James MacDonough | |
---|---|
![]() MacDonough with Megadeth in 2005 | |
Background information | |
Born | Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. | April 3, 1970
Genres | Heavy metal, thrash metal, hard rock, speed metal, power metal |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Bass |
Years active | 1995–present |
James MacDonough (born April 3, 1970) is an American bass guitarist. He has played with heavy metal bands Iced Earth, Nevermore, and Megadeth.
MacDonough was part of Iced Earth's line up from 1996–2000 and again from 2001–2004. With Iced Earth he recorded: 3 full-length albums, an EP, a live album, and a single. In late 2004, he was recruited into Megadeth. James toured with Dave Mustaine and the band for almost 2 years, appearing with Megadeth on the first ever Gigantour festival, the brainchild of Mustaine. He appears in Megadeth's music video for the song "Of Mice and Men", the Arsenal of Megadeth DVD, and (in cartoon form) the band's cameo in an episode of Duck Dodgers. He never recorded a studio album with Megadeth.
On February 10, 2006, James posted a message on the Megadeth forums saying he was parting ways with Megadeth. The forum post MacDonough made was entitled "Hello Droogs" and contained the following:
I just wanted to say thank you all so much for making me feel so welcome and thank you for all the awesome memories along the road. I will not be playing with Megadeth any longer. I'm sure Dave will post about it soon. Thanks again my Metal brothers and sisters, James.
The next day Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine posted in the forums saying he had nothing bad to say about James and that he hopes they remain friends.
On April 25, 2006, Blabbermouth.net reported that James would fill in for Nevermore bass player Jim Sheppard as he underwent treatment for Crohn's disease. James is a long-time fan and friend of the band (on his Megadeth.com bio, he stated Nevermore's Enemies of Reality as one of his favorite albums [1] ) and performed with them on their tour with In Flames in the mid part of 2006.
It was then announced on July 25 that James would fill in for Strapping Young Lad bassist, Byron Stroud on the end of the Ozzfest tour, as Byron had to return to Fear Factory for European festival dates. [2]
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along with Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer, responsible for the genre's development and popularization. Their music features complex arrangements and fast rhythm sections, dual lead guitars, and lyrical themes of war, politics, religion, death, and personal relationships.
David Scott Mustaine is an American musician. He is the co-founder, frontman, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Mustaine has released sixteen studio albums with Megadeth, sold over 38 million records worldwide, with six albums platinum-certified, and won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2017 at the 59th Grammy Awards, for the title track of their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia.
Nicholas Menza was an American musician who was the drummer of the thrash metal band Megadeth from 1989 to 1998. He recorded drums on four of Megadeth's albums: Rust in Peace (1990), Countdown to Extinction (1992), Youthanasia (1994), and Cryptic Writings (1997).
Chris Poland is an American guitarist, best known as the former guitarist of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Since 2002, Poland has been the guitarist of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion bands OHM and OHMphrey, among others, and has appeared on several projects and albums from a variety of different genres.
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida, and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer Greg Seymour. Iced Earth released their debut album in 1990 and have since released twelve studio albums, four EPs, three compilations, three box sets, three live albums and eleven music videos.
The System Has Failed is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 14, 2004. It was the band's second and final studio album to be distributed by Sanctuary Records. The System Has Failed was the first album to be released after Dave Mustaine recovered from his arm injury sustained in 2002. It is also the first of four Megadeth studio albums not to include original bassist and co-founder David Ellefson. The album features former Megadeth member Chris Poland (guitar), who previously performed on Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985) and Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986), and session musicians Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass).
Gigantour was a sporadically organized traveling heavy metal music festival organized by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. The tour was founded in 2005 with dates across North America, and the 2006 and 2007 line-ups also traveled to Australia. The bands appearing at the festival were chosen by Mustaine. The tour is set as an alternative to tours such as Ozzfest. The name "Gigantour" was inspired by the classic 1960s anime Gigantor, of which Mustaine is a fan. The last Gigantour took place in 2013.
