members back then, talking about how dark it was that time and how they managed to release such a masterpiece as Rust in piece.
As a metal fan and now a Megadeth fan, this is a good reading for you to discover what happened behind the scenes and the achievement that album meant for the band!
August 21, 2023
I found a lot of the things people are criticizing this book for to be the bits that made it enjoyable for me. Is it mostly a bunch of guys arguing? Sure. Do they all recall things just a little differently? You betcha. Does Mustaine have an ego the size of Texas? Hell yes he does. This is nothing new. I listened to the audiobook while I read along and perused the pictures. It was very podcast-like and I really enjoyed it. This Megadeth megafan didn’t learn anything new, but it was a fun read regardless.
January 17, 2021
A must read for a Megadeth fan. Truthfully, the only reason this didn't get a 5 is because it's under 200 pages. I could have read twice as much on this iconic band and record. I honestly wish Dave would consider writing a book like this for each of the first 6 Megadeth records. Despite the short length, a worthwhile read.
November 2, 2020
Audiobook version: This was good, but felt an awful lot more like a bunch of interviews than a cohesive book. Enjoyable all the same.
January 17, 2021
Interesting story about one of the best metal albums of all time.
May 11, 2021
Meh, read this in a day because I was bored. A lot of contradictions and lies, nothing new. It's tolerable if you're a fan though.
April 17, 2021
A cash in. This is an excellent album and a favourite of mine, but the stories behind the songs just aren't really that interesting, and in some cases the inspiration is lunkheaded (Holy Wars). The book is written from interviews, but the band members (especially Mustaine) come across as very literal-minded and unaware of themselves. Mustaine's lack of awareness and general douchiness results in some telling and funny moments, but the effect was likely unintentional because it's not milked enough in this book. This book could have gunned for a "Some Kind of Monster" angle, but it does not.
The book is also padded out by unnecessary information, and the band's rampant drug use at the time is skimmed over and not presented with any sense of self-reflection and gravitas. Slash's intro is phoned in (did it take him 5 minutes to write that?) and the addendum about the 20th anniversary Rust in Peace tour is hardly necessary either.
Fans of the band and album will buy this, but this is a waste of print.
The book is also padded out by unnecessary information, and the band's rampant drug use at the time is skimmed over and not presented with any sense of self-reflection and gravitas. Slash's intro is phoned in (did it take him 5 minutes to write that?) and the addendum about the 20th anniversary Rust in Peace tour is hardly necessary either.
Fans of the band and album will buy this, but this is a waste of print.
September 11, 2020
If you are contemplating reading this book, and therefore reading this review, you are A. A heavy metal fan. B. A Megadeth fan or like me C. A Marty Friedman fan (or one of the other three).
First and foremost, this is not a literary masterpiece, but you expected that. In fact, this book is a conversation by all parties involved, spliced together in chronological order. There are big advantages in presenting it this way, in that each subject can discuss the moments, in their own words. But that also means that the book lacks some depth because there is no uniform voice telling the overall story. This is Mustaine's book (as is Megadeth itself) and he gets to respond to comments by others he doesn't agree with. The irony is he adamant in the book that the other members did not 'write' the songs, no different here, without their voices he could not have 'written' this book! LOL.
The story itself is interesting on so many levels. From the personal problems, to drug use, to the quest for sobriety, Rust in Peace the album, is merely the backdrop for a study on the human condition. It is divided into three sections. Before, during, and after with a section in the middle explaining the origins of each songs, which I thought was quite interesting.
There are tons of insight on all the events leading up to recording, but what I found most interesting was the discussion, toward the end of the book, where a reunion of the iconic four, was attempted (again) with some revealing comments by the three remaining members, regarding this near miss.
If you ask me, those four Mustaine, Ellefson, Friedman and Menza ARE Megadeth. Every version before, or since, has been fantastic in their own way, but the chemistry between those four was sublime, and to read how close things were to getting the four of them together again (not that long ago) was great. If you like Megadeth, then you are going to read this no matter what anyone says. So... what are you waiting for!
First and foremost, this is not a literary masterpiece, but you expected that. In fact, this book is a conversation by all parties involved, spliced together in chronological order. There are big advantages in presenting it this way, in that each subject can discuss the moments, in their own words. But that also means that the book lacks some depth because there is no uniform voice telling the overall story. This is Mustaine's book (as is Megadeth itself) and he gets to respond to comments by others he doesn't agree with. The irony is he adamant in the book that the other members did not 'write' the songs, no different here, without their voices he could not have 'written' this book! LOL.
