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Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!

December 10, 2023

Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on June 12, 1985, by Combat Records.[3] At the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat to record and produce its debut album. The band was forced to fire their original producer and produce the album by themselves, after spending half of the album's budget on drugs, alcohol, and food. Despite the poor production, the album was a well-received effort that obtained strong reviews in various music publications. Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! played an essential role in establishing thrash metal as an authentic subgenre of heavy metal music. It explores themes of death, occultism, and violence.

Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
Original cover art by Combat Records
Studio album by
Megadeth
ReleasedJune 12, 1985 (1985-06-12)
RecordedDecember 1984 – January 1985
Studio
GenreThrash metal[1]
Length31:10
LabelCombat
Producer
Megadeth chronology
Last Rites
(1984) 		Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
(1985) 		Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
(1986)
Alternative cover
The 2002 remastered/remixed CD edition cover art, redesigned from Mustaine's 1985 sketches
Singles from Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! - The Final Kill
  1. "The Skull Beneath the Skin"
    Released: May 24, 2018[2]

The album features the track "Mechanix", a song that frontman Dave Mustaine would perform with Metallica during his tenure in the band, and a controversial cover of the 1965 song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". A deluxe edition, completely remixed and remastered with several bonus tracks, was released through Loud Records on February 5, 2002. It features vastly different artwork, with its cover based on the version originally designed by Mustaine in 1985. All songs from the album were performed frequently during Megadeth's initial tour but have been steadily dropped from the setlist since, except for "Mechanix". A new remastered version of the album called Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! - The Final Kill was released on June 8, 2018, which includes a version of "These Boots" with re-recorded vocals, redone to Lee Hazlewood's version.

Background edit

Dave Mustaine had been originally the lead guitarist for Metallica. However, due to drinking, substance abuse, violent behavior, and personality conflicts with bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, Mustaine was eventually fired from the band.[4] Two months after being fired from Metallica, Mustaine met bassist David Ellefson and together they formed Megadeth in Los Angeles.[5] Mustaine later recalled: "After getting fired from Metallica, all I remember is that I wanted blood. Theirs. I wanted to be faster and heavier than them."[6] Fueled by the desire for revenge, Mustaine elevated the intensity of Megadeth's music in order to challenge his former band.[7] He sped up existing songs such as "Mechanix", which Metallica's new line-up adapted into the slower paced "The Four Horsemen".[8] Mustaine included his original version of the song on the album to "straighten Metallica up", as Metallica referred to Mustaine as a drunk, and said that he could not play guitar.[9]

After going through multiple vocalists, including Billy Bonds[10] and John Cyriis,[11] Mustaine decided to handle the vocal duties himself, while also serving as the band's primary lyricist, main songwriter, and co-lead and rhythm guitarist.[12] Megadeth recorded a three-song demo tape early in 1984 titled "Last Rites", engineered by Karat Faye, and released it on March 9, 1984. On the strength of the demo, the band was asked to sign with the New York-based independent label Combat Records in November 1984. Early in 1985, Megadeth was given $8,000 by Combat to record and produce its debut album.[13] However, this proved not to be enough, and the band was given a further $4,000. Instead, a majority of the budget was spent on drugs, alcohol, and food, prompting the group to fire the original producer, and produce the record themselves.[14] Poland has disputed this account.[15] The album was successfully recorded at the Indigo Ranch Studios, in Malibu, California.[16]

Release and promotion edit

The album's artwork, featuring a plastic skull with tinfoil, was not intended to be the original artwork.[17] Both Mustaine and Ellefson had many phone conversations with Combat Records to get the cover artwork properly reproduced from a sketch given to them by Mustaine of a picture of Megadeth mascot Vic Rattlehead on the cover.[18] However the studio lost the artwork, and instead made their own improvised and low-budget replacement, with which Mustaine and the whole band were mortified.[9][failed verification]

