A thrash metal band formed by Dave Mustaine in 1983 after he left (got kicked out of) Metallica. Megadeth has gone through many line up changes with the only two stable members being Dave Mustaine (guitar/vocals) and Dave Ellefson (bass). The original line-up included Chris Poland on guitar and Gars Samuelson on drums. Before recording their third album So Far, So Good...So What! Mustaine fired Poland and Samuelson and hired guitarist Jeff Young and drummer Chuck Behler. In 1990 Mustaine fired Young and Behler and replaced them with guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. This is the line-up most associate with Megadeth. The 1999 release Risk featured a new drummer, Jimmy DeGrasso who used to play with Suicidal Tendencies. I've also heard Marty Friedman has left to pursue a solo career.

Most of reason this band was so unstable can be attributed to Dave Mustaine and his drug and alcohol problems. These were the reasons he was kicked out of Metallica and for many years it only got worse after that. There were always many stories and rumors about his problems circulating about the metal scene. Then in 1990 he was arrested for driving under the influence and entered a rehabilitation program. He has apparently been clean and sober since then. IIRC he had a wife and kid at the time and once he got sober and saw how his problems had effected them they were his motivation for staying that way.

In my high school days I was a thrash/speed metal fan. I don't think I bought another Megadeth album after Countdown to Extinction. Although I don't think Youthanasia was a bad album I was growing out of my metal phase of life, still I may own it I would have to dig up my old metal albums. Hmmm, making this writeup has given me a hankering to hear Hanger 18 and the rest of Rust In Peace. Which in my humble opinion is Megadeth's best album. I guess I'll be digging through CDs soon.

Albums:

The World Needs A Hero -- Sanctuary Records (2001)

Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years -- Capitol Records (2000) ("best of")

Risk -- Capitol Records (1999)

Cryptic Writings -- Capitol Records (1997)

Youthanasia -- Capital Records (1994)

Countdown to Extinction -- Capitol Records (1992)

Rust in Peace -- Capitol Records (1990)

So Far, So Good...So What! -- Capitol Records (1988)

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? -- Capitol Records (1986)

Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good! -- Combat (1985)

Big ups to TW for sending some additional info my way (pointed out that the band had a new album out and more)

Megadeth discography and lyrics:

Killing is My Business... And Business is Good!
(Combat Records, 1985)

Dave Mustaine: lead guitar, vocals, piano
Chris Poland: lead guitar
David Ellefson: bass guitar, back-up vocals
Gar Samuelson: drums, tympani

1. Last Rites/Loved to Deth
2. Killing is My Business... And Business is Good!
3. Skull Beneath the Skin
4. These Boots
5. Rattlehead
6. Chosen Ones
7. Looking Down the Cross
8. Mechanix

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?
(Capitol Records, 1986)

Dave Mustaine: vocals, lead and rhythm guitars
David Ellefson: bass guitars, backup vocals
Chris Poland: lead and rhythm guitars
Gar Samuelson: drums

1. Wake Up Dead
2. The Conjuring
3. Peace Sells
4. Devil's Island
5. Good Mourning/Black Friday
6. Bad Omen
7. I Ain't Superstitious
8. My Last Words

So Far, So Good..So What!
(Capitol Records, 1988)

Dave Mustaine: lead vocals, lead rhythm and acoustic guitars
David Ellefson: bass guitars and back-up vocals
Jeff Young: lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Chuck Behler: drums and percussion

1. Into the Lungs of Hell (Instrumental)
2. Set the World Afire
3. Anarchy in the UK
4. Mary Jane
5. 502
6. In My Darkest Hour
7. Liar
8. Hook in Mouth

Rust In Peace
(Capitol Records, 1990)

Dave Mustaine: vocals, guitars
Marty Friedman: guitars
David Ellefson: bass guitars, backup vocals
Nick Menza: drums, backup vocals

1. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
2. Hangar 18
3. Take No Prisoners
4. Five Magics
5. Poison Was The Cure
6. Lucretia
7. Tornado of Souls
8. Dawn Patrol
9. Rust In Peace... Polaris

Countdown To Extinction
(Capitol Records, 1992)

Dave Mustaine: lead & rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Marty Friedman: lead, rhythm & acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Nick Menza: drums, backing vocals
David Ellefson: bass guitars, backing vocals

