POLL: Is Kiko Loureiro done with Megadeth?

[Zabooka]

Kiko Loureiro announced that he will sit out the next leg of Megadeth's tour, and Teemu Mäntysaari [WINTERSUN, SMACKBOUND] will fill-in. Mustaine is already gushing over his current guitarist like he always does. Only this time, his main guitarist is still in the band, just on a leave of absence.

1) From https://blabbermouth.net/news/kiko-lour ... -announced
September 5, 2023
"MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro will sit out the next leg of the band's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. Teemu Mäntysaari [WINTERSUN, SMACKBOUND], to fill in during the fall."

2) From https://blabbermouth.net/news/dave-must ... y-friedman
September 26, 2023
Dave said, "I'm super excited with what Teemu has brought. And it's uncanny because he plays a lot like [former MEGADETH guitarist] Marty [Friedman]."

3) From https://blabbermouth.net/news/megadeths ... mantysaari
October 3, 2023
Dave said, "Kiko had some issues. He went home and Teemu came in, and people are losing their minds over how things are going right now cause we have a really good chemistry together. We've been able to add a bunch of songs to the set because Teemu was a metal fan. Kiko did not grow up baptized in metal."

[metalslayer]

Sounds like Kiko is out to me!

[MisterSinister]

Absolutely Kiko is out. Dave has a budget, and Kiko exceeded the 2024 budget. It’s always about money.

[skinni]

Teemu is an amazing player, the best since Marty

[Borges]

Haha. It's always the same thing with Mustaine, the new players are the best ever. No way Kiko is coming back
Seeing the setlist they brought back Hook in Mouth, cool song they have rarely played in the last 3 decades. But hardly "a bunch of songs"

[Zinny]

Yes, Kiko probably makes more money as a guitar teacher in Finland and can be a present father.

[Hellsinkey]

I stopped following after R.I.P., but if someone had told in the 80's, that in 35 years Finnish guitarists are competing for a place in Megadeth, it would have seemed absurd.

[killdrum]

Muff stain has been really plugging the new guy. Seems a little much. Maybe didn't want to announce he's out mid tour for whatever reason? Revolving door regardless. Weird.Dave seems like a fun hang.

[VicStelly]

I think it’s clear Kiko is gone. He made 8 years. That’s pretty good for a hired gun in Ginger Hitler’s solo project.

[Lobo]

Seems like as soon as Marty Friedman showed up to play a few shows with Megadeth (Japan, Germany, etc.) Kiko's gone.

Then Mustaine keeps saying how this new guy sounds a lot like Friedman.

Is this all just a coincidence? The timing seems to suggest otherwise.

[Hellbound]

Lol I love Mustaine but "Ginger Hitler" is definitely appropriate.

Every guitarist Dave has had in the band is either well above average to insane technically but for me Chris Poland and Marty Friedman are THE guys for that band.

I reckon Menza was the best drummer for that band as well but no Dave couldn't put the Rust in Peace line up while he was still alive AND before Ellefson turned into Megawank.

[MisterSinister]

Seems like as soon as Marty Friedman showed up to play a few shows with Megadeth (Japan, Germany, etc.) Kiko's gone.

Then Mustaine keeps saying how this new guy sounds a lot like Friedman.

Is this all just a coincidence? The timing seems to suggest otherwise.

I think you may be right. Marty maybe back before we know it. I think Kiko is my favorite guy who’s ever been in the band, but mostly for his non-MD specific stuff. His YouTube videos are great, his last solo album is excellent, and while I did love the most recent MD record, and will miss him in the band, I will follow Kiko to his next project.

[Traxan]

If you have any doubts, Dave just posted this to FB:

"We currently have a guitar player situation, where our current guitar player is a man named Teemu Mäntysaari and our regular guitar player was Kiko Loureiro, Kiko had some issues. He went home, and Teemu came in, and people are losing their minds over how things are going right now 'cause we have a really good chemistry together."
"We've got a bunch of songs from our catalog that we're playing, a bunch of new songs too. We've been able to add a bunch of songs to the set because Teemu was a metal fan. Kiko did not grow up baptized in metal. Like the show we did a couple of nights ago, we opened with "Hangar 18" and followed it up with "Mechanix". We've never done that before, so it's a pretty heavy beginning. And we've added a second track off of the new album with "Soldier On!", and we're getting ready to add a third. But (this) tour is going to be ending in a couple days, and the next thing, obviously, is preparing for next year. We have another really good run in the States (coming up)."

[endstand]

Yes, Kiko probably makes more money as a guitar teacher in Finland and can be a present father.

Indeed.

