MD.45
MD.45 was an American heavy metal/punk rock[1] band formed as a side project by Megadeth guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine and Fear vocalist Lee Ving. Bassist Kelly LeMieux (of Fear) and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (of Y&T and on a break from Alice Cooper, who later joined Megadeth) rounded out the band's lineup.
MD.45 | |
---|---|
Genres | |
Years active | 1996 |
Labels | Slab, Capitol |
Past members | Lee Ving Dave Mustaine Kelly LeMieux Jimmy DeGrasso |
History
The band's name was derived from Mustaine's initials backwards (MD), combined with 45 which is derived from converting Ving's backwards initials (VL) to their numerical value in Roman numerals which is 45.[2]
The band released only one album, 1996's The Craving.
Remixing controversy
In 2004, while remixing the Megadeth catalog, Mustaine omitted all vocals and harmonica parts from Ving. Instead, Mustaine himself recorded the vocals, and played guitar where the harmonica should've been. In this 2011 autobiography, Mustaine said:[3]
The change was an effort to entice interest from Megadeth fans who might have overlooked the original.
In 2020, Ving publicly manifested his disapproval, saying in a podcast that he was never consulted about the changes, and Mustaine didn't contact him in any way.[4] The remastered version was released by Capitol Records.[2]
Lineup
- Lee Ving – vocals, harmonica (original issue)
- Dave Mustaine – guitar (on both issues), vocals (on remastered issue)
- Kelly LeMieux – bass
- Jimmy DeGrasso – drums
- Other
- Michael Kaye – guitar/backline technician
- Billy Moss – studio engineer/vintage recorders
Discography
Date of release | Title | Label | Chart positions | US sales |
July 23, 1996 | The Craving | Slab Records | 53,000 | |
July 24, 2004 | The Craving (remastered) | Capitol Records |
References
- "90s Metal Weirdness: MD.45 – The Craving". Angry Metal Guy. April 29, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- Megadeth: Scorpion, Megadeth.com, March 3, 2008.
- "LEE VING Looking To Contact DAVE MUSTAINE To "Get Pressure Off The Matter" Of The Craving Re-Issue". BraveWords. May 25, 2020.
- "MD.45's (MEGADETH) Collaborator Lee Ving Still Wants Closure On Removal From The Craving". Metal Injection. May 30, 2020.