Mechanix

"Mechanix" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It is the eighth and final track from their debut studio album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, which was released in 1985 by Combat Records.

"Mechanix"
Song by Megadeth
from the album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
ReleasedJune 12, 1985 (1985-06-12)
RecordedDecember 1984 – January 1985
Studio
Genre
Length4:20
LabelCombat
Producer(s)

The song was written for Dave Mustaine's first band Panic[3] and was recorded by frontman Mustaine's former band Metallica, and featured on their 1982 No Life 'Til Leather demo. [4] After Mustaine was fired from Metallica, he explicitly requested that the band not use any material he contributed, including "Mechanix".[5][6][7] The song was reworked into "The Four Horsemen", which appeared on Metallica's debut album Kill 'Em All in 1983.[8][9]

Music and lyrics

"Mechanix" was originally written by Dave Mustaine while he was in Panic before his tenure in Metallica.[3] He would perform the song with Metallica during his time in the band and, after his departure, the music and lyrics were modified to create "The Four Horsemen". Originally, "Mechanix" was the same speed as "The Four Horsemen", but once Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica, he sped up the songs he wrote, including "Mechanix". He "wanted to be faster and heavier than them".[10]

Lyrically, "Mechanix" is about having sex at a gas station[11] and was inspired by Mustaine's time as a gas station attendant.[12]

Controversy

When Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica, he reportedly told the band to not use his songs.[13] However, the band not only used solos and riffs, but some of Mustaine's entire songs, including "Mechanix".[14][15] Metallica frontman James Hetfield wrote lyrics about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and added a bridge (also written by Mustaine) and cleanly picked guitar solo in the middle.[16] The two songs have sparked debate between many metal fans, over which one is better.[17] In an interview after Megadeth's first ever show, Mustaine talked about the set they played, and said "... and then (we) go into the Mechanix, off of the No Life 'Til Leather demo. Exactly that way. Not with this 'Four Horsemen' wimp shit".[18]

Accolades
Year Publication Country Accolade Rank
2022 Louder Sound United States The Top 20 Best Megadeth Songs Ranked[19] 12
2018 Billboard United Kingdom The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic’s Picks[20] 11

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the liner notes of Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!.[21]

References
  1. CMJ Network, Inc (February 11, 2002). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Report: 45. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  2. "Killing Is My Business.. and Business Is Good! - Review". metal-archives.com.
  3. "Dave's band Panic?". Megadeth.com. August 27, 2007. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012.
  4. DiVita, Joe (March 15, 2022). "Metallica Share Photos of Promo Flyer + Setlist From First-Ever Show 40 Years Ago". Loudwire. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  5. Blabbermouth (August 23, 2022). "DAVE MUSTAINE Says He Was 'Bothered' By The Fact That METALLICA Used His Music After His Departure". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  6. Kennelty, Greg (August 23, 2022). "DAVE MUSTAINE On His Past With METALLICA: "I'm Over It. It's Just Money"". Metal Injection. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  7. "Dave Mustaine Says Kirk Hammett Got His Royalties For Metallica's 'Metal Militia' For Many Years". August 24, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  8. Schaffner, Lauryn. "See Megadeth Play New Song 'We'll Be Back' Live for First Time". Loudwire. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  9. "Metallica is Having a Little Fun with Their Fan Base's Hate for 'St. Anger'". 93.3 WMMR. September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  10. Polcaro, Rafael (September 4, 2018). "ARTICLESGreat Forgotten Songs #71 – Megadeth "Mechanix"". Rock And Roll Garage. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  11. Begrand, Adrien (April 30, 2002). "MEGADETH: KILLING IS MY BUSINESS . . . AND BUSINESS IS GOOD!". Pop Matters. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  12. Grow, Kory (January 11, 2017). "Megadeth's Dave Mustaine: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  13. Pementel, Michael (August 23, 2022). "Dave Mustaine Tells Joe Rogan What 'Bothered' Him The Most About Getting Kicked Out Of Metallica". We Are The Pit. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  14. Uhelszki, Jaan (September 11, 2008). "Metallica Week: Kirk Hammett interview". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  15. Kill 'Em All liner notes. Megaforce Records. 1983.
  16. Pillsbury 2006, p. 194.
  17. Liebler, Raizel. "Loud Moments in Metal Law History: The Four Horsemen v. Mechanix". The Learned Fangirl. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  18. "unknown interview title". February 20, 1984. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  19. Stewart-Panko, Kevin. "The top 20 best Megadeth songs ranked". Louder Sound. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  20. Titus, Christina. "The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  21. Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! liner notes (2002 reissue). Loud Records. 2002. pp. 2, 7–8.
  22. "Megadeth MECHANIX". Megadeth.com. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
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