Former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman has reminisced about his one-night-only reunion with the iconic thrash metal band at Japan’s legendary Budokan venue. The guitarist, who played with Megadeth from 1989 to 2000 and now resides in Japan, shared his thoughts in a recent interview with The Guardian.
“[Singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine and I] love each other, but it was time for me to leave the band when I did,” Friedman explained. “The only piece of unfinished business that we had was Budokan. It was equally important for both of us because we’re both rock fans at heart – growing up with Cheap Trick at Budokan and all our heroes who played there, we both wanted to play it together.”
Friedman recalled how the reunion came to be: “Dave got hold of me and said, ‘Dude, have you ever played Budokan?’ I said yeah, and he said: ‘Do you wanna play it again?’ It was the sweetest exchange.”
Reflecting on the night itself, Friedman said, “People were crying and screaming and smiling from ear to ear. It was just a different kind of night! The show couldn’t have been any better, and to be completely honest, the band sounded better than when I was in it.”
In addition to the reunion, Friedman spoke about his upcoming autobiography, Dreaming Japanese, set to be released later this year. The book will detail his transition from the US to Japan and his days in Megadeth. “I was the only one in Megadeth who was completely sober throughout my time in the band,” Friedman noted, emphasizing that his perspective is both accurate and unique.
He added, “To write a compelling memoir, you don’t need the tragic, near-death experiences or drug overdoses. I think a lot of people wanna do crazy shit, take risks, and leave a comfortable situation to chase a dream – it sounds cliché but it’s exactly what I did, and hopefully, that part is inspiring.”
Friedman’s new solo album, Drama, is set to release this Friday, May 17.
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