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Last summer Megadeth hit the road in Europe, but unfortunately they didn't play my area and so I only had the chance to talk with bassist James LoMenzo on the phone. This time we met in flesh before their show in Dortmund. The band is back on the road for about a week and as they have a new guitarist with them, I took the chance to talk to JLo again!
First I had to explain that my tape recorder just died... James took it easy... "So you're doing it the old-fashioned way - taking notes!" And that's what I did.
The most obvious change between their last European run and this one is that they have a new guitar player in the band... Chris Broderick is the new one. "The best thing about Megadeth is that the band progresses when difficult things happen. It's easy, Glen decided to spend more time with his family and he talked with his brother Shawn about it. They tried to figure out what to do. Glen wanted to leave and Shawn had the idea to bring Chris Broderick in. Chris is an amazing guitarist and very complete. Dave watched some videos of him, the classical stuff caught Dave's eye first. Having Chris in the band feels different, but exciting, too. For me change is always exciting and it's good. With Chris we have a new persona in the band." James stated. And as they have only a few weeks to get prepared for the tour... Did they have enough time to prepare? "The first shows been fine. No train rails. Chris worked really hard and this is a testimony of professionalism. Dave and I helped him to learn all the songs in time. I just been through this and my experience helped him. We both had to start from zero to learn the Megadeth songs. He is jetlagged now and that makes it even harder, but it worked out well." James told me. Last year Megadeth played almost no festivals in Europe, will we see them on festival stages this summer, I wanted to know... "We are torn between playing festivals, our families and working on a new album. We are touring now for about a year and part of us wants to expand... Part of us wants to start writing new stuff. Last year we've been through some changes, we have a new agency and management now. Now we need to make a solid plan. It would be great to play festivals, but we have to get back to our families and can't leave every 2 months, or one day there is no family waiting for us...." he explains and it's obvious that this issue bothers him, even if he's excited to play a festival in India at the end of the European leg. "I never been to India, it's an exciting experience!" But they played last year some Asian shows and did play in Indonesia... Just a day ago news told that at a punk rock concert in Indonesia 10 fans been killed.... "I never thought about... TV news are often exaggerating and so the situation seems worse then it is. Last year we played a show in Israel. Days before the show Israel was on TV news with the flaring conflict and we considered not to go, but our friends told us that it's safe - and it was!" James reflects. "I've been through this before when Dimebag got killed, I didn't tell my family that I'll go on tour again first, but everyone has a destiny. You can't play your life that way, you have to go with faith." Something I agree with, coz otherwise your fears will influence your life and you kinda stop living.... For a musician life is divided between touring, song writing and studio recordings... "We constantly write, but it's too soon to tell which way the next Megadeth album will go. The band morphed again. Chris is in the band and changed Megadeth. It's exciting to see what Chris can bring in." As I always been a fan of Pride & Glory I had to ask James, if there is a chance that he'll work again with Zakk Wylde.... "No! Two times is enough. It was never planned, we just were hanging out a lot in the 80's and sometimes jammed. After the last time with Black Label Society I needed to see a doctor, but I'm fine now." he adds with a smile and I get the impression that he isn't 100% serious about this. And history repeats itself... Even if this comment of mine wasn't targeted on politics, James through in his 2-cent about it. "Thank God, Bush won't get another turn! It can't get worse! Travelling the world I realized that people - especially in Europe - are interested in what's happens in the world. Here people following what's going on in the world." Something he recognized through the years touring the world... "It's nice to see familiar faces and I dig it, when I first became some kind of famous with a band, we tried to build up a community. It's a hard business and it's good to have friends. It's much harder then it used to be when I started. Some of the CDs which come out now are pretty good, but there is no place to really form a band. The companies cannibalized it, they don't give bands the time to grow." James said and it's true. He was lucky to start many years ago and to get attention for his work. He continues "The fascinating thing about Megadeth is that Dave has a good feel about business and to keep in touch with fans. Mostly it's the internet and forums he's using to stay in touch with the fans. It's a mutual exchange, so band and fans benefit from it." And the fans love to have the chance to vote for songs to get them onto the set list. There would be a lot more to talk about, not just about the latest developments and what's next on the Megadeth schedule, but too soon we ran out of time. Perhaps I will have to pleasure to talk again to James, if they came back for some festivals or when they have a new album on the way.... Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for something new, if they decide for song writing instead of festivals.
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