Dave Mustaine Says He’s Independent, Not Right-Wing
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has again addressed his political identity, telling a UK podcast that he considers himself an independent voter and prefers not to discuss partisan leanings while selling music. The comments, published February 11, come as Mustaine continues to push back against long-running assumptions about where he fits on the political spectrum.
In the interview, Mustaine said people often mislabel him, and Roisin O’Connor’s Good Vibrations reported that he described himself as “an independent” who has voted for both Democrats and Republicans and chooses “whoever’s the least of two evils, sometimes three.”
Pressed on why that narrative has followed him, Mustaine suggested resentment from past Megadeth employees and former bandmembers can fuel negative stories, saying it is “really easy to say bad stuff about me.” He added that while his reputation may “precede” him, his “character will remain,” and he argued that fans who meet the band often find the rumours don’t match their experiences.
The latest remarks echo earlier statements from Mustaine about keeping politics separate from his work, and they follow prior instances where he has insisted he is not aligned with any party, including his previous denial that he is a right winger amid renewed scrutiny of his past comments.
For Megadeth, the interview is another example of Mustaine trying to define his own public persona after decades of headlines tied to his outspoken moments. Whether the discussion quiets the debate or reignites it, Mustaine’s latest point is straightforward: he says he votes case by case, not by party label.