[GreatWhiteSnake]

I first heard of Kiko many years ago on the DRG (Dinosaur Rock Guitar) forum. He was a participating member and pretty darn cool IIRC...

[Lobo]

Seems like as soon as Marty Friedman showed up to play a few shows with Megadeth (Japan, Germany, etc.) Kiko's gone.

Then Mustaine keeps saying how this new guy sounds a lot like Friedman.

Is this all just a coincidence? The timing seems to suggest otherwise.

I think you may be right. Marty maybe back before we know it.

I don't think Marty is coming back. He's doing extremely well in Japan doing his own thing.

I just think maybe Kiko got upset that all of a sudden Marty was showing up playing random gigs with the band if they happen to be in the same city or playing the same festival.

[jens]

Yes, Kiko probably makes more money as a guitar teacher in Finland and can be a present father.

Indeed.

Either guitar teachers are payed a LOT more in Finland than I'd think, or Kiko is/was on a shit salary for headlining gigs.
Option three: "he wants to be at home regardless of the money".

[endstand]

Yes, Kiko probably makes more money as a guitar teacher in Finland and can be a present father.

Indeed.

Either guitar teachers are payed a LOT more in Finland than I'd think, or Kiko is/was on a shit salary for headlining gigs.
Option three: "he wants to be at home regardless of the money".

Well of course. I think "probably makes more money as a guitar teacher" was kinda tongue in cheek, although with his CV Kiko prolly is a fairly sought after guitar teacher. But like we know, it's probably also safe to assume that a hired gun member in Megadeth won't get paid super well anyway.

But not really following Megadeth at all and purely speculating I still would guess your option three would be the correct one. I mean, the guy has kids and family at home in Finland so I think doing long world tours without seeing your kids would be horrible and suck big time. It's not that he can bring his family with him. So being a present father would sound something to choose rather than not being at home.

[Velvis]

Realistically by this point Teemu is probably up to be replaced going by Megadeth standards.

[Zinny]

Kiko just posted on Instagram that he’s officially out.

[Anthrax442]

Kiko just posted on Instagram that he’s officially out.

He phrased it super weird, too, saying that he's "extending his absence", but at the same time, making it seem like he's done.

Also had nothing bad to say about his 9 years in the band.

[Bob Sacamano]

Kiko just posted on Instagram that he’s officially out.

He phrased it super weird, too, saying that he's "extending his absence", but at the same time, making it seem like he's done.

Also had nothing bad to say about his 9 years in the band.

I’m guessing he is negotiating with Mustaine a contract settlement.

[SterileEyes1]

I’m a big fan of like 8-10 Megadeth songs and have heard the rest of the stuff on their first five albums once or twice. Casual fan at best. But they really did sound great when I saw them last month with the latest guy. Only other time I saw them was in 1997.

I guess I’m saying it probably doesn’t matter all that much who the non-Dave guitarist is. Anyone other than Marty is inevitably gonna be a combo of top notch and not a main draw.

[FreddyFender]

It's a dream job for many to land the gig, but at the end of the day you're being paid to play Marty Friedman's and Chris Poland's solos note-for-note and deal with Mustaine's legendarily shitty attitude.

Might be fun for a few years, but like Broderik and Drover before him, it got to a point where it just wasn't worth doing.

[metalslayer]

Looks like Kiko is gone and the new guy is in…..or is he??

Mustaine worded this strangely, but at the end he encourages the fans to support Kiko’s “next endeavors”

https://blabbermouth.net/news/dave-mus ... r-megadeth

[EzyRider]

I sure got the 'he's out' vibe after the latest news. Kiko stayed home so he cold see his family for a change, and Dave is saying 2024 is chock full of dates, Do the Math!

Ginger Hitler's Solo Project, haha that is some good shit right there!!

[Anthrax442]

So, I know, we can't be positive around here, because that's not how the world or sludge works, but perhaps Kiko needs to continue to stay home, which is going to prevent him from touring with Megadeth, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he can't do things in Finland, or participate in remote recording sessions. So, theoretically, those could be the other endeavors they're referring to.

[Zabooka]

https://blabbermouth.net/news/kiko-lour ... e-megadeth

Former MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro discussed his decision to leave the band during an appearance on the "Amplifica" podcast, hosted by his former ANGRA bandmate Rafael Bittencourt.

Kiko also revealed that at this point in his life, he will prioritize his family over everything else. He mentioned that he almost missed his daughter Lívia's birth after returning home from an appearance with ANGRA at the Rock In Rio festival in 2011. In 2016, he left for a MEGADETH tour just 10 days after his twin sons were born. If he was faced with the same circumstances today, he "wouldn't be on that stage, risking missing the moment of Lívia's arrival," even if Rock In Rio was the reason he started playing guitar.