Dave Mustaine is one of the very few guitarists who can be related to the most famous rock bands in History. Starting from Panic, he has been with Metallica, Fallen Angels and Megadeth. Apart from founding and leading metal bands, he has performed with various bands. Known for his exceptional lead guitar skills, Dave has a huge fan following from all generations.
Dave Mustaine was born in California in La Mesa. His parents Emily and John Mustaine were French. His mother Emily was of Jewish ancestry. He was brought up strictly as a Jehovah Witness. At a very young age of 17, Mustaine became a successful drug dealer so much so that he rented his own apartment and was staying away from his parents. One of his drug clients who was short of money used to offer him albums of AC/DC, Judas Priest and Motorhead. He started learing the Piano and Guitar and these bands started influencing the way he played.
Dave first joined a band called Panic for a short while and then joined Metallica as the lad guitarist. The rest as we know is history.
The Turn of Events
The January of 2002 was a start to some unfortunate events. Mustaine was admitted to a hospital to remove kidney stones. While he was undergoing the treatment, he was given some pain medication to over come the pain from the kidney stones. But that triggered a relapse. This lead him to get himself treated at a treatment center in Texas. However, during his stay for treatment at Texas, he fell from his chair while sleeping. This fall caused severe nerve damage to his left arm. He then had to undergo treatment to recover from the nerve damage through radial neuropathy. By April, he eventually announced that he was disbanding Megadeth due to his injury and sickness.
During this hard time, there was something strange yet beautiful happening in his heart. His heart turned towards the love of Christ. Mustaine says, “Looking up at the cross, I said six simple words, ‘What have I got to lose?’ Afterwards my whole life has changed. It’s been hard, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Rather go my whole life believing that there is a God and find out there isn’t than live my whole life thinking there isn’t a God and then find out, when I die, that there is.”
Mustaine is now a Christian at heart. He says, Christ has helped him put the shattered pieces of his life back together. He even acknowledges that his amazing talent is a gift from God. “To be the No. 1 rated guitar player in the world is a gift from God and I’m stoked about it, but I think Christ is better than I am, anyway. Either way, I don’t put too much earthly merit on it.”
Even after 2000 years, Christ’s love touches millions of hearts everyday.