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9 Megadeth Guitarists (Who Aren’t Dave Mustaine) Ranked From Least-To-Most Insane

Big Four thrash champs Megadeth are coming to Australia for a long-awaited tour (after the whole Soundwave thing fell through last year), so we’ve done a few things to celebrate.

First off, we’ve answered this age-old question:

… with a resounding “yes”, by teaming up with Corona to bring you the Summer 2015 Ultimate Music Fan Merch Pack competition, which could see you snag a shiny new vinyl album and some official merch from Dave Mustaine & co, together with these eight other excellent acts who also happen to be touring Aus over the summer.

We’ve also chucked in an Audio Technica professional stereo turntable and two sets of headphones to sweeten the deal.

But that’s not all. If there’s two things we know about Megadeth fans, it’s that

1). You all have excellent hair.

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And 2). You also have strong opinions about who the best Megadeth guitarist of all time is. Well, other than Dave Mustaine of course.

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So we’ve decided to rank the metal legends’ revolving door of shredders from least-to-most shredtastic, based on an incredibly scientific formula of our own completely subjective opinions.

But hey, if you disagree with any of our choices, what are you gonna do, whip us in the face with your gorgeous hair?

Check out our list of non-Mustaine Megadeth guitarists ranked from least-to-most insane, below, then enter Music Feeds’ Summer 2015 Ultimate Music Fan Merch Pack competition right here.

9. Greg Handevidt: 1983

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Let’s face it, pretty much nobody remembers this guy was even in Megadeth, including himself probably. Old mate’s claim to fame basically involves the fact that he was present when Daves Mustaine & Ellefson met for the very first time, as well as becoming the first in a very long line of members to leave the band for whatever reason. Since then, he’s reportedly quit metal altogether to become an attorney and shred incriminating documents (we’re guessing) instead of a fretboard.

greg megadeth

Image Via Metal Archives

8. Kerry King: 1984

Image Via Twitter

The Slayer guitar icon officially joined Mustaine’s get-back-at-Metallica project briefly in 1984. Now we’re not saying that King isn’t a totally insane guitarist, but he just didn’t really do all that much in the ‘Deth except play a fistful of live shows.

You probably picked the right team for you, Kezza.

Watch: Megadeth Feat. Kerry King – Rattlehead Live 1984

7. Jeff Young: 1987-1989

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Jeff Young clocked up an impressive 2 years in the ‘Deth and played on their third studio LP, So Far, So Good… So What?, but his guitar-based contributions to the group are often overshadowed by the fact that he apparently got kicked out for boning Mustaine’s wife. We do hear his fingering is pretty good though.

Ay-oh!

6. Al Pitrelli: 2000-2002

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Pitrelli played with Trans Siberian Orchestra, Savatage and Alice Cooper before he joined Megadeth, so of course the kid’s got chops.

But after recording on the group’s spectacularly mediocre 2001 album The World Needs A Hero, he failed to leave a huge mark, with Mustaine affectionately reflecting on Pitrelli’s days with the band (via Braveworlds) as such: “Al was not an eagle’s nest of talent, so to speak. If there was a tier, Al would probably be some of the least talented that we’ve had.”

Leave it to a #firecrotch like Mustaine to inflict such a heavy duty burnnnnn.

5. Glen Drover: 2004-2008

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Drover first joined Megadeth as a hired gun after Mustaine miraculously recovered from falling-asleep-on-his-arm-and-almost-obliterating-the-nerve-endings-beyond-physical-repair that one time. He contributed to the band’s 2007 winner, United Abominations, but even more impressive, he managed to put up with a freshly born-again Christian Dave Mustaine for four whole years.

4. Kiko Loureiro: 2015-Present

Image Via Twitter

Sure, Mustaine has proclaimed Megadeth’s current axeman the best they’ve ever had, but he’ll probably say the same thing about the next 5 guys as well. Either way, the Brazilian virtuoso is possibly the coolest motherfucker ever to take up axe duties for The Deth, and we’ll get to see him in full flight when they come to visit us this October.

Watch: Megadeth – À Tout le Monde (Live @ Quebec 2015)

3. Chris Poland: 1984–1987, 2004

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The first lead string-slinger to make a real impact on Megadeth’s sound, Poland helped shape seminal albums Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! and Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? and then re-appeared like the awesome band T-shirt that you thought you’d lost in the wash all those years ago in 2004 to contribute to The System Has Failed which, as we all know, spawned Back In The Day and thus the amazing Megadeth cameo episode of Daffy Duck’s signature children’s sci-fi cartoon, Duck Dodgers.

DON’T ASK QUESTIONS JUST WATCH IT.

2. Chris Broderick: 2008 – 2014

Image Via Twitter

* Neoclassical speed demon

* Stuck around for over 6 years

* Was on deck for all Megadeth releases from 2009’s Endgame to 2013’s Countdown To Extinction Live

* Has hair that would make Heidi Klum jealous

* Invented his own guitar pick clip

* Took vengeance on Dave Mustaine by forming a post-Megadeth band called Act of Defiance with — wait for it — Glen Drover. They weren’t great but still, props.

Watch: Chris Broderick – Headcrusher Solo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4W2bTKROsM

1. Marty Friedman: 1990-2000

Image Via Twitter

Tornado Of Souls solo + Symphony Of Destruction solo = your argument is invalid.

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