In leaving Megadeth, guitarist Kiko Loureiro suggested a big-name replacement.
Speaking with Guitar World, Loureiro shares, “I even mentioned to management and [frontman] Dave [Mustaine] that I thought bringing Marty Friedman back would be amazing.”
Friedman was the lead guitarist in Megadeth from 1990 to 2000 and played on albums including Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction. He reunited with Mustaine for the first time in 23 years at a pair of Megadeth concerts in 2023.
Loureiro, who’d been in Megadeth since 2015, announced in September that he was dropping off the band’s tour to be with his family, and was replaced by Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari. In November, Loureiro shared that he and Mustaine decided to “extend my absence” from Megadeth, with Mäntysaari continuing to be the band’s guitarist.
As for whether Mustaine took Loureiro’s Friedman pitch into account, he says, “I have no idea if they’re talking about it or talking to him.”
“I don’t want to make anything more complicated,” Loureiro says.
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