The story itself is interesting on so many levels. From the personal problems, to drug use, to the quest for sobriety, Rust in Peace the album, is merely the backdrop for a study on the human condition. It is divided into three sections. Before, during, and after with a section in the middle explaining the origins of each songs, which I thought was quite interesting.
There are tons of insight on all the events leading up to recording, but what I found most interesting was the discussion, toward the end of the book, where a reunion of the iconic four, was attempted (again) with some revealing comments by the three remaining members, regarding this near miss.
If you ask me, those four Mustaine, Ellefson, Friedman and Menza ARE Megadeth. Every version before, or since, has been fantastic in their own way, but the chemistry between those four was sublime, and to read how close things were to getting the four of them together again (not that long ago) was great. If you like Megadeth, then you are going to read this no matter what anyone says. So... what are you waiting for!
September 20, 2020
I enjoyed this, though I felt like I'd gleaned a good deal of it from Mystaine's previous book. But I dug getting more of the backstory of the Rust In Peace record. Personally, Symphony of Destruction is my favorite Megadeth album. It was my first introduction to the band. (And all these years later it's also the perfect soundtrack to the horror show of America under Trump.) I bought Rust In Peace after Symphony. I remember opening the CD case & seeing the black & yellow radioactive symbol & it felt kind of dangerous and subversive. I still love that about metal, which is why I've listened to virtually nothing else since 2016. Because no other music makes sense while we slide into fascism.
April 26, 2025
kocham te plyte i w ekspresowym tempie hapsnelam wszystkie mozliwe smaczki
September 11, 2020
One of my all time favorite albums. This book didn't really change my opinion of the music at all. I mean, am I surprised that they were on so much coke and heroin? No. The main takeaway I got from this, is that money kills everything. I'm glad they were able to get Marty's comments, and was a little surprised by all that negative comments about Mustaine (but I mean, not really). Mostly surprised that Mustaine kept them in there, which actually made it a really interesting and honest read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2022
It is quite a casual piece of musical literature but I really enjoyed the fact that not only Mustaine expressed his feelings about the atmosphere in the band during Rust In Peace creation, but also the other band members and crew who made this masterpiece happen.
Not the most elegant and sophisticated writing, but it doesn't claim to be such. I liked it, it was an easy yet exciting read.
It is weird to me, though, that even though many people involved are a part of this book, only Mustaine is the author of this book, as with the band's songs ;). But that's a whole another story.
Not the most elegant and sophisticated writing, but it doesn't claim to be such. I liked it, it was an easy yet exciting read.
It is weird to me, though, that even though many people involved are a part of this book, only Mustaine is the author of this book, as with the band's songs ;). But that's a whole another story.
September 16, 2020
Only Mustaine could be credited as an author to an oral history book that Joel Selvin had all the work transcribing and editing.
Makes you wonder if the songwriting credits for Rust in Peace are indeed all his, or as the rest of the band intended.
Makes you wonder if the songwriting credits for Rust in Peace are indeed all his, or as the rest of the band intended.
April 28, 2021
When an album is as fantastic and ground-breaking as “Rust in Peace,” Megadeth’s 1990 masterpiece, it deserves its own book. This is a must-read for fans of Megadeth or fans of heavy metal in general. All the members of the band share their thoughts and perspectives on the making of “Rust in Peace,” leading to a well-rounded picture of how the album was brought to life.
Megadeth has always been Dave Mustaine’s band, and it’s easy to see why. His genius, drive, and iron will was (is) what made the band possible. On “Rust in Peace” it was no different, but what the other band members brought to the table was essential in rounding out what is clearly one of top thrash metal albums of all time.
What I found most fascinating was the perspective that Mustaine and Ellefson had of this album being a true inflection point in the trajectory of their lives and careers. The songs were mostly conceived and written when the two Daves were at their lowest as junkies. However, “Rust in Peace” was recorded when they finally got sober, and the subsequent tour saw them playing with an energy and precision that they could never have achieved while they were under the boot heel of their shared drug addiction.
Dave Mustaine comes across a bit arrogant, but that is Dave. The guy is, in my view, the greatest metal guitarist of all time. He is a creative genius and a force of nature, so I think he is entitled to a little of that. He is also a vulnerable guy who has had to learn how to survive and protect himself. “Rust in Peace” was him reaching the mountaintop both personally and professionally. And he knows he never could have done it without Dave Ellefson, Marty Friedman, and Nick Menza.
After reading this book, I gained even more admiration for the band that was a big part of my life’s soundtrack am back in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Megadeth is still one of only two bands that, regardless of my mood, will always make me feel good when I hear them. Fans like me are always ready to hear a Megadeth song. This book reminds us of exactly why that is the case.
