Dave Mustaine: “I actually called Dimebag Darrell up and asked him to play in Megadeth”

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has revealed that Dimebag Darrell very nearly joined Megadeth at one time.

In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Mustaine was asked about the Pantera guitar god’s playing philosophy, to which he responded with the surprising revelation.

“I actually called him up and asked him to play in Megadeth. Fate would have completely changed if I would have called him before I called Nick Menza.

“I said, ‘Hey, Darrell, I’m looking for a guitar player.’ And he goes, ‘Can I bring my brother?’ And I went, ‘Who’s your brother?’ He goes, ‘Vinnie Paul! Don’t you know Vinnie Paul?’ He wanted to bring his brother and have him play with us, and I go, ‘Oh, man, I just hired Nick Menza.’

“Can you imagine what Vinnie and Darrell would have been with me and Junior (bassist Dave Ellefson)? Would’ve been pretty cool.”

Nick Menza joined Megadeth in 1989, so if Dimebag had joined around the same time, we might never have had Cowboys From Hell - or certainly not in its Pantera form.

Mustaine is currently touring with Experience Hendrix over in the USA. We’ll be bringing you footage just as soon as the first videos come in...