Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Was Megadeth really the band fans were paying to see while opening for Ronnie James Dio in 1988?
In this episode, Robert John Hadfield uncovers a fascinating newspaper interview from the So Far, So Good... So What! tour that captures a changing moment in heavy metal history. Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young boldly claims that Megadeth—not Dio—was the real draw, sparking a discussion about one of the biggest shifts the genre ever experienced.
Along the way, we explore why thrash metal exploded at exactly the right moment, why critics absolutely hated Megadeth, how Dio's legendary career was already being viewed as "veteran" status after only twelve years, and whether heavy metal was beginning to outgrow its own formulas.
If you lived through the late '80s—or wish you had—this is a fascinating snapshot of a moment when one generation of metal was giving way to another.
Timestamps
0:00 "Megadeth's music is a sick excuse for music..."
0:28 The newspaper article that sparked this discussion
1:01 Rock Trivia Challenge (Dio & Megadeth)
2:04 Was Megadeth actually the bigger draw than Dio?
3:25 Why Ronnie James Dio was already called a "veteran" in 1988
5:45 Megadeth's rise with So Far, So Good... So What!
7:48 Did fans come for Megadeth or Dio?
8:14 Jeff Young on joining Megadeth
9:08 Vic Rattlehead vs. Murray: the mascots of metal
10:24 Opening for Iron Maiden—and the brutal concert review
11:55 Why Megadeth's lyrics felt different from the glam metal era
13:44 Thrash arrives as audiences grow tired of formula rock
14:27 Did Dio become predictable?
16:15 The famous upside-down DIO logo theory
18:14 Why Megadeth rejected glam metal theatrics
19:02 Heavy metal's surprising staying power despite critics
20:38 Why the timing was perfect for thrash metal
21:01 Trivia answers
22:34 Looking back: Who won the long game—Dio or Megadeth?
What do you think? If you saw Dio and Megadeth together on this tour, we'd love to hear your memories. Did it feel like the audience was there for Dio... or was Megadeth already stealing the show?
#Megadeth #RonnieJamesDio #ThrashMetal #HeavyMetal #DaveMustaine #DreamEvil #SoFarSoGoodSoWhat #IronMaiden #MetalHistory #Audiomover
Was Megadeth really the band fans were paying to see while opening for Ronnie James Dio in 1988?
In this episode, Robert John Hadfield uncovers a fascinating newspaper interview from the So Far, So Good... So What! tour that captures a changing moment in heavy metal history. Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young boldly claims that Megadeth—not Dio—was the real draw, sparking a discussion about one of the biggest shifts the genre ever experienced.
Along the way, we explore why thrash metal exploded at exactly the right moment, why critics absolutely hated Megadeth, how Dio's legendary career was already being viewed as "veteran" status after only twelve years, and whether heavy metal was beginning to outgrow its own formulas.
If you lived through the late '80s—or wish you had—this is a fascinating snapshot of a moment when one generation of metal was giving way to another.
Timestamps
0:00 "Megadeth's music is a sick excuse for music..."
0:28 The newspaper article that sparked this discussion
1:01 Rock Trivia Challenge (Dio & Megadeth)
2:04 Was Megadeth actually the bigger draw than Dio?
3:25 Why Ronnie James Dio was already called a "veteran" in 1988
5:45 Megadeth's rise with So Far, So Good... So What!
7:48 Did fans come for Megadeth or Dio?
8:14 Jeff Young on joining Megadeth
9:08 Vic Rattlehead vs. Murray: the mascots of metal
10:24 Opening for Iron Maiden—and the brutal concert review
11:55 Why Megadeth's lyrics felt different from the glam metal era
13:44 Thrash arrives as audiences grow tired of formula rock
14:27 Did Dio become predictable?
16:15 The famous upside-down DIO logo theory
18:14 Why Megadeth rejected glam metal theatrics
19:02 Heavy metal's surprising staying power despite critics
20:38 Why the timing was perfect for thrash metal
21:01 Trivia answers
22:34 Looking back: Who won the long game—Dio or Megadeth?
What do you think? If you saw Dio and Megadeth together on this tour, we'd love to hear your memories. Did it feel like the audience was there for Dio... or was Megadeth already stealing the show?
#Megadeth #RonnieJamesDio #ThrashMetal #HeavyMetal #DaveMustaine #DreamEvil #SoFarSoGoodSoWhat #IronMaiden #MetalHistory #Audiomover
