This album represents my first introduction to this legendary thrash band, and I still remember the first Megadeth song I ever heard, "Sweating Bullets," in the fall of 1993. It was played to me by my older cousin Travis, who was 2 years older than me and thus 2 years more experienced in the ways of awesome music. Not many people know this, but Travis was very influential in shaping my musical preferences, beginniing when I was 12-14 years old. Him and my other cousin Luke helped me get into bands like the Doors, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and of course Megadeth.
Travis was also an original retrologist/vinyl junkie, as he had many cool old records. One memory I have is of the two of us chilling in his room listening to Led Zeppelin III while playing with the famous "farmer's wheel" jacket it came in. His stereo not only had a turntable but also had an 8 track player (!). That may have been the only working 8 track player I have encountered in my 32 years, and he had a stack of 8 tracks to go with it, by the likes of Styx, the Beatles, Hendrix, etc. One time we went to a sweet record store in Grand Rapids (wish I could remember the name!) and this guy with a blonde mullet and British accent helped us find where the Zep records were. Ahh, memories.
Upon further listening of this cd (I didn't get a copy of my own until 9th grade), I discovered the titles to songs on "Countdown" were all incredibly depressing ("Countdown to Extinction," "Foreclosure of A Dream," etc.) At one point in high school I had an official poster of drummer Nick Menza endorsing TAMA drums, with the old guy from the cover of the album on the bass drum skin. My drum instructor Ray used to keep it in the little closet that he taught in, but said I could have it one day after a lesson as he found the old guy "scary."
Anyway, this album makes me think of my cousin, who I haven't seen in about 5 years. He's busy with his now SEVEN kids. Yikes! He was a funny guy, and when he played "Sweating Bullets" for me he lip-synced to it in a funny, exaggerated manner. I need to find an old pic of him to put up, for perspective...
Speaking of Megadeth, guitarist Mustaine was mentioned in an article I read on Cracked.com today. Funny stuff. http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-things-that-are-far-sadder-than-they-should-be_p2/
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Funny, this was your first Megadeth and mine was Youthanasia. I always liked Megadeth equally to Metallica back in the day. It sickens me that Mustaine endorsed Rick Santorum. He's such a douche now.
ReplyDeleteJohn and I were discussing Mustaine's politics today. John is boycotting Megadeth until the election is over.
ReplyDeleteIts almost as bad as seeing pics of James Hetfield walking out of a Gucci store (I saw it on Cracked, of course). Real metalheads don't vote republican or shop at Gucci, dammit!
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