1. Skin O' My Teeth
2. Symphony of Destruction
3. Architecture of Agression
4. Foreclosure of a Dream
5. Sweating Bullets
6. This Was My Life
7. Countdown to Extinction
8. High Speed Dirt
9. Psychotron
10. Captive Honour
11. Ashes In Your Mouth

Youthanasia
(Capitol Records, 1994)

Dave Mustaine: vocals, guitar
Marty Friedman: guitar
Nick Menza: drums
David Ellefson: bass

1. Reckoning Day
2. Train Of Consequences
3. Addicted To Chaos
4. A Tout Le Monde
5. Elysian Fields
6. The Killing Road
7. Blood Of Heroes
8. Family Tree
9. Youthanasia
10. I Thought I Knew It All
11. Black Curtains
12. Victory

Hidden Treasures
(Capitol Records, 1995)

1. No More Mr. Nice Guy
2. Breakpoint
3. Go to Hell
4. Angry Again
5. 99 Ways to Die
6. Paranoid
7. Diadems
8. Problems

Cryptic Writings
(Capitol Records, 1997)

Dave Mustaine: vocals, guitar
Marty Friedman: guitar
Nick Menza: drums
David Ellefson: bass

1. Trust
2. Almost Honest
3. Use The Man
4. Mastermind
5. The Disintegrators
6. I'll Get Even
7. Sin
8. A Secret Place
9. Have Cool, Will Travel
10. She-Wolf
11. Vortex
12. FFF

Risk
(Capitol Records, 1999)

Dave Mustaine: vocals, guitars
Marty Friedman: guitars
David Ellefson: bass guitars, backup vocals
Jimmy DeGrasso: drums

1. Insomnia
2. Prince Of Darkness
3. Enter The Arena
4. Crush 'Em
5. Breadline
6. The Doctor Is Calling
7. I'll Be There
8. Wanderlust
9. Ecstasy
10. Seven
11. Time: The Beginning
12. Time: The End

Addition to Zeolite's Discography..

The World Needs A Hero
(Sanctuary Records, 2001)

Dave Mustaine - Guitars, Vocals
Al Pitrelli - Guitars
Dave Ellefson - Bass Guitar
Jimmy DeGrasso - Drums

1. Disconnect
2. The World Needs A Hero
3. Moto Psycho
4. 1000 Times Goodbye
5. Burning Bridges
6. Promises
7. Recipe For Hate...Warhorse
8. Losing My Senses
9. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
10. Silent Scorn
11. Return To Hangar
12. When

The naming of the band

The band's name is drawn from the word megadeath, referring to the destructive capability of a nuclear weapon. Dave Mustaine explained that he came across the word in a handbill by Senator Allan Cranston discussing the dangers of nuclear arms. When Dave read the words "power of megadeath can't be rid...", it immediately appealed to him: "I thought, 'What a fantastic name.' It represents extreme power which is how I view my music.".

So, contrary to the thinking of many, his naming of the band is not a call for Armageddon, but a reference to the impact he wanted to make through his, and the band's, music.

Quote from http://www.woodstock.com/html/biow0105.shtml

Sometimes you sit and stare at E2 and you wish you could node something, and then you get shitty news. I went to www.fark.com to kill some time and laugh at some silly stories and then I became saddened. There was a link to an article at iWon news saying that Megadeth was officially breaking up as a band. Hoping that this was a late April Fools joke I scoped out Megadeth.com and sure enough, the band is dissolving.

Megadeth is breaking up due to nerve damage in Dave Mustaine's left hand and arm. Dave suffered a compressed radial nerve sometime during the first week of January, 2002. Mustaine is rehabbing his arm and hand in hopes that he can play guitar again, hopefully in a year's time. As of right now he can no longer play the guitar, the devastating Flying V that he has made his standard axe. I can only imagine the pain he must have felt when all this happened.

Megadeth has had an illustrious run. Megadeth has produced 10 studio albums, a live double cd, 7 Grammy nominations for best metal performance, not to mention a place in every metal fans music collection. Megadeth has affected me personally. The only way I stayed sane after my ex-girlfriend, who I was dearly in love with, broke up with me on Martha's Vineyard (in front of her friends) was due to the Megadeth concert I saw the next day. I've been a fan for the past 7 years. I've seen them rise to fame, fall from fame, only to get famous and fade again. My only wish is that I could write such a great and powerful band a better epitaph.

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sources:

www.megadeth.com
www.fark.com
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20020404/D7IM3CJO0.html