Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine recently spoke critically of the “lazy” bands who rely on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.
Dave Mustaine speaks boldly on the matter
In recent years, several bands have been heavily using backing tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent.
Speaking to Kerrang! Radio at this month’s Download festival in the U.K., Mustaine addressed the use of pre-recorded tapes at live shows, saying: “I’ve always done the background singing on the records until — maybe about 10 years ago, we started having another person come in and help supplement the vocals because it’s just not my bag to be singing stuff that I’m not gonna sing live. I sing when I sing live on the records as much as I can.”
Mustaine said, apparently referencing a rare “mistake” by KISS drummer Eric Singer during the band’s concert in Antwerp, Belgium earlier this month which revealed what some fans are saying is proof that KISS is using pre-recorded tracks during its performances. Ace Frehley recently called out Paul Stanley for allegedly using pre-recorded tracks.
Here is what Mustaine continue saying: “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using supplements for songs and other sounds and stuff like that if you can’t play ’em live,” he continued. “If you can play it live and you’re being fu**ing lazy and you’re seeing whatever just happened a couple of days ago with one of those big bands, and the singer… the tape started and the drummer wasn’t playing or something. You probably heard about that. I can’t remember who it was.”
Dave added: “We don’t have vocals that are canned. Usually what we have is a MIDI click track that runs all of our lights and switches all of our solos and stuff.”
KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic. It was noted that “End Of The Road” was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, last year in New York City but has since been extended to at least early 2023. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band’s classic song “Detroit Rock City” on “America’s Got Talent”.
