Megadeth vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine has confirmed that the band have recorded a cover of Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning.” The track will be available as a bonus track on the group’s new self-titled album (out January 23).
Mustaine said the following about revisiting his former band:
“As I come full circle on the career of a lifetime, the decision to include ‘Ride The Lightning,’ a song I co-wrote with James [Hetfield], Lars [Ulrich], and Cliff [Burton], was to pay my respects to where my career first started.”
He also discussed the cover with Rolling Stone:
“It wasn’t really that I wanted to do my version. I think that we all wanted it to turn out a certain way, and for me, this was about something so much more than how a song turns out. It was about respect.”
He went on to say the respect was for Hetfield in particular:
“No one ever talks to me about that. One day he’s a singer, the next day he’s this fucking powerhouse and I’ve always respected him as a guitar player. So I wanted to do something to close the circle on my career right now, since it started off with Panic and several of the songs that ended up in the Metallica repertoire, I wanted to do something that I felt would be a good song.”
He continued:
“Our intentions were pure. I didn’t have any reason I was going to say, ‘Oh, hey man, this thing that we’ve had for 40 years where you guys will never tour with me, me doing the song is going to change things.’ That wasn’t it at all. It was more about: This is my life going forward. I want to do things that are respectable. And I think doing something where we can pay honor to the guy that … I mean, I hate to say this, because it’s just so fucking arrogant, but the guitar playing in Metallica changed the world.”
Mustaine also revealed that he didn’t tell his former bandmates about the cover:
“It was not for lack of having the thought or the courage or anything like that. I know the last time James and I talked, we were talking about some business stuff, and I haven’t spoken to him since. So I was hoping that we could get his approval on this before we release the track. But when it turned out the way that it did, I think there were so many people that were happy that we did this, that we just went for it. And I’ll be more than happy to talk to him when I get the opportunity, but I don’t have his number anymore.”
He then further opened up about the estranged friendship:
“I also know that time takes time to heal wounds, and I don’t know if we still have that kind of relationship anymore. I know I would like to hang out and listen to new music and goof off and do shit like that, but maybe we’re all too old. I don’t know.”
He also added:
“I think the whole purpose of this was not to try and rekindle relationships or anything. It was about showing respect to a man that … I don’t believe he thinks I respect him and I wanted to make that clear. I wanted to pay tribute to the band. And just now that I’m getting ready to hang my guitar up, I wanted to make sure that nothing is left unsaid.”
Metal Anarchy 
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