Megadeth defends music Dawson College gunman loved
Last Updated: Thursday, September 28, 2006 | 11:00 AM ET
CBC News
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The lead singer of heavy metal band Megadeth defended his lyrics during a Montreal concert Wednesday night, saying Dawson College gunman Kimveer Gill was "not worthy of being a Megadeth fan."
In his blog posted on vampirefreaks.com, Gill, who described himself as a huge Megadeth fan, had singled out the song À Tout le Monde, urging others to listen to it. He wrote in his blog that the song helped convince him to go on his shooting rampage that killed one and injured 19.
On Wednesday night at Montreal's Bell Centre, Megadeth's Dave Mustaine took pains to distance his music from Gill's actions.
"The guy who went to Dawson College and shot everyone, it's terrible," Mustaine told a crowd of nearly 7,000 people.
"Aside from the fact that what he did was very wrong, we have a relationship with Montreal, and that really pissed us off," he said. "That guy was not worthy of being a Megadeth fan."
Megadeth's guitarist and drummer, Glenn Drover and Shawn Drover, are from Montreal originally, and the band plays the city frequently.
Megadeth likes to perform the song À Tout le Monde in Montreal because the title and lyrics are in French, Mustaine said in an interview before the concert.
The song's chorus says: "A tout le monde/ A tous les amis/ Je vous aime/ Je dois partir," which means: "To everyone/ To all my friends / I love you / I have to leave."
Mustaine was deeply offended when he found out Gill referred to the song in his online plans for Dawson.
"I was so angry that this guy would use my song, and that he would try and turn that beautiful song into something ugly and nasty," he said. The singer wrote the song about his mother, who died when Mustaine was young. "I had a dream that she came back to me, and said 'I love you.' That's the whole song."
The song is in memory of the living, Mustaine explained. "It's for those who lost their lives, and it's a gift to those who are in the process of healing."
There was no question in Mustaine's mind that Megadeth would perform the song in Montreal during their show Wednesday night. "[Gill] is not going to control us from the grave."
When Megadeth sang the song, the crowd belted out the chorus in unison.
Megadeth is considered to be a pioneer in the "thrash metal" subgenre of the heavy metal music scene. The band's lyrics have been criticized by some as inflammatory and violent, with song titles like 99 Ways to Die, Killing is My Business ... and Business is Good! and I'll Get Even.
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