DM: Well, The System Has Failed was a solo record.
BN: But it is being released as a Megadeth record...
DM: It was a solo record...I wrote 22 songs and I was going to the studio to record two albums, like Ozzy did with Blizzard Of Oz and Diary Of A Madman. Record all the songs at once and then split them in half and release one record, wait two years, and release the other record. Kevin [their manager] went over to notify EMI and Merck at Sanctuary. Sanctuary was great, they said, "whether it's Megadeth or Dave Mustaine (solo)...we just want Dave's music." And Merck told me, just like you said, just write for yourself...don't write for the press or radio, just write your own record, which I was just thrilled to hear. When he went to EMI and said "Dave's gonna do a solo record, will that count for the last Megadeth record, making him a free agent?" They said, "no, it won't and until Dave gives us that last Megadeth record we own him forever and ever." So that's why this is a Megadeth record.
BN: How did you handle the recording process for this record?
DM: I went into the studio in Nashville, took my hard-drive that contained eleven of my songs and put them into the pro-tools rig and Vinnie played along to it. I laid scratch guitar tracks and scratch bass tracks in some parts, Jimmy Sloas laid down bass in other parts, and after the three-day period, I went home. Then Jeff started working on stuff and I came back out and finished my overdubs, my guitar, my solos, my singing, and all my acoustic and slide work. Then we went back and did keyboards and background vocals.
BN: You're referring to Jeff Balding, he produced and mixed this record, correct?
DM: He produced the record with me. He mixed the record in Nashville and Arizona.
BN: So, now you have fulfilled your obligations with EMI...this is for Europe, correct?
DM: No, here in America. My contract is up with EMI now.
BN: I know Capitol/EMI just recently reissued the Megadeth back catalog. You not only re-mastered these albums, but you remixed and even re-recorded some vocal and guitar parts on certain tracks. Did you feel this was necessary or you just wanted certain parts on the albums changed.
DM: After Killing Is My Business... was remixed and reissued it made so much sense to reissue the other records. So I proceeded with Capitol to get them to do it. It took a couple years to get it all worked out because the guy that was head of the whole project of remixing had got let go.
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