Dave Mustaine says people must be “pretty fucking ignorant” to assume The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! Is about COVID

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has addressed the assumption that the title track from the band’s latest album The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! is about COVID-19.

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The band released the record earlier this month (2 September), and its title track is actually about the black plague, despite original assumptions it would address the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an interview with VW Music, Mustaine said, “I would say that a person would have to be pretty fucking ignorant to listen to that song and read those lyrics and still think that’s about COVID. Initially, like you said, it was about the black plague.”

When asked if it bothered him that people made the wrong assumptions, Mustaine continued, “Well, that’s probably why I scoff at people who think it’s about COVID because it shows that they haven’t experienced the record. It shows they’re probably too busy to have even reviewed the record, let alone understand it. I think if you’re going to review a record, you should get a chance to enjoy the thing and maybe listen to it once or twice, I would think. But believe it or not, that doesn’t always happen, so we get these ideas out there.”

Later on in the interview, he also cleared up assumptions about track Soldier On!, another song which he believes people incorrectly “took at face value”. He stated, Soldier On! is not about being in the army as a soldier. No, Soldier On! is about a person who is in a relationship with somebody who is just awful. This person is horrible, and the only way they will be able to persevere is to walk away from this relationship and this person.”

Megadeth are on tour now, you can get your tickets at Megadeth.com