Editing Dave Mustaine (section)

===1980s===
Following unsuccessful vocalist auditions, Mustaine took on vocal duties himself at Megadeth's first rehearsal in addition to playing lead and rhythm guitar.<ref name=gibson/> In 1984, Megadeth produced a three-song demo with drummer [[Lee Rauch]], who replaced Carruthers after Mustaine and Ellefson decided they could not trust him. Carruthers had chosen to hide his black heritage from them by claiming he was Spanish, and they could not understand why he would deceive them.{{Sfn|Layden|2011|p=109}} [[Kerry King]] joined the band for a few shows; however, he opted to leave Megadeth after less than a week so he could continue working on his own band, [[Slayer]]. Jazz-influenced drummer [[Gar Samuelson]] replaced Rauch, who left after Mustaine convinced him to play with a broken foot.{{Sfn|Layden|2011}} Megadeth recorded a demo as a three-piece band, which captured the attention of guitarist [[Chris Poland]], also a jazz player and a friend of Samuelson, who subsequently joined the band.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/553544-Megadeth-Killing-Is-My-Business-And-Business-Is-Good/images|publisher=[[Loud Records]]|type=liner notes|id=9046-2|access-date=May 30, 2022|archive-date=June 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601095832/https://www.discogs.com/release/553544-Megadeth-Killing-Is-My-Business-And-Business-Is-Good/images|url-status=live}}</ref> In November, the band signed a deal with [[Combat Records]] and began touring.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/combat-records-relaunch-david-ellefson-emp-label-group/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=May 30, 2022|date=November 29, 2017|title=Thrash Label Combat Records Revived By Megadeth's David Ellefson|first=Marc|last=Schneider|archive-date=June 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601095831/https://www.billboard.com/pro/combat-records-relaunch-david-ellefson-emp-label-group/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 1985, Megadeth released their first album, ''[[Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!]]'', via Combat Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/retro-review-megadeth-killing-is-my-business-and-business-is-good-1985/|title=Retro Review: Megadeth – 'Killing is My Business…and Business is Good!' (1985)|date=November 6, 2015|first=Tony|last=Shrum|work=New Noise Magazine|access-date=May 30, 2022|archive-date=June 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609231651/http://newnoisemagazine.com/retro-review-megadeth-killing-is-my-business-and-business-is-good-1985/|url-status=live}}</ref> That summer, the band toured the U.S. and Canada with [[Exciter (band)|Exciter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metal-rules.com/2012/07/25/exciter-john-ricci/|work=metal-rules.com|first=Arto|last=Lehtinen|date=July 25, 2012|title=EXCITER – John Ricci|access-date=May 30, 2022|archive-date=August 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824061941/https://www.metal-rules.com/2012/07/25/exciter-john-ricci/|url-status=live}}</ref> Guitarist [[Mike Albert]] replaced Chris Poland when he was incarcerated for possession of heroin.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} After Poland was released, he rejoined the band in October and the band then began recording their second studio album for Combat. On New Year's Eve of that year, Megadeth played in San Francisco with [[Exodus (band)|Exodus]] and [[Metal Church]]. Metallica was the headliner. This was the only time Megadeth and Metallica were on the same card, until 1991.

