Megadeth | PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? 25th Anniversary Edition
by John Kindred
Staff Writer
For some people, 1986 seems like a long time ago, and, for others, it remains fresh in the mind. Can you believe that 25 years ago Megadeth released its groundbreaking PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? studio album? Well, 2011 brings about the re-release and remaster of this landmark album by Megadeth. Capitol/EMI records has dug deep into the vaults to deliver PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? in several versions: A two-CD lift-top box, digital album and a deluxe five Disc + 3 LP box set for fans to gobble up. Loaded with plenty of extras, these packages should entice fans to plunk down their cash on the 25th Anniversary re-issues.
The two-CD set features liner note from Dave Mustaine and commentary from Lars Ulrich (we must have died and gone to Hell). The original studio material has been remastered, and the second CD is from a 1987 concert that contains 13 songs.
Mustaine always has had plenty of angst, and, in his own words, PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? is his story, which focuses on “my faith, my beliefs, my distrust of government, my work ethic, my integrity.” By now, we all know the story of how Mustaine was thumped out of Metallica. And you know what? Thank goodness that he was because the music of Megadeth has far exceeded the efforts of his former band. Maybe you can’t define the band’s success in overall record sales, as Metallica jumped on the mainstream commercial bandwagon way before Mustaine softened his approach, if ever so slightly. He never cut his hair; he never down-tuned his guitars to drop D; he never went WAH-WAH happy-go-lucky-crazy; and he never lost his angst.
The production of Megadeth’s sophomore release PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? is like night and day when compared to their debut studio album Killing Is My Business and Business is Good!. The debut album has more of a raw edge that lacks punch, but certainly this is not a knock on the skill level of the musicians. Sonically, it’s hard to change what originally was recorded. The band must have had the same thought on the production quality of Killing Is My Business and Business is Good! because the CD was remastered and re-released in 2002. But on Peace Sells …, the evolution of the sonic dynamic delivery of Megadeth developed the way the band would be heard on future releases.
Thrash metal staples, including the title song, “Wake up Dead” and “Devil’s Island” are found here. The album, as whole, clocks in at 36 minutes and is only eight songs. Again, the autobiographical lyrical exposure of Mustaine’s mental state is heard on “Peace Sells.” If one song could sum up what the youth of ‘80s were rebelling against, well, this is the song. This ever-present forlorn commentary on the perpetual state of affairs in the U.S. and abroad should be evident to everyone. Election after election, decade after decade, the cries are heralded for change. Politicians claim to be the bringer of peace and prosperity. And yet the picture is the same as it was during the ‘60s. The only difference is that people only are up in arms when the Operating System doesn’t work on their latest $300 cell phone. Today, “Peace Sells” represent a call to arms that falls on deaf ears. After an undeclared “10-Year War” in the middle east, is anyone listening anymore?
Megadeth covers the Willie Dixon penned song “I Ain’t Superstitious,” which had been recorded by the likes of Howlin’ Wold, Jeff Beck, George Lynch, Tesla, The Yardbirds and many other groups. This song, although the second from the last song to appear on the album, breaks the continuity of the music and changes from a thrash metal groove to rhythm and blues vibe and is a heavy contrast to the band’s signature sound. Interestingly enough, the controversial song “The Conjuring,” which was made that way by Mustaine, now sticks out like a sore thumb. The song’s lyrical content is far removed from anything Heavenly, and Mustaine’s full-on conversion to Christianity has led him to spurn performing the song live. And if not for his vocal detest of his creation in the media, fans wouldn’t even note the self-made controversy.
It is interesting to note that during the ‘80s, MTV adopted the title track from PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? as its theme song. The song opens with the bass groove played by Dave Ellefson, and MTV lifted the intro and used it whenever they promoted the television station and as the opening sequence of its news cast. MTV could have grabbed a snippet from any of metal’s most primal heavy metal bands of the time period. Bands like Metallica, Slayer and Black Sabbath, all great and relevant, were put on notice by the six-second opening riff by Megadeth.
PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING? Screams, “Metal is my business, But who’s buying?” The band has evolved through lineup changes over the years. With Mustaine being the ringleader, the band has produced three Top 10 titles on the Top 200 Albums chart and four Top 10 singles, “Almost Honest,” “Trust,” “Breadline,” and “Crush ‘Em.” Megadeth has had nine Grammy Award nominations; one double platinum album; six gold and five platinum albums; and three gold-certified DVD releases in addition to last year’s double-platinum concert DVD.
The additional CD truly is a bonus disc. Although it gives fans another reason to purchase the 25th anniversary edition of Peace Sells…, it really isn’t where we should focus our attention. With the landmark album written and recorded by Mustaine, Poland, Samuelson and Ellefson in ‘86, the question to ask yourself is, “Where would the band be today if they never released PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO’S BUYING?”
Genre: Thrash Metal / Speed Metal
Band:
Dave Mustaine (vocals, guitar)
Chris Poland (guitar)
Gar Samuelson (drums)
David Ellefson (background vocals)
Track Listing:
Disc 1 (original album, remastered):
Wake Up Dead
The Conjuring
Peace Sells
Devil’s Island
Good Mourning/Black Friday
Bad Omen
I Ain’t Superstitious
My Last Words
Disc 2 (previously unreleased 1987 concert):
Wake Up Dead
The Conjuring
Bad Omen
Rattlehead
Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good
Looking Down The Cross
My Last Words
Peace Sells
These Boots Were Made For Walkin’
Devils Island
Mechanix
Last Rites / Loved To Deth
Good Mourning / Black Friday
Label: Capitol/EMI
Web: www.megadeth.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10