The Lifesaving Advice Iron Maiden Legend Bruce Dickinson Gave Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine During His Cancer Battle

Megadeth mastermind and guitar legend Dave Mustaine has opened up about the crucial advice a fellow heavy metal icon shared with him throughout his fight against cancer. Dave Mustaine was diagnosed with throat cancer back in February 2019, ultimately declaring himself completely cancer-free by the following October. Speaking in an exclusive feature for the latest edition of Metal Hammer to promote his brand-new book, In My Darkest Hour, the thrash guitar titan revealed that none other than Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson provided the ultimate source of inspiration during his recovery.

Having battled and overcome the exact same diagnosis of throat cancer just a few years prior, Bruce Dickinson was able to offer Dave Mustaine deeply practical insights. "Bruce had some fantastic stuff to say as a cancer survivor," Dave Mustaine explained to Hammer. "There’s a massive difference between someone simply telling you, 'You’re in my thoughts and prayers,' versus a person who dives into technical details about his treatment and reassures you about the ultimate outcome. I desperately needed hope, and he gave me it."

What was Bruce Dickinson's golden rule? A straightforward yet deeply effective mantra: "surround yourself with good people... make sure you’re spending time with people who are upbeat and positive."

Dave Mustaine chose to go public with his diagnosis almost immediately after receiving the news — "to let the people who are my core support system know," he clarifies — which instantly sparked a massive wave of heartfelt well-wishes from his fellow musicians. Among the high-profile names sending personal messages were Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne, Kiss frontman Paul Stanley, and even his former Metallica bandmate and fellow legendary guitarist James Hetfield.

"It wasn’t any more significant than the other people who gave their support to me," Dave Mustaine notes regarding the star-studded outreach. "I’ve always viewed that kind of solidarity like one beggar offering another beggar a crust of bread. But I appreciate it deeply, because I know how precious our time is, and taking a moment out of your day to do something like that means everything."

Dave Mustaine addresses his battle with cancer in extensive detail inside In My Darkest Hour, available in bookstores on September 24 via Constable.