Megadeth’s golden era lead guitarist, Marty Friedman, says he has no regrets about leaving the band at the turn of the millennium.
Friedman joined Dave Mustaine’s outfit in 1990 for a decade-long stint. He introduced himself to the Megadeth fanbase via his fireworks-laden guitar solos on the metal classic Rust in Peace. He was part of the band’s most successful period, which saw them releasing a handful of seminal records, including Countdown to Extinction, Youthanasia, and Cryptic Writings.
He was subsequently replaced by Al Pitrelli heading into the early 2000, and Friedman feels he left the band at the right time.
“I understand that as a fan, if anything happens that changes your favorite lineup, it’s catastrophic,” a sympathetic Friedman tells Guitar World. “But for me, it was the best career move I ever made.”
As for why he has no regrets leaving when he did, Friedman says it gave him the freedom to explore new avenues in his career.
He continues, “It was not easy to leave such a well-established band that I had so much success with. But leaving it allowed me to eclipse my role in Megadeth on so many levels and create a niche for myself that has served me very well.”
Following his departure, Friedman relocated to Japan, where he's established a cult following. He's made records with J-Pop star Nanase Aikawa, Japanese idol group Momoiro Clover Z, and a score of works for TV. Not to mention a cluster of solo albums, with his last, Drama, written as a love letter to his fans, coming in 2024.
By stepping away from the gung-ho world of thrash, Friedman has been able to explore his guitar playing with unbridled freedom.
“There are always new and undiscovered depths of melody to be created, and new expressions to share, and I have always pursued those things,” he adds.
“I think Drama is the ultimate representative of my musical evolution; I’ve been concentrating on touring for the album much longer than usual before starting to work on the next one. I can't imagine topping it.”
Friedman has had offers to return to Mustaine's side, famously turning down the chance to reunite the Rust in Peace line-up, but did play two shows as a guest with them in 2023.
In related news, Mustaine recently revealed the life-changing hand condition that has forced Megadeth’s retirement, and explained the strange reason why Friedman nearly didn’t get the gig.
