Dave Mustaine has expressed his desire to perform a show alongside Slayer once more before the group finally breaks up.
Ever since the early ’80s, Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth have made up “the Big Four” of the thrash metal genre. In 2010, almost 30 years after the four groups formed, they all appeared together on the same lineup in Poland, marking the first time ever that such an event occurred.
While the bands played a handful of other shows together, there haven’t been any more “Big Four” shows for a number of years. Now, as Slayer get closer to the end of their farewell tour, Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has expressed his desire to play with the group again, igniting the possibility of another “Big Four” show in the future.
Back in June, Mustaine spoke to Danish website Heavymetal.dk where he stated that he “strongly” doubts whether the four thrash groups would ever perform again.
“I would do it; I think the other two bands [seeming to refer to Slayer and Anthrax] would do it; but there’s one person that’s holding it up for everybody,” Mustaine explained.
“So you’ve gotta ask the right person. I have nothing to fear; I have nothing to lose. We’re all supposed to be friends now, so I think that if the fans are first and foremost, then you know what? Let’s go. Let’s go.”
However, following speculation that the “one person that’s holding it up for everybody” was Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Mustaine rebuffed the rumour while speaking to Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon.
“I never said that Lars is standing in the way of there being a “Big Four” show,” Mustaine explained. “What I have said, and I stand by this, is that Slayer going away… they’re choosing to go out on their terms, which is terrific. And I wish them the best.”
“Kerry [King, Slayer guitarist] and I have had a friendship over the years. Albeit on the outside it looks like we’re not friends because of some stuff that he or I have said to each other over the years, we’re friends. And the same thing with Tom [Araya] and Dave [Lombardo] and Jeff [Hanneman], when he was with us, and with Gary [Holt] now; we’re friends.”
With Slayer currently out on their final tour alongside Anthrax, Lamb Of God, and other groups, Dave Mustaine also expressed his desire that his group gets to perform alongside them once more.
“I hope that Megadeth and Slayer get to go one more round somewhere. I think it would be great, especially if it was a “Big Four” show, but that’s entirely up to them. And if it doesn’t happen, we’ve had our share of Slayer and Megadeth shows, and I’ll always appreciate those times together.”
While Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax did team up together back in 1990 and 1991 as part of the Clash of the Titans tour, time is running out for another collaborative show to take place.
As it stands, there’s currently no word if Slayer’s farewell tour is set to include an Australian leg, though some comments made by Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah – who brought the band back to Australia for their last tour – suggests that we might be receiving some final dates from the thrash-metal legends at some point this year.
Check out Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth performing ‘Am I Evil?’
