Transitions in major bands are rarely seamless, especially when it involves stepping into the shoes of an iconic guitarist. For Al Pitrelli, known for his work with Savatage and as the musical director for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, his sudden induction into Megadeth was a literal case of being thrown into the deep end.
In a recent interview with Are You Ready?, Pitrelli shared the story of his first show with Dave Mustaine's legendary metal outfit during his 2000–2002 stint, which also saw him record the album The World Needs A Hero.
"I do," Pitrelli recalled when asked if he remembered that first concert. "So [then-Megadeth guitarist] Marty Friedman wanted to leave. And he was an absolute gentleman. He stuck around and would continue doing shows, and then kind of teach me his guitar parts during the day.
"And I don't know how long he planned on staying, but I remember getting to — I don't remember where the show was, but I remember he didn't come to the show. And I was in the dressing room, just kind of practicing, learning 'Holy Wars', trying to figure all that out. And Dave comes up to me and he goes, 'Marty ain't here. You're playing tonight.' I'm, like, 'Okay, here we go.' Jump into the deep end of the pool."
It was a baptism by fire that Pitrelli handled with a mix of professionalism and adrenaline.
"It is like anything else. I mean, I think [the gig] went really well. I don't know that I would've done it that night. I would've loved to have waited a little longer to be better prepared, but what are you gonna do?"
Despite the high stakes, Pitrelli noted that the experience was so fast-paced that he didn’t even have time for nerves.
"I don't remember what city it was. I remember there were a lot of people in that building. And I didn't even have time to get scared. It was, like, 'All right, here we go.'"
Beyond the stage, Pitrelli soon found himself becoming a more integral part of the band than originally planned.
"Well, the interesting thing about that [was] I was only supposed to be there temporarily," he explained when discussing the writing and recording process for The World Needs A Hero. "I was friends with the drummer, Jimmy DeGrasso, for a long, long, long, long time. He says, 'Can you just fill in until we find a permanent replacement?' I was, like, 'Yeah.' So I was only supposed to be there a month, two months."
But as it turned out, Pitrelli’s temporary role quickly evolved.
"And, obviously, I was trying to do a very good job. I learned a lot working with Dave. And he goes, 'Hey, listen, why don't you just stick around for a while and let's go write some songs.' And I was, like, 'Absolutely, man. This is fantastic.'"
Collaborating with Mustaine proved to be an invaluable learning experience.
"So, I remember going to his house a couple of times and sitting down with a couple of guitars, and he had a riff. And then he goes, 'What would you do here?' And I would throw in a riff. I said, 'Well, I don't know. Me being me, I'd do something like this.' [And he would say], 'Yeah, I like that.' And we just developed a really good writing relationship."
Pitrelli was quick to acknowledge Mustaine’s leadership in the creative process.
"I mean, he had I'd say — I don't know — 90 percent of the stuff done in his head, but he was very kind and courteous to allow me to have some input, which made me feel real good about that."
Most of all, the experience deepened Pitrelli’s understanding of Mustaine’s complex musical vision."And I learned an extraordinary amount of information — rhythm guitar and sounds, and how he constructed his music. 'Cause it's really complex. There's a lot going on."