In 1986, a year after releasing their debut album, Mustaine approached [[Jackson Guitars]] for a custom-built guitar. Jackson modified their existing Jackson King V model for Mustaine by adding two more [[fret]]s to the standard 22 fret King V.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.groundguitar.com/dave-mustaine-guitars-and-gear/|work=groundguitar.com|title=Dave Mustaine's Guitars and Gear|access-date=June 6, 2022|archive-date=July 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727110758/https://www.groundguitar.com/dave-mustaine-guitars-and-gear/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 1990s, the company began mass-producing a Dave Mustaine signature series Jackson King V, which continued into the early 2000s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mastermind - Tribute to Dave Mustaine|url=http://www.jacksonguitarpalace.com/davemustaine/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318225822/http://www.jacksonguitarpalace.com/davemustaine/|archive-date=March 18, 2018|website=jacksonguitarpalace.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://arrowlordsofmetal.nl/dave-mustaine-a-life-in-guitars/|first=Ramon|title=Dave Mustaine – a life in guitars|last=van Hengel|date=February 23, 2021|access-date=June 6, 2022|work=arrowlordsofmetal.nl|archive-date=May 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520050704/https://arrowlordsofmetal.nl/dave-mustaine-a-life-in-guitars/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The following year, major label [[Capitol Records]] signed Megadeth and obtained the rights to their second studio album, ''[[Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?]]'' Megadeth opened a U.S. tour with [[King Diamond (band)|King Diamond]] and [[Motörhead]]. ''Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?'', released on September 19, 1986, is often regarded as a thrash metal classic,<ref name="pswb">{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/megadeth-peace-sells-but-whos-buying-album/|date=September 19, 2021|first=Joel|last=McIver|title='Peace Sells… But Who's Buying?' How Megadeth Set The Thrash Standard|work=[[UDiscoverMusic]]|access-date=June 6, 2022|archive-date=August 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813085816/https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/megadeth-peace-sells-but-whos-buying-album/|url-status=live}}</ref> producing the notable title track (the opening bass lick of which was used by [[MTV News]] segments)<ref name=pswb/> as well as the thrash anthem "Wake Up Dead".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lamb-of-god-megadeth-wake-up-dead-1330839/|title=Lamb of God, Megadeth Pledge Allegiance to the Riff on Megajam 'Wake Up Dead'|date=April 1, 2022|first=Kory|last=Grow|access-date=June 6, 2022|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-date=June 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609101837/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lamb-of-god-megadeth-wake-up-dead-1330839/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 1987, Megadeth opened for [[Alice Cooper]] on his ''Constrictor'' tour. The band also toured with [[King Diamond (band)|King Diamond]] whose previous band, [[Mercyful Fate]], were a huge influence on Megadeth. In March, Megadeth's first world tour began in the U.K. Mustaine and Ellefson guested on the band Malice's ''License to Kill'' album. Megadeth re-recorded "[[These Boots Are Made for Walkin'#Megadeth version|These Boots]]" for the soundtrack to the film "[[Dudes (film)|Dudes]]", and that summer went on tour with [[Overkill (band)|Overkill]] and [[Necros]]. Amid drug problems and suspicions of stealing the band's equipment and [[pawn shop|pawning]] it for drug money, Mustaine fired Poland and Samuelson after their last show in Hawaii.

[[Chuck Behler]], who had been Samuelson's drum tech, became Megadeth's new drummer with guitarist [[Jeff Young]] replacing Poland. Megadeth released their third studio album, ''[[So Far, So Good... So What!]]'', in January 1988. The album contains the song "[[In My Darkest Hour]]", which, according to the liner notes of ''So Far, So Good... So What!'', was composed after the death of Metallica's bass player [[Cliff Burton]]. "Hook in Mouth" attacked the [[Parents Music Resource Center]] with gusto, although their cover of the [[Sex Pistols]]' "[[Anarchy in the UK]]", despite a guest appearance from ex-Pistol [[Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones]], was ill-advised in the eyes of ''Allmusic's'' critic.

Later that year, Megadeth opened for [[Dio (band)|Dio]] and then [[Iron Maiden]] on tour before playing the [[Monsters of Rock]] festival at Castle Donington in the U.K. with [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]], [[Iron Maiden]], [[Guns N' Roses]], [[David Lee Roth]], and [[Helloween]]. Shortly after, Mustaine fired Behler and Young, accusing Young of having thoughts of a relationship with Mustaine's then-girlfriend. Around this period, Mustaine produced the debut album from Seattle thrash band [[Sanctuary (band)|Sanctuary]], called ''[[Refuge Denied]].''

[[Nick Menza]], who was Chuck Behler's drum tech, joined Megadeth in 1989, and the band recorded their only track ever as a three-piece: a cover of [[Alice Cooper (band)|Alice Cooper]]'s "No More Mr. Nice Guy" for the horror film ''[[Shocker (film)|Shocker]].'' Film director [[Penelope Spheeris]] would later recount in the Megadeth episode of ''[[Behind the Music]]'' that Mustaine showed up to the video shoot so fried on heroin and other drugs that he could not sing and play guitar at the same time; therefore, the singing and playing had to be recorded separately. Mustaine was arrested for "impaired driving" that March with seven or more drugs in his system and was forced by authorities to enter a rehabilitation program (the first of his 15 visits to rehabilitation centers).<ref name="listcouk" >{{cite news|url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/75858-interview-megadeths-dave-mustaine-ive-been-homeless-totally-fucked-up-an-addict-and-here-i-am-sober/|title=Interview: Megadeth's Dave Mustaine – 'I've been homeless, totally fucked up, an addict and here I am sober'|publisher=The List|access-date=April 18, 2016|first=Henry|last=Northmore|date=October 27, 2015|website=www.list.co.uk|quote=Now after 15 trips to rehab Mustaine has been clean and sober for years, with Ellefson back in the lineup alongside Lamb of God's Chris Adler on drums and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro.|archive-date=April 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420211855/https://www.list.co.uk/article/75858-interview-megadeths-dave-mustaine-ive-been-homeless-totally-fucked-up-an-addict-and-here-i-am-sober/|url-status=live}}</ref>