Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recently recalled how Kiss frontman Gene Simmons once made a scathing reply concerning a “Metallica reunion” after Mustaine had teased the Kiss bassist about a “Kiss reunion”. Mustaine thought the remark to be “just not good form” given the untimely passing of Metallica’s bassist, Cliff Burton.

Dave Mustaine breaks silence on the comments

Mustaine went on to shed light on the the story during a recent sit-down interview for Pandora’s “Tales From the Metalverse,” after he was asked to recall his first time meeting Kiss. According to Dave’s words, the exchange with the Kiss bassist took place at the 1991 Foundations Forum heavy metal convention in LA.

Megadeth had won a number of awards during the first Foundations awards ceremony including Top Artist (radio album) for “Rust in Peace”, Top Artist (Radio Cut) for the song “Hangar 18”, and the Best Thrash Metal Band award, while Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were listed among the award presenters.

He recalled a press event from the convention which saw Megadeth share the podium with Stanley and Simmons. Mustaine said the following:

“And so, I’m up on the stage, one of my guys are up on the stage, and Paul and Gene are up on stage. And somebody says, ‘Hey, Gene, how about a Kiss reunion? And I said, ‘Yeah, Gene, how about a Kiss reunion?’ And he goes [in deep, irritated voice], ‘How about a Metallica reunion?’ And I went [makes a disappointed frown].

“Because Cliff [Burton] had died, you know, and I thought it was just not good form. And I don’t know if it bothered me that much at the time; it doesn’t bother me anymore.

“But at the time, it was really, really – again – really foreign to know that somebody that you’ve looked up your whole life to as a musician knows who you are. It’s really, really a weird feeling.”