Dave Mustaine Cites Painful Hand Condition as Factor in Megadeth Farewell Tour

For nearly five decades, Dave Mustaine left his mark on heavy metal. Although remembered for his time with Megadeth, the musician was also the lead guitarist for Metallica during the early 1980s. But nothing compared to his legacy with Megadeth. Not only did the group sell over 50 million albums, but the band also won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2017. But with Mustaine getting older and struggling with a painful hand condition, he admitted it played a factor in the band’s final album and farewell tour. 

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Speaking with MariskalRockTV, Mustaine revealed how the condition has worsened over the recent years. “It’s already started, where it’s kind of bunching up a little bit. And then if you look at the tips of my fingers, they’re severely arthritic. So all those bumps makes it really painful to play.”

The condition was called Dupuytren’s contracture. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Dupuytren contracture is a condition that causes one or more fingers to bend toward the palm of the hand. The affected fingers can’t straighten completely. Knots of tissue form under the skin. They eventually create a thick cord that can pull the fingers into a bent position. The condition gradually gets worse with time.” At this time, there is no cure for Dupuytren’s contracture.

[RELATED: Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine “Closes the Circle” With Metallica Cover on Final Album]

Dave Mustaine Plans For Surgery After Farewell Tour

Hoping to get surgery to help the symptoms, Mustaine insisted he wouldn’t entertain the idea until after Megadeth’s final tour. Wanting to give fans one last show, he knew it could be the last time he performed. “If I wait until my hands are causing a problem and I try it and it doesn’t work, well then I’ve toured everywhere, I’ve said farewell everybody and am not leaving stuff unsaid or unfinished.”

At this time, Megadeth’s farewell tour will kick off on February 15, 2026, in Canada. With dates already lined up, there appeared to be no end. And the reasoning according to Mustaine – “We’re easily talking about touring for another three to five years.”

For Mustaine, the farewell tour isn’t a goodbye, but a final chance to leave everything on stage, ensuring that he leaves Megadeth on his own terms.

(Photo by Mariano Regidor/Redferns)

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