MD.45 | |
|---|---|
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1996 |
| Labels | Slab, Capitol |
| Spinoff of | |
| Past members | Lee Ving Dave Mustaine Kelly LeMieux Jimmy DeGrasso |
MD.45 was an American heavy metal/punk rock[1] band formed as a side project by Megadeth guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine and Fear vocalist Lee Ving. Bassist Kelly LeMieux (of Fear) and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (of Y&T and on a break from Alice Cooper, who later joined Megadeth) rounded out the band's lineup.
History
The band's name was derived from Mustaine's initials backwards (MD), combined with 45 which is derived from converting Ving's backwards initials (VL) to their numerical value in Roman numerals which is 45.[2]
The band released only one album, 1996's The Craving. Many of the songs from the album were originally written for Megadeth, but due to the band almost breaking up, Mustaine decided to start a side project instead.[3]
On June 24, 2023, Megadeth and Lee Ving performed the song "Nothing is Something" live at a concert in Tampa, Florida. This marks the only time an MD.45 song has been performed live.[4]
Remixing controversy
In 2004, while remixing the Megadeth catalog, Mustaine omitted all vocals and harmonica parts from Ving. Instead, Mustaine himself recorded the vocals, and played guitar where the harmonica should've been. In his 2011 autobiography, Mustaine said:[5]
The change was an effort to entice interest from Megadeth fans who might have overlooked the original.
In 2020, Ving publicly spoke about his disapproval, saying in a podcast that he was never consulted about the changes, and Mustaine didn't contact him in any way.[6] The remastered version was released by Capitol Records.[2]
Lineup
- Lee Ving – vocals, harmonica (original issue)
- Dave Mustaine – guitar (on both issues), vocals (on remastered issue)
- Kelly LeMieux – bass
- Jimmy DeGrasso – drums
- Other
- Michael Kaye – guitar/backline technician
- Billy Moss – studio engineer/vintage recorders
Discography
| Date of release | Title | Label | Chart positions | US sales |
| July 23, 1996 | The Craving | Slab Records | 53,000 | |
| July 24, 2004 | The Craving (remastered) | Capitol Records |
References
- ^ "90s Metal Weirdness: MD.45 – The Craving". Angry Metal Guy. April 29, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Megadeth: Scorpion, Megadeth.com, March 3, 2008.
- ^ "Watch: MEGADETH Joined By FEAR's LEE VING For Performance Of 'Nothing Is Something' From MD.45". Blabbermouth. June 25, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
Two decades ago, Mustaine told Classic Rock magazine that "a lot of" the music on "The Craving" "was intended for MEGADETH, but every time I turned around, Marty [Friedman, then-MEGADETH guitarist] had a solo record coming out; Nick [Menza, then-MEGADETH drummer] had his own solo project. Y'know, was this MEGADETH or not? I said, 'You don't see me going off to play with anybody else. If I'm not doing it, then none of you guys are. And if I do it, then we all can — but I might not come back.' By the time I got into the studio with Lee, I figured it was a case of goodbye. But we got back together after a little period of time."
- ^ "Go Behind The Scenes Of MEGADETH's Concert In Tampa". Blabbermouth. July 6, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "LEE VING Looking To Contact DAVE MUSTAINE To "Get Pressure Off The Matter" Of The Craving Re-Issue". BraveWords. May 25, 2020.
- ^ "MD.45's (MEGADETH) Collaborator Lee Ving Still Wants Closure On Removal From The Craving". Metal Injection. May 30, 2020.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
This page was last edited on 30 November 2023, at 08:55