Megadeth forever!
Megadeth has always been Dave Mustaine’s band, and it’s easy to see why. His genius, drive, and iron will was (is) what made the band possible. On “Rust in Peace” it was no different, but what the other band members brought to the table was essential in rounding out what is clearly one of top thrash metal albums of all time.
What I found most fascinating was the perspective that Mustaine and Ellefson had of this album being a true inflection point in the trajectory of their lives and careers. The songs were mostly conceived and written when the two Daves were at their lowest as junkies. However, “Rust in Peace” was recorded when they finally got sober, and the subsequent tour saw them playing with an energy and precision that they could never have achieved while they were under the boot heel of their shared drug addiction.
Dave Mustaine comes across a bit arrogant, but that is Dave. The guy is, in my view, the greatest metal guitarist of all time. He is a creative genius and a force of nature, so I think he is entitled to a little of that. He is also a vulnerable guy who has had to learn how to survive and protect himself. “Rust in Peace” was him reaching the mountaintop both personally and professionally. And he knows he never could have done it without Dave Ellefson, Marty Friedman, and Nick Menza.
After reading this book, I gained even more admiration for the band that was a big part of my life’s soundtrack am back in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Megadeth is still one of only two bands that, regardless of my mood, will always make me feel good when I hear them. Fans like me are always ready to hear a Megadeth song. This book reminds us of exactly why that is the case.
Megadeth forever!
December 14, 2020
I love Megadeth and consider Rust in Peace a masterpiece. It has everything: powerful, blasting, speedy riffs, great melodies, good lyrics and a punching rhythm. It is a fantastic album and one of my favorite records ever. Mustaine, Friedman, Ellefson and Menza were the perfect Megadeth lineup. Tornado of Souls is one of the songs I've listened to the most. I love it.
With that appreciation out of the way, this book is just a cash grab and exposes Mustaine, once again, as a selfish megalomaniac who's always the victim and never the jerk. He has no recollection of what he does to others, but can hold pathetic grudges for decades. It's funny that someone with this massive ego always manages to appear so small next to his former Metallica bandmates.
Back to the book, the format is a copy/paste from interviews. You read a bit from Ellefso, then it switches to Mustaine, and so one. It goes back and forth with all band members (and others) actively adding to the material....yet, this book is credited to Mustaine!
If anything the book manages to bring down the album. Where you thought you had slightly good lyrics, you learn that they're coming from a deep ignorance inside Mustaine's brain. Where you thought you had a a cohesive band, you find guys not getting together to record. I was unhappy with Marty's attitude to Megadeth and this album, but now I can see where he's coming from. Who would take a break from a successful career to make less money....and worse, to work with Mustaine.
Still love the music.
With that appreciation out of the way, this book is just a cash grab and exposes Mustaine, once again, as a selfish megalomaniac who's always the victim and never the jerk. He has no recollection of what he does to others, but can hold pathetic grudges for decades. It's funny that someone with this massive ego always manages to appear so small next to his former Metallica bandmates.
Back to the book, the format is a copy/paste from interviews. You read a bit from Ellefso, then it switches to Mustaine, and so one. It goes back and forth with all band members (and others) actively adding to the material....yet, this book is credited to Mustaine!
If anything the book manages to bring down the album. Where you thought you had slightly good lyrics, you learn that they're coming from a deep ignorance inside Mustaine's brain. Where you thought you had a a cohesive band, you find guys not getting together to record. I was unhappy with Marty's attitude to Megadeth and this album, but now I can see where he's coming from. Who would take a break from a successful career to make less money....and worse, to work with Mustaine.
Still love the music.
September 13, 2020
I have a weird habit of reading memoirs written by "celebrities", especially if drugs are involved. The weird part is that I dont have to know who they are....if I hear about one of these memoirs I get it.
That's exactly how I ended up reading this book.
Full disclosure, I had heard of Megadeth, but only in passing. At the age of 18, in 1980, I was listening to the likes of the Eagles, not to heavy metal bands. To be honest, I always thought heavy metal was screaming into a mike, while gyrating and sweating. In this regard Rust in Peace was an interesting read...if you love inside info on the creation of music this is a good book.
Unfortunately, not so much if you want to hear about their lives, in and out of recovery...very lacking there.
The drug side is interesting because they are so casual about it all, until they are not.. To me, this is the strongest part of the book, although they don't explore addiction, in relations to their own worlds. This is very lacking.
This is an odd book to read because a specific subject is introduced by one of the members, then you get a few memories from the people involved and poof! A new topic is explored without any deep connections to any one subject.
