JAMES LOMENZO On MEGADETH’s Setlist For ‘The Metal Tour Of The Year’: ‘You’ve Gotta Keep The Hits’

Throughout a brand new “The Steel Tour Of The 12 months” bassist roundtable video chat with Knotfest‘s Ryan J. Downey, MEGADETH‘s James LoMenzo mentioned the setlist for the upcoming 2022 leg of the trek, which is able to kick off on Saturday, April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada and hit an extra 21 cities earlier than wrapping in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday, Could 15.

“You need to have in mind that Dave‘s [Mustaine, MEGADETH frontman] been by so much together with his voice, so lots of the songs that we decide are predicated on [the fact] that he’s therapeutic accurately,” the bassist stated, referencing Mustaine‘s current battle with throat most cancers. “In order that’s a part of it as properly. But it surely’s a protracted street forward. We’re all the time swapping in songs. We have got an entire pile — they’re all sitting, ready to be let free. That is the beauty of being on this band, is that there is simply an inexhaustible catalog.

“I do not know easy methods to say this delicately, so I will simply say it. The reality of the matter is once you go to see lots of your favourite bands — let’s be the fan man; okay, let’s go to see our favourite band… I bear in mind when JUDAS PRIEST was doing all of ‘Nostradamus’,” he continued. “It was a very good report, nevertheless it wasn’t ‘Hell Bent For Leather-based’. And I’ve gotta say that folks wanna hear the songs that they love. Why would not you play them for ’em?

“In order that’s the issue with a band like MEGADETH,” James added. “And there are bands, as we transfer alongside — all bands, as you progress alongside, you begin simply getting this large catalog. And the way do you get sufficient in there to offer the core followers what they really need versus the esoterics? You attempt to throw a factor right here and there, however you have gotta hold the hits, man.”

The complete chat, which additionally included LAMB OF GOD‘s John Campbell and TRIVIUM‘s Paolo Gregoletto, will be seen beneath.

Two months in the past, Mustaine confirmed that LoMenzo will play bass for MEGADETH when the band returns to the street subsequent month. Becoming a member of them can be co-headliners LAMB OF GOD together with particular friends TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES.

LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006 and appeared on two of the group’s studio albums, 2007’s “United Abominations” and 2009’s “Endgame”. He was fired from the band in 2010 and changed with returning unique MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.

Along with MEGADETH, LoMenzo has performed with Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde and WHITE LION. For the previous 9 years, LoMenzo has been performing with iconic rocker John Fogerty.

LoMenzo performed his first present with MEGADETH in almost 12 years final August in Austin, Texas. The live performance came about three months following Ellefson‘s dismissal from MEGADETH after sexually tinged messages and express video footage involving him had been posted on Twitter.

Requested in an interview with Melodic.web what it has been like for him to play with MEGADETH on “The Steel Tour Of The 12 months” final summer season after such a protracted absence from the band, James stated: “Nicely, I am actually having the perfect time. Dave‘s [Mustaine] been actually welcoming and supportive, and the band as an entire is simply implausible. It is an actual powerhouse. Dirk is a dream drummer for the sort of music, and Kiko‘s simply so musically deep. Dave‘s enjoying pretty much as good or higher than ever and now that he is on these Gibson guitars, his sound is a lot extra intestine punching then I bear in mind it.”

Concerning how he ended up returning to MEGADETH, James stated: “Dave‘s administration reached out at first to see if I might even be obtainable, which I actually wasn’t, however after a name with Dave, I noticed how vital for MEGADETH and even for myself this could be. Time was ticking, so I knew it will be a crunch, however having been right here as soon as earlier than the re-learning curve was a tad much less steep. I made some preparations with the Fogerty camp, and so they had been gracious sufficient to permit me a go away to do that.”

Mustaine has but to disclose who performed bass on MEGADETH‘s new album after Ellefson‘s tracks had been faraway from the LP following his exit from the group.

Ellefson laid down his bass tracks on MEGADETH‘s sixteenth LP in Could 2020 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

In July 2021, Mustaine introduced throughout an episode of his Gimme Radio program “The Dave Mustaine Present” that Ellefson‘s bass tracks wouldn’t be used on the brand new MEGADETH album.

In early Could 2021, Ellefson launched a press release on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he “groomed” an underage fan.

On Could 24, 2021, Mustaine — who shaped MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — introduced the bassist’s departure from the band.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the group’s inception in 1983 to 2002, and once more from 2010 till his newest exit.