Russell Allen is an American singer best known as the vocalist of the progressive metal band Symphony X. He has also worked with the supergroups Star One, Allen-Lande, Adrenaline Mob, Level 10, and as one of fourteen vocalists in the progressive symphonic metal band Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Jeff Loomis is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore during its existence from 1991 to 2011, as well as brief tenures in its precursor, Sanctuary. In 2014, he joined Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, and in 2021 he joined Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz as well. He left Arch Enemy in 2023. As a solo artist he has released two albums and one EP.
Christopher Alan Broderick is an American musician, best known as a former guitarist of the heavy metal band Megadeth. He is also formerly the lead guitarist and keyboardist for Jag Panzer, appearing on four of the band's albums, The Age of Mastery, Thane to the Throne, Mechanized Warfare and Casting the Stones. Prior to joining Megadeth and while still in Jag Panzer, he served as a touring guitarist for Nevermore from 2001 to 2003, and again between 2006 and 2007. Following his departure from Megadeth, Broderick formed Act of Defiance in 2014. He joined Swedish metal band In Flames in 2019 as a touring guitarist, before becoming the band's permanent rhythm guitarist in 2022.
Shawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best known for his work with the American heavy metal band Megadeth.
American thrash metal band Megadeth has released sixteen studio albums, six live albums, seven compilation albums, one EP, fifty-nine singles, ten video albums, and fifty music videos. After he was fired from Metallica in 1983, guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth along with bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Greg Handevidt, and drummer Richard Girod. After some initial lineup changes during 1984, Megadeth's lineup was cemented, consisting of guitarist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Chris Poland, and drummer Gar Samuelson. The band toured and gained a following, signing with the independent label Combat Records in late 1984. Megadeth's debut album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985), sold very well for an independent release, and the group attracted the attention of major record labels. By the end of the year, the group signed with Capitol Records. Megadeth's first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986.
Arsenal of Megadeth is a DVD by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on March 21, 2006 via Capitol. Presented as an anthology of the band's first 20 years, the two-disc DVD set contains music videos, live performances, interviews, home videos, and special appearances. As a result of licensing issues, videos from soundtrack and non-Capitol albums are not featured, save for "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Go to Hell" as well as despite being on Risk, "Crush 'Em" and "Breadline" were not included. The album was certified gold in the United States and platinum in Canada.
United Abominations is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth. Released on May 15, 2007, United Abominations is the first Megadeth release distributed through Roadrunner Records and, with the exception of the band's frontman Dave Mustaine, was recorded with an all-new line-up. It is the first album since The World Needs a Hero (2001) to be recorded by a full-time line-up as the previous studio album The System Has Failed (2004) was recorded by Mustaine alongside session musicians. While touring to promote the album, guitarist Glen Drover left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Chris Broderick, leaving this as the only Megadeth studio album to which he contributed.
The Smashup are a post-hardcore / punk rock band from Brooklyn, New York. They formed in 2001. They are currently signed to Warcon Records.
That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires is a live album from American heavy metal band Megadeth which was released on CD and DVD formats. It features a live concert recorded in Buenos Aires on October 9, 2005 at the Obras Sanitarias Stadium. The performance is segued by cuts of Dave and Glen performing a few acoustic songs for some fans on the lawn outside of the band's hotel. It was at this concert that Dave Mustaine announced that Megadeth would continue on past the 2005 tour.
"Gears of War" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as a promotional single off of their tenth studio album United Abominations (2007). It was the first song from the album released. An instrumental of the song is featured in the 2006 video game of the same name.
"Of Mice and Men" is a 2004 song by American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It was the second single from their 2004 album The System Has Failed, which was released on September 14, 2004.
Nevermore was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011, due to personal issues between the band members. Vocalist Warrel Dane died in December 2017, ending hopes of a reunion.