BY THOMAS S. ORWAT, JR.
Welcome to episode # 67 of the Rock Interview Series. For this feature, legendary guitarist Chris Poland is the featured guest.
During this interview, Chris talks about the new band that he’s involved with the Kings of Thrash, which also features ex-Megadeth members David Ellefson and Jeff Young.
In addition, Chris discusses his time as a member of MEGADETH from 1984 to 1987.
During that time, he performed on the first 2 Megadeth records, “Killing is My Business and Business is Good” and “Peace Sells, but who’s Buying.” He also returned to perform on the 2004 MEGADETH release “The System Has Failed.”
Also, we discuss Chris’ 1990 solo record “Return to Metaloplolis” and his brilliant metal fusion band OHM.
From Blabbermouth.net
Asked in a new interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series if he would “allow” MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine to come up and play a few songs with KINGS OF THRASH, if Dave was interested in jamming with his former bandmates, Poland said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Fuck, I would. Yeah, I would. Are you kidding? I mean, please, that would be pretty cool. But Dave’s probably kind of like Miles Davis. Miles Davis never looked back; he only looked forward. And I know he’s playing certain songs from certain records, but I don’t think he wants to go that far back. And that’d be a lot for him to learn. But I guess he wrote it; he could probably play that in about five minutes.
“I was surprised when I was [re-]learning the [old MEGADETH] songs,” Chris continued. “I was, like, ‘What the hell did I play there?’ or ‘What’s that part?’ and all of a sudden my muscle memory came back. And I was, like, ‘Oh my God. That’s how I played it.’ And it was 40 years ago. I told David Ellefson that. He goes, ‘Yeah, I know. Me too.’
“But I do wanna say that Jeff Young… Oh my God. I knew Jeff Young was a great guitarist but being out and playing those shows with him, I have a whole new respect for his playing, man. ‘Cause he is nailing Dave, and nailing himself, and then just rocking while he’s doing it. It’s pretty amazing, man. Not to take anything away from Chaz. Chaz is an amazing guitar player himself, and to sing and play those things, I only thought Dave could do that… You can learn the parts, but you’re gonna learn the parts and sing it while you’re playing it? I used to wonder how Dave did it when I was in the band, when we were playing those hard, hard songs like that. And Chaz — not a problem. Everybody in [KINGS OF THRASH], it’s all for one and one for all, man. There’s no egos anywhere. Everybody’s just, like, ‘Let’s go.'”
Thomas S. Orwat Jr.
RockMusicStar.com 