Megadeth began with live performances before the record was released. Although not a member of the band, Kerry King of Slayer played guitar for a short period because Mustaine had not recruited a full-time guitarist yet.[19] In mid-1985, the group toured the United States and Canada for the first time, supporting Killing Is My Business... with Canadian speed metal band Exciter.[20] During the tour, guitarist Chris Poland abruptly left the band, and was replaced by guitarist Mike Albert. However, Poland rejoined Megadeth in October 1985, and stayed with the band up after the tour of the next album.[21]

The album was released on June 12, 1985. To date it remains the only Megadeth album that did not chart on the Billboard 200, primarily because it was released through an independent label with little promotion.[22] Nevertheless, the album still went on to become one of Combat Records' highest selling releases. Later that year, Capitol Records signed Megadeth as they began working on their second album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, released the following year.[23] A limited edition of Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! was released in 2009. The CD itself is pressed on black plastic with grooves on the top to imitate an LP. This version's cover is redesigned to match Mustaine's original sketch, and the song "These Boots" was removed. Over 254,000 copies of the album were sold in the United States since the beginning of the Nielsen SoundScan era.[24] On April 6, 2018, it was announced that the album would once again be remixed and remastered, this time by Mark Lewis and Ted Jensen. Titled Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! - The Final Kill, the deluxe reissue features new mixes and masters of the original album, a new version of "These Boots" featuring Lee Hazlewood's original lyrics (albeit with the song downtuned as a result), the original 1984 demos featured on the 2002 remix, and newly-discovered live tracks sourced from VHS tapes found in Dave Mustaine's attic. The new remaster was released on June 8, 2018.[25]

Music and lyrics edit

According to writer Peter Buckley, the record presented a faster, "thrashier kind of heavy metal".[26] Steve Huey of AllMusic opined that the music on Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is predominantly "chaotic", accompanied by "lightning-fast" solo sections.[27] Sputnikmusic's Mike Stagno said that the original pressing greatly suffered from the poor production, which made the record difficult to listen to. However, he noted that the music is performed at rapid speed, with precise riffing by both Poland and Mustaine.[28] In his book Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal, editor Jeff Wagner wrote the album displayed unusual rhythms and unorthodox guitar riffs, which carried "like a runaway train".[7] Speaking about the intensity of the record, Ellefson said that "extreme speed was deemed the cool factor in thrash metal back in those days". Although Ellefson considers the album as a solid debut release, he wanted some of the songs to be recorded in slower tempo.[29]

The album explores gloomy lyrical subjects such as death, violence, and occultism. Speaking about the themes on the album, author Bob Larson asserted that Megadeth "cranks out songs about spilling blood and stomping guts with venomous anger".[30] The album's title, as well as its lyrics, led to accusations whether the band was promoting Satanism.[31] These allegations were rigidly denied by Mustaine, who said that the band consciously kept away from the Satanic image. "I mean, it's great to thrash and pound, cut yourself up, scream and have fun, but you don't have to take out a Pagan attitude. Why support the Devil? He's already there. I'd rather just fucking thrash and be a metalist and listen to whatever I want to than be forced to listen to one style of music."[9]

Songs edit

The album's opening track, "Last Rites/Loved to Death",[nb 1] consists of two parts. The first part, "Last Rites", is an instrumental featuring a piano intro, which is a reinterpretation of J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.[32] Mustaine explained that "Loved to Death" was his "version of a love song" to his girlfriend at the time.[18] The title track was inspired by The Punisher comic book, and tells of a paid assassin.[33] The song caused minor media controversy when a man posted an online request to a radio station to play the tune, saying it was "good music to go postal and kill a bunch of people to". The man was later arrested under suspicion of commencing a potential shooting spree.[34] "The Skull Beneath the Skin" was developed under the working title "Self Destruct".[12] The song graphically describes a horrendous human torture, while also probing into the occult and black magic.[35] Mustaine pointed that the creation of Vic Rattlehead was explained throughout that track. "Rattlehead", according to Dave Mustaine, was dedicated to the band's mascot and their fans.[18]

"Looking Down the Cross" was penned by Mustaine in 1983 under the working title "Speak No Evil".[12] The song tells about the temptation of Jesus Christ, using religious metaphors and imagery.[36] "Chosen Ones" was partially inspired by Tim the Enchanter from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. "Mechanix" was originally written by Mustaine before his tenure in Metallica.[37] He would perform the song with them during his time in the band and, after his departure, the music and lyrics were modified to create "The Four Horsemen". Lyrically, "Mechanix" is about having sex at a gas station.[33]

