Dave Mustaine, vocalist for the rock band Megadeth, now refuses to play the The Conjuring live. The singer has become a strict Christian and wishes to put his experimental past behind him. Mustaine claims that the song The Conjuring is laden with black magic spells and occult imagery.
Mustaine admits to being fascinated with witchcraft as a young man but now worries that spells he cast back then have come back to haunt him today. The singer says he finds the lyrics in The Conjuring troubling.
In an article in Total Guitar magazine, Mustaine said;
Performance wise, The Conjuring is one of the heaviest songs on the record, but unfortunately it’s got black magic in it and I promised that I wouldn’t play it any more, because there’s a lot of instructions for hexes in that song.
“Although it seems kinda corny, anybody who’s a Wiccan (witch) or a warlock or anything like that will know that all of that stuff is instrumental.
“When I got into black magic I put a couple of spells on people when I was a teenager and it haunted me forever, and I’ve had so much torment. People say, ‘Goddamn, Dave never gets a break, he’s had such a hard life,’ and I just think, ‘No, Dave didn’t – he got into black magic and it ruined his life.’
“Fortunately for me, with all the work and the love of my friends, and not giving up with my guitar playing, I got over it. So I look back now and I think, ‘Hmm, I don’t wanna play The Conjuring’.
The Conjuring is part of Megadeth’s album “Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying” tour album from 1986. The curious can listen to the heavy rock track care of the YouTube embed below.
In Pure Spirit
Did you listen? Which dark magic and occult references did you pick up from the song? Do you think Mustaine is right to turn his back on his own music or is he worried over nothing? Has he found salvation in time?
I think its ridiculous that he won't play this song anymore. The stuff he was singing about in this song wasn't any more real than the christianity he believes in now. It's all hocus pocus, and makes for great metal music imagery.
@ Andy
Its sad you dont understand much…im proud of Dave for not playing this evil promoting song anymore. Running from truth and taking the easy way out doesnt over time make it right. good luck.
I just love the riffs. i don't think black magic is why he doesn't want to play it though, i just learned it today on guitar, and this is coming from someone who finds its easy to play Holy Wars and Take no Prisoners, but this song is really hard, i mean its not impossible but its a pain in the ass to get it right.