Mechanix

For other uses, see Mechanix (disambiguation).

"Mechanix"
Song by Megadeth
from the album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
ReleasedJune 12, 1985 (1985-06-12)
RecordedDecember 1984 – January 1985
Studio
Genre
Length4:20
LabelCombat
Songwriter(s)Dave Mustaine
Producer(s)
  • Dave Mustaine
  • Karat Faye

"Mechanix" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It is the eighth and final track from their debut studio album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, which released in 1985 under Combat Records. "Mechanix" has been featured on many Megadeth releases, including multiple greatest hits albums, as well as live albums.

The song was performed live by frontman Dave Mustaine's first two bands, Panic[3] and Metallica,[4] and was included on many Metallica demo tapes, including Power Metal[5] and No Life 'Til Leather.[6] After kicking Mustaine out, Metallica reworked the song into "The Four Horsemen", which was featured on their debut album, Kill 'Em All (1983). Mustaine claims that the idea for the title "The Four Horsemen" came from his suggestion that Metallica play a cover of the Gamma song "Four Horsemen".[7]

Background and songwriting

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"Mechanix" was originally written by Mustaine while he was in the band Panic.[3] After the dissolution of Panic, Mustaine joined the band Metallica, bringing "Mechanix" with him. The song was recorded on their 1982 No Life 'Til Leather tape, which was the second demo the band released.[8] After his departure from Metallica, the band added in more sections (also written by Mustaine) and re-wrote the lyrics, creating "The Four Horsemen". The version of "Mechanix" played by Metallica was the same speed as "The Four Horsemen", but once Mustaine was kicked out, he sped up the songs he wrote, including "Mechanix". He "wanted to be faster and heavier than them".[9]

Lyrically, "Mechanix" is about having sex at a gas station and was inspired by Mustaine's time as a gas station attendant.[10]

Controversy

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When Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica, he reportedly told the band to not use his songs.[11] However, the band not only used solos and riffs, but some of Mustaine's entire songs, including "Mechanix".[12][13] Metallica frontman James Hetfield wrote lyrics about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and added a bridge and a slower "Sweet Home Alabama" inspired part with a guitar solo in the middle (Mustaine claims the authorship of the latter).[14] The two songs have sparked debate between many metal fans over which one is better.[15] In an interview after Megadeth's second show (which took place at The Stone in San Francisco), Mustaine talked about the set they played, and said "... and then (we) go into the Mechanix, off of the No Life 'Til Leather demo. Exactly that way. Not with this 'Four Horsemen' wimp shit".[16]

There is some dispute regarding songwriting credits for the song. Metallica lists the song as a James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Mustaine composition on their official website,[17] while Megadeth credits the song as solely by Mustaine. The dispute over songwriting royalties caused a planned reissue of No Life 'Til Leather to be canceled, according to Mustaine.[18]

Accolades

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Year Publication Country Accolade Rank
2022 Louder Sound United States The Top 20 Best Megadeth Songs Ranked[19] 12
2018 Billboard United States The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks[20] 11

Personnel

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Production and performance credits are adapted from the liner notes of Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!.[21]

References

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  1. ^ CMJ Network, Inc (February 11, 2002). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Report: 45. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  2. ^ "Killing Is My Business.. and Business Is Good! - Review". metal-archives.com.
  3. ^ a b "Dave's band Panic?". Megadeth.com. August 27, 2007. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012.
  4. ^ "THE MECHANIX". Metallica.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Brannigan, Paul (September 20, 2022). "Megadeth's Killing Is My Business: hamburgers, heroin and one of metal's greatest debut albums". Metal Hammer. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  6. ^ Gelsani, Michelle (March 3, 2015). "Metallica unearths 1982 demo tape No Life 'til Leather for first-ever commercial release". Consequence. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "DAVE MUSTAINE: The Story Behind METALLICA's 'The Four Horsemen'". Blabbermouth.net. August 15, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  8. ^ Payne, Chris (March 3, 2015). "Metallica to Reissue Early Cassette on Record Store Day". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  9. ^ Polcaro, Rafael (September 4, 2018). "Great Forgotten Songs #71 – Megadeth "Mechanix"". Rock And Roll Garage. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  10. ^ Grow, Kory (January 11, 2017). "Megadeth's Dave Mustaine: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Pementel, Michael (August 23, 2022). "Dave Mustaine Tells Joe Rogan What 'Bothered' Him The Most About Getting Kicked Out Of Metallica". We Are The Pit. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  12. ^ Uhelszki, Jaan (September 11, 2008). "Metallica Week: Kirk Hammett interview". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  13. ^ Kill 'Em All liner notes. Megaforce Records. 1983.
  14. ^ "DAVE MUSTAINE On Winning First GRAMMY: 'Good Thing Is It Didn't Say 'METALLICA' On The Freakin Award". Blabbermouth.net. March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Liebler, Raizel. "Loud Moments in Metal Law History: The Four Horsemen v. Mechanix". The Learned Fangirl. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  16. ^ "Megadeth's Dave Mustaine interview 20th February 1984". YouTube. October 30, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  17. ^ "Metallica Song Catalog: The Mechanix". www.metallica.com.
  18. ^ Munro, Scott (September 20, 2022). "Dave Mustaine blames Lars Ulrich for No Life 'Til Leather delay". Metal Hammer. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  19. ^ Stewart-Panko, Kevin (July 14, 2022). "The top 20 best Megadeth songs ranked". Metal Hammer. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  20. ^ Titus, Christina. "The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  21. ^ Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! liner notes (2002 reissue). Loud Records. 2002. pp. 2, 7–8.
  22. ^ "Megadeth MECHANIX". Megadeth.com. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
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