“Being a hired gun for a band – you’re disposable”: Gus G on why he turned down auditions for Megadeth and Machine Head

No one can dispute that Gus G’s resume is pretty impressive. In addition to his current band Firewind, the Greek metal guitarist has also lent his chops to Arch Enemy, Nightrage, and most notably, Ozzy Osbourne.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he’s had the chance to audition for numerous other big-name metal outfits, including Megadeth and Machine Head. In the case of those two, though, he turned the opportunities down.

• READ MORE: “Everybody knows that Megadeth is a place where musicians come and go”: Kiko Loureiro says “the door will stay open” following recent departure

In a new conversation on the Chuck Shute Podcast, Gus G explains how his stint with Ozzy Osbourne steered him away from auditioning for other already-known metal groups.

“I’ve had offers to audition for other bands and stuff – not to join, but to audition – but I didn’t do it,” he says [via Guitar World]. “During my time with Ozzy, Megadeth reached out. I said, ‘Well, I can’t really leave Ozzy for that,’ even though I’m a huge Megadeth fan.

“Two weeks later, Kiko [Loureiro] was in the band. And Kiko was a buddy of mine; we’ve known each other. His old band Angra and Firewind have toured together, so I knew him and I thought he was a great fit.”

The chance to audition for Megadeth came as the band were looking to replace guitarist Chris Broderick, who now plays in In Flames.

Kiko Loureiro went on to serve a near ten-year stint in Megadeth, before announcing his departure late last year.

Another opportunity came in 2019 when Machine Head offered Gus G an audition, two years after he left Ozzy Osbourne’s band, but again, he turned it down.

“I’m not sure if I’m really made for being a hired-gun kind of guy,” Gus G continues. “I’m enjoying calling my own shots. It’s two different worlds doing those things.

“Doing your own thing, of course, involves a lot of risks – financial, of course, because you don’t know if things will work out…if people are gonna like it.

“Then, of course, being a hired gun for a band, you don’t have to worry about any of that. But you’re also disposable.”