Finally, Mustaine is one hell of a control freak. He is lucky, because he is surrounded by people who understand him.
If it were me, I would have punched him and said "you are not so special, you spoiled baby".
Overall, this is an ok read. Megadeth lovers will love it.
That's exactly how I ended up reading this book.
Full disclosure, I had heard of Megadeth, but only in passing. At the age of 18, in 1980, I was listening to the likes of the Eagles, not to heavy metal bands. To be honest, I always thought heavy metal was screaming into a mike, while gyrating and sweating. In this regard Rust in Peace was an interesting read...if you love inside info on the creation of music this is a good book.
Unfortunately, not so much if you want to hear about their lives, in and out of recovery...very lacking there.
The drug side is interesting because they are so casual about it all, until they are not.. To me, this is the strongest part of the book, although they don't explore addiction, in relations to their own worlds. This is very lacking.
This is an odd book to read because a specific subject is introduced by one of the members, then you get a few memories from the people involved and poof! A new topic is explored without any deep connections to any one subject.
Finally, Mustaine is one hell of a control freak. He is lucky, because he is surrounded by people who understand him.
If it were me, I would have punched him and said "you are not so special, you spoiled baby".
Overall, this is an ok read. Megadeth lovers will love it.
May 21, 2024
Rust In Peace is considered by many Metal fans as a land mark record not just in Megadeth’s catalogue but in Metal in general, so a book covering its creation is certainly warranted.
I just don’t know how I feel about the execution. I definitely appreciate having the build up to the band’s turmoil in the lead up to the record’s creation as a focal point as they had to not only replace two crucial members but deal with the ongoing drug problems of Dave Mustaine & Dave Ellison since it gives a glimpse into how sometimes great art comes from the fallout of high stress situations. I also appreciate an entire chapter dedicated to going behind the meaning and creation of each track on the album.
The book is essentially an oral history, with major players giving their accounts of what happened. That’s all well and good in theory, but too often, it can feel like an extended magazine interview, with too much of it feeling repetitive and certain ego filled moments kind of getting old (can’t help but notice that this book is attributed to Dave as the author even though the entire band at the time contributes their thoughts/experiences).
Decent enough read if you’re a fan of this band and record, but I can’t help but feel like something about the execution falls a bit short for me.
I just don’t know how I feel about the execution. I definitely appreciate having the build up to the band’s turmoil in the lead up to the record’s creation as a focal point as they had to not only replace two crucial members but deal with the ongoing drug problems of Dave Mustaine & Dave Ellison since it gives a glimpse into how sometimes great art comes from the fallout of high stress situations. I also appreciate an entire chapter dedicated to going behind the meaning and creation of each track on the album.
The book is essentially an oral history, with major players giving their accounts of what happened. That’s all well and good in theory, but too often, it can feel like an extended magazine interview, with too much of it feeling repetitive and certain ego filled moments kind of getting old (can’t help but notice that this book is attributed to Dave as the author even though the entire band at the time contributes their thoughts/experiences).
Decent enough read if you’re a fan of this band and record, but I can’t help but feel like something about the execution falls a bit short for me.
October 21, 2020
Disappointing follow up to Dave Mustaine's excellent autobiography.
What I was hoping for was an in-depth story telling; a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account of the making of one of my favourite albums of all time. Personal anecdotes and technical information. Finally, a business-like analysis of the marketing and sales.
What I got was a bunch of middle-aged men bitching and whining about eachother, spending more time talking about their sobriety issues than the actual making of the album. In fact, that aspect of the book was almost an aside.
I wasn't a fan of the format. They have attempted to mimic Motley Crue's "The Dirt" by having the cast of characters recall events, and then comment on eachother's comments, and then comment on those. It should be conversational, but it doesn't come across like that. It just reads as bitter.
I should state, as someone who was in a band myself for just over a decade and was in the studio a lot, maybe my hopes for the book were too skewed toward a direction that the average reader may be less interested in. Hard for me to say.
Worth a read if you are a huge fan but a more casual reader should probably steer clear.
What I was hoping for was an in-depth story telling; a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account of the making of one of my favourite albums of all time. Personal anecdotes and technical information. Finally, a business-like analysis of the marketing and sales.
What I got was a bunch of middle-aged men bitching and whining about eachother, spending more time talking about their sobriety issues than the actual making of the album. In fact, that aspect of the book was almost an aside.
I wasn't a fan of the format. They have attempted to mimic Motley Crue's "The Dirt" by having the cast of characters recall events, and then comment on eachother's comments, and then comment on those. It should be conversational, but it doesn't come across like that. It just reads as bitter.
