Former MEGADETH Guitarist MARTY FRIEDMAN Looks Back At 2004

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman recently gave an interview to his official web site regarding the events of 2004 as it relates to Friedman's career. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

Q: So what stood out in 2004 for you?

Marty Friedman: "So much happened for me this year but right now it’s gotta be the acoustic show I just did with Aikawa Nanase. It was my first full acoustic concert ever and it reminded me why I was such a huge Aikawa fan even before I joined her band. She’s stunning, her songs are amazing and her voice is just gorgeous. I was in total fan-mode while we were playing!"

Q: Didn't you do an "MTV Unplugged" with MEGADETH?

Marty Friedman: "Never did that but we did a bunch of acoustic songs during our normal concerts, and a few acoustic events, I remember a great one in Buenos Aires and another in Nagoya, Japan. For what that was, it was awesome because it was totally stripped down. But the Aikawa stuff was 2 ½ hours long and quite big production wise, 2 pianos, flute, cello, sax, bass, percussion and me."

Q: Speaking of MEGADETH, looks like they are back up and running and re-released their entire catalog this year, we get lots of mail asking if you heard them, what you think and so on.

Marty Friedman: "They rock. Dave [Mustaine] remixed them with a friend of mine and great engineer, Ralph Patlan. Of course, there were probably a few things I would have likely done differently. But you know, when you mix an album, it’s literally impossible to please everybody, so you might as well please yourself. I think they did a really good job."

Q: What about your new songs? You did a lot of one-off projects, we have yet to hear them. Why not a full album?

Marty Friedman: I recorded a bunch in 2004. 'Atomic Locust' can only be heard if you check out the latest BOSS multi-track recorder, where it comes up as separate tracks and you can mix it yourself! I’m stoked on the song and I still own the rights so it may wind up on my next solo album. 'Love Terrorist' was written by me and recorded with Aikawa Nanase for a very special album in 2005. 'The Kid From Another Planet' was mixed by Mack (QUEEN producer) and will come out on my new DVD — any day now! I just finished tracking 'Street Demon' for the new Avex CD/DVD 'D1 Grand Prix' which is a collection of new tunes by domestic artists with drift racing as the theme.

Q: Why not just do a full album?

Marty Friedman: "I'm getting close to doing one, I've got the title, concept, musicians, jacket art, but only about half the material. Check with me later…"

Q: The music world suffered a great loss this year with Dimebag Darrell's life being taken. Any reflections on this before we close?

Marty Friedman: "I didn't know him that well, but we toured a bunch together and he was always cool to me, and to everyone else too as far as I know. No 'rock star B.S.,' a real genuine straight-up kind of guy. His slang words got picked up by us in the MEGA camp (most likely by Menza first) and we started talking like him saying stuff like, 'That's cut!' and 'C-section.' I think those meant 'That's a bummer!' and 'Let's get outta here!, but I could be wrong…He was a great guitarist and person. There are so many murderers, rapists and other criminals out there running free while so many unfair, stupid and senseless things happen in the world to good people like Darrell that it really makes you wonder."

Read the entire interview at this location.