Former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman recently guested on THAT Rocks! to discuss his career, touring, his new studio album, and performing with Megadeth again at the Budokan in Tokyo and the Wacken Open Air last year. Check out the interview below.
On reuniting with Megadeth at the Budokan
Friedman: "That was just a wonderful bit of closure for me and Dave (Mustaine). We're have always been on good terms, even since I left the band, there's absolutely no bad blood between us. But the one bit of unfinished business we had was, when I was in the band, we had an opportunity to play Budokan, and it never happened. That was the one tiny thing that was left between myself and Dave."
"We're both big rock fans. 'Live at Budokan' is a dream when you're in a band; all the bands we're fans of were playing at the Budokan: Cheap Trick, KISS... Dave and I really had that seed in our hearts ever since we were kids. And since we couldn't make it happen when we first had been booked for Budokan, that little thing was always left. And so, when Dave asked me to play with him in 2023, I felt that was a very nice gesture on his part. I jumped at the chance to do it, I loved it. Playing together was as comfortable as it was back then. And, to be honest, I think the band sounded better than it did when I was originally in it. I don't know if it was because there was three guitars on stage instead of two, but it just sounded wonderful. And it was kind of also a love letter to the Japanese fans who wanted to see this moment as much as the two of us."
Friedman joined Megadeth on stage as the special guest for a one-off global livestream from the legendary Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan on February 27, 2023.
Dave Mustaine issued the following statement in the days leading up to the show:
"Marty and I have remained friends over 23 years, since we last played together. However, I hear his music every night, and he still is among the top guitar players I’ve ever heard. This is an amazing treat for the fans, as well as myself. To be honest, I may drift off while listening to Kiko and Marty play together!"
