Prior to forming Megadeth, Mustaine was the lead guitarist of Metallica but did not appear on any albums. He was, however, credited as a writer on four songs from Kill 'Em All and two songs from Ride the Lightning. Mustaine was born into a family of Jehovah's Witnesses.He now identifies as a born-again Christian.He has experienced alcohol and drug problems throughout his life, and briefly battled throat cancer in 2019. Mustaine has been married to Pamela Anne Casselberry since 1991, with whom he has two children, Electra and Justis Mustaine.
Being kicked out of Metallica paved the way for his partnership with Dave Ellefson and Greg Handevidt. Ellefson was playing the opening bass line of Van Halen's "Runnin' with the Devil" in the apartment below Mustaine's.After stomping on the floor and shouting for them to stop, Mustaine, being hung over at the time, took a potted plant and threw it out of his window and hit the air conditioner of the apartment below.This resulted in the two coming up to Mustaine's apartment to ask for cigarettes. Mustaine replied "There's a store on the corner" and slammed the door in their faces.A few minutes later, they knocked on the door, this time asking if they could buy him beer.Mustaine's reply: 'OK, now you are talking'. They spent the night talking about music, and soon after, Mustaine, Ellefson and Handevidt were bandmates.
Mustaine's second album, Megadeth's first hit
Mustaine rejoining Metallica for their 30th Anniversary
Megadeth's fourth album Rust in Peace was a massive success