Mayhem Tour Exclusive: Up Close & Personal with Shawn Drover of MEGADETH

Megadeth brings new music to fans in 2011, in the form of the upcoming Mayhem Festival and a new album!  Review Magazine sat down with drummer Shawn Drover and found out just what the thrash legends are up to in 2011 and what exactly is happening with the big 4!

Review: Hi Shawn, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. I know Megadeth is in the studio right now recording the follow up to 2009’s Endgame.  What can we expect from this album in terms of the vibe and sound?

Drover: Were almost finished with the album.  We leave for tour the 30th so were trying to get it done before then.  It’s just another batch of metal tunes that we hope the fans will like. I don’t think any two Megadeth albums are the same.  This one is a little more compressed. We have been working with a new producer named Johnny K.  It’s going to be a typical Megadeth album - there are no dramatic weird disco country tunes.

Review:  When can we expect to see the new album released?

Drover: Well the release date is contingent on whether or not we get it finished before we leave for Europe.  I’m thinking sometime in late fall.

Review: Speaking of Europe, you’re leaving next week to do 6 dates of Big 4 tour (Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer) shows.  These are all festival shows. Do you think the U.S. could have a big festival like these with the success of those in Europe?

Drover: So many festivals are popping up in Europe now.  Do I wish they would do them in the U.S., of course.  There are a couple in Canada now - Heavy MTL in Montreal and Heavy Toronto.  They are testing the waters.

Review:  Speaking of the Big 4 tour, why was there a decision to only do 2 shows in the U.S and not a complete tour?

Drover: In Europe it was 6 shows.  It was Sonisphere that initially started the whole thing.  The next step was the 2 shows in the U.S. - one in Indigo, California on the West Coast and one at Yankee Stadium in New York.   I would like to think that someday we will do a full U.S. tour.  It’s a wait and see what happens in New York in September.  Maybe we have a hesitation to do it because we don’t want to take the exclusivity out of it.  We are still testing the waters for it in America, so anything is possible.

Review: When you come back to the U.S your doing the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. How did this come about?

Drover:  It is something that was offered to us and I thought it was a great idea.  It’s a different fun demographic that may not be familiar with Megadeth.  We are in a position to get new fans that may have never seen us live.  They may see us there and become fans.

Review:  How do you think the crowd is going to respond at Mayhem, as far as the band dynamic goes? You are sharing the bill with Godsmack and Disturbed amongst others.

Drover: It’s always fun for us to see and tour with new bands. We look forward to gaining some fans that will get the chance to see us that maybe wouldn’t go to just a Megadeth show.   I’m personally looking forward to seeing Godsmack and the younger second Stage bands.

Review:  Why do the Mayhem tour and not another Gigantour?

Drover:  I honestly can’t say what’s in the future.  Everything is contingent on the new record’s release.  Who knows?  Maybe we will do a Gigantour for that album’s tour.  Anything is possible in the future.

Review:  Besides the Big 4 shows and the Mayhem tour you guys also have a 25th anniversary edition of Peace Sells but Who’s’ Buying coming out soon.  Are there any plans to do some shows where you do that tour in its entirety?

Drover:  We did that with Rust in Peace.  We did one leg of a tour with that.  I’m open to the idea, but I can’t predict if we will or not.  We are in a good position right now, with so many options. We have the Big 4, the new album and the re-issue of Peace Sells.  Anything is possible!

Review: Thank you Shawn for taking the time out to talk to us.  We look forward to seeing you this summer on the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour.

Drover: Thank you!  Hopefully we will see you there!

Check out Shawn Drover and the rest of Megadeth on this year’s Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, as well as Godsmack, Disturbed, In Flames, Machine Head, Trivium and Saginaw’s own Tension Head! The Festival happens on August 6th at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston.  Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.