Later this month, Megadeth will play their first-ever gig at Japan's hallowed Budokan arena, and it's been revealed that the evening will see long-estranged lead guitarist Marty Friedman will reunite with Dave Mustaine and co.
Megadeth's Budokan concert, set to be livestreamed on February 27 ahead of being available on demand days after, will mark the first time Friedman has shared a stage with Megadeth in over two decades. Rolling Stone reports that Friedman will join the band for three songs as part of the show's encore.
"When Marty said, 'Hey, I can play at this gig,' I thought, 'This is so magnificent,'" frontman Dave Mustaine told Rolling Stone. "It's gonna be so much fun to get [current lead guitarist Kiko Loureiro] and Marty together, because they're both geniuses on guitar. So this is like a gigantic birthday and Christmas present for me."
Friedman — the D.C. native who has been a resident of Japan since the early aughts — is widely considered the most consequential guitarist in Megadeth history, forming the group's "classic" lineup with Mustaine, bassist David Ellefson (who was dismissed by the band in 2021) and late drummer Nick Menza.
Successfully auditioning for Megadeth in time to appear on the group's landmark 1990 album Rust in Peace, Friedman would also lend fretwork to 1992 album Countdown to Extinction, 1994's Youthanasia, 1997's Cryptic Writings and 1999's Risk.
"It has been a long time — 23 years to be exact since I've been on the same stage with Dave Mustaine making music," Friedman shared in a statement [via Rolling Stone]. "We've both taken drastically different paths since then. That doesn't change the fact that I'm extremely proud of the part that I played in Megadeth's history and legacy. I'm also very, very proud of the band's many great achievements and continued success in my absence. For right now, I just feel immense joy and some serious adrenaline. I am looking forward to playing with Megadeth at this very cool place, the Budokan."
Friedman would leave Megadeth in December 1999, moving to Japan in 2003. In addition to his music-making, he has become a fixture of Japanese television, speaking the language fluently as a guest on news and political segments, and as the host of music variety shows like Rock Fujiyama.
Prior to joining Megadeth, Friedman was a member of Cacophony with Jason Becker, and made his solo debut with 1988 album Dragon's Kiss. His most recent album is 2021's Tokyo Jukebox 3.
Megadeth released The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! last year. Read Exclaim!'s interview with Dave Mustaine.
Megadeth's Budokan concert, set to be livestreamed on February 27 ahead of being available on demand days after, will mark the first time Friedman has shared a stage with Megadeth in over two decades. Rolling Stone reports that Friedman will join the band for three songs as part of the show's encore.
"When Marty said, 'Hey, I can play at this gig,' I thought, 'This is so magnificent,'" frontman Dave Mustaine told Rolling Stone. "It's gonna be so much fun to get [current lead guitarist Kiko Loureiro] and Marty together, because they're both geniuses on guitar. So this is like a gigantic birthday and Christmas present for me."
Friedman — the D.C. native who has been a resident of Japan since the early aughts — is widely considered the most consequential guitarist in Megadeth history, forming the group's "classic" lineup with Mustaine, bassist David Ellefson (who was dismissed by the band in 2021) and late drummer Nick Menza.
Successfully auditioning for Megadeth in time to appear on the group's landmark 1990 album Rust in Peace, Friedman would also lend fretwork to 1992 album Countdown to Extinction, 1994's Youthanasia, 1997's Cryptic Writings and 1999's Risk.
"It has been a long time — 23 years to be exact since I've been on the same stage with Dave Mustaine making music," Friedman shared in a statement [via Rolling Stone]. "We've both taken drastically different paths since then. That doesn't change the fact that I'm extremely proud of the part that I played in Megadeth's history and legacy. I'm also very, very proud of the band's many great achievements and continued success in my absence. For right now, I just feel immense joy and some serious adrenaline. I am looking forward to playing with Megadeth at this very cool place, the Budokan."
Friedman would leave Megadeth in December 1999, moving to Japan in 2003. In addition to his music-making, he has become a fixture of Japanese television, speaking the language fluently as a guest on news and political segments, and as the host of music variety shows like Rock Fujiyama.
Prior to joining Megadeth, Friedman was a member of Cacophony with Jason Becker, and made his solo debut with 1988 album Dragon's Kiss. His most recent album is 2021's Tokyo Jukebox 3.
Megadeth released The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! last year. Read Exclaim!'s interview with Dave Mustaine.