I should state, as someone who was in a band myself for just over a decade and was in the studio a lot, maybe my hopes for the book were too skewed toward a direction that the average reader may be less interested in. Hard for me to say.
Worth a read if you are a huge fan but a more casual reader should probably steer clear.
January 14, 2021
Well, now I get why everyone's saying it sounds more like a bunch of aging dudes bickering with one another. There is a fair amount of discussion about the album, particularly the lead-up to it, but... by the time you get to the end of the book, you're going to be tired of hearing Mustaine chirping at his bandmates. He seems to love aiming at Marty Friedman and even saves some arrows for Dave Ellefson. It's not a good look.
The book overall is more like a bunch of interviews stapled together than a cohesive explanation of the album. That would suggest there isn't too much of interest to the actual production of said album. Most of the interesting bits come in the before and after. The stuff about subsequent reunions falling through, for instance, was worth hearing. But don't read the book expecting some explosive manual to your favorite album's birth.
That being said, Rust In Peace is still a crowning achievement of metal and this book will make you want to jam out to it for the millionth time.
The book overall is more like a bunch of interviews stapled together than a cohesive explanation of the album. That would suggest there isn't too much of interest to the actual production of said album. Most of the interesting bits come in the before and after. The stuff about subsequent reunions falling through, for instance, was worth hearing. But don't read the book expecting some explosive manual to your favorite album's birth.
That being said, Rust In Peace is still a crowning achievement of metal and this book will make you want to jam out to it for the millionth time.
Read
April 25, 2021While this book is a bit thinner on info about the album than I would have liked (for example, there's a single chapter devoted to the songs, and it focuses mostly on the lyrics and not the music compositions), it's a fascinating glimpse into the psychology of Dave Mustaine, especially his narcissism. Mustaine never misses a chance to put someone down or puff himself up. He's always certain that his memory of events is correct, and when it comes to a person whose preference or opinion disagrees with his, he's got a quick insult ready to go. I say "glimpse" because we can't truly know who another person is, certainly not from a few thousand words in a book. But there are enough factual errors in his account that I'm naturally suspicious of his certainty in other areas and therefore curious about his psychological need to be right and for others to be wrong. (One quick example that literally would have taken him less than 30 seconds to Google and get right: He says Alice in Chains left the Clash of the Titans tour in 1990 because their single "Would?" exploded but that song wouldn't come out until 1992.) Also distasteful is how he uses a person's success or lack of success since leaving the Megadeth camp to discredit them. Here are two quotes to illustrate:
"Ron had turned into a 'show biz pig.' He was now everything we grew up despising."
And this doozy:
"Nobody left Megadeth and went on to glory like I did after leaving Metallica."
The format of the book is also disappointing especially as the narrative gets more involved toward the end. The book is a glorified magazine interview, assembled from individual first person recollections, usually only a paragraph or two, rather than offering a singular and cohesive first or third person narrative. As such, much of the connective tissue between events is missing, which makes for a clunky reading experience.
In my opinion, this book is really only for diehard fans of Rust in Peace. And while it reminds me that I still love that album, it makes me like Mustaine even less.
"Ron had turned into a 'show biz pig.' He was now everything we grew up despising."
And this doozy:
"Nobody left Megadeth and went on to glory like I did after leaving Metallica."
The format of the book is also disappointing especially as the narrative gets more involved toward the end. The book is a glorified magazine interview, assembled from individual first person recollections, usually only a paragraph or two, rather than offering a singular and cohesive first or third person narrative. As such, much of the connective tissue between events is missing, which makes for a clunky reading experience.
In my opinion, this book is really only for diehard fans of Rust in Peace. And while it reminds me that I still love that album, it makes me like Mustaine even less.
July 8, 2024
Where most books of this calibre don't take into account the opinions and experiences of all members, Rust In Peace... takes into account the words and emotions of the entire band, past members, and Dave Mustaine alike, and those on the other side of the recording booth. We're given a look into the how and why Marty Friedman, Nick Menza, and the production team were chosen by Mustaine and former bassist David "Junior" Ellefson. We get a glimpse into the trials and tribulations they went through, drugs, failed relationships, and a failing thrash scene that gave way for grunge to rise to the heights it did. While the ending does sort of read like Dave just saying "my perspective is the best," it does feel nice that we learn why the RIP reunion tour went how it did, why Junior was the only one to rejoin, and have Dave admit his mistakes and issues in such a way. Overall a great read that hones in on what made Rust In Peace a great thrash album, and easily the best metal album of all 1990.
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