The album features the first of many covers performed by Megadeth: a speed metal version of Nancy Sinatra's classic "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", with lyrics altered by Mustaine. This sparked controversy, as in 1995, the song's original author, Lee Hazlewood, deemed Mustaine's changes to be "vile and offensive" and demanded that the song be removed from the album under threat of legal action. The song was removed from all pressings released afterwards, and in 2002, the album was re-released with a modified version of the song: the altered lyrics were censored because Hazlewood had not given permission to the band to release the cover in its original version. In the liner notes of the album's 2002 reissue, Mustaine was strongly critical of Hazlewood, noting that he had received royalties for almost ten years before he objected to the altered version.[38] In 2018, the song was released with the original Lee Hazlewood lyrics on the remixed and remastered version of Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good![39]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [27]
Classic Rock     [40]
Drowned in Sound8/10[41]
KNAC     [32]
Louder than War8/10[42]
Metal Hammer     [43]
Q     [44]
Rock Hard9/10[45]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [46]
Sputnikmusic     [28]

Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! received mostly positive reviews, not just from metal-oriented magazines, but from the mainstream press too.[46] Colin Larkin, writing in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, called the album a "ferocious blast of high-energy thrash metal", weakened by a thin production.[23] Similarly, Steve Huey from AllMusic observed that the album is "as raw as Megadeth gets". However, Huey noted that the riffs and compositions weren't completely developed, and called Mustaine's vocals "amateurish at best".[27] Chad Bowar from About.com said that Megadeth were still "finding their way" on their debut album, but remarked that the band showed great potential through angry and passionate musicianship.[47]

Adrien Begrand of PopMatters dismissed the original recording, but praised the re-release, writing that the album "blazes on at a furious pace". According to him, the record greatly influenced the heavy metal genre in the upcoming two decades.[33] Sputnikmusic staff member Mike Stagno agreed with the praise for the remaster, saying that the "fuzzy" sound of the original release was replaced with a clearer production. Even so, he opined that the album still retained the "thrashy" sound characteristic for the band during this period.[28] Mike Marsh of Drowned in Sound recommended the music "for people who want it loud, fast and brutal".[41] In a retrospective review for KNAC, Frank Meyer said that the album put Megadeth at the forefront of heavy metal scene in the early 1980s and credited it for paving the way for thrash metal's arrival.[32] CMJ New Music Report praised Mustaine's "masterful" wordplay and called the record a representative of "the golden age of speed metal".[48]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Dave Mustaine, except "These Boots" written by Lee Hazlewood with altered lyrics by Mustaine.[49]

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Last Rites/Loved to Death"4:38
2."Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!"3:05
3."The Skull Beneath the Skin"3:46
4."These Boots[nb 2]"3:44
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Rattlehead"3:42
6."Chosen Ones"2:54
7."Looking Down the Cross"5:01
8."Mechanix"4:20
Total length:31:10
2002 reissue
No.TitleLength
1."Last Rites/Loved to Deth"4:38
2."Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!"3:05
3."The Skull Beneath the Skin"3:46
4."Rattlehead"3:42
5."Chosen Ones"2:54
6."Looking Down the Cross"5:01
7."Mechanix"4:20
8."These Boots[nb 3]"3:44
9."Last Rites/Loved to Deth" (demo)4:16
10."Mechanix" (demo)3:59
11."The Skull Beneath the Skin" (demo)3:11
Total length:42:36
The Final Kill (2018 reissue)
No.TitleLength
1."Last Rites/Loved to Deth"4:52
2."Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!"3:04
3."The Skull Beneath the Skin"3:43
4."Rattlehead"3:40
5."Chosen Ones"2:54
6."Looking Down the Cross"4:59
7."Mechanix"4:23
8."These Boots[nb 4]"3:36
9."Last Rites/Loved to Deth" (live, 1987 London, UK)4:48
10."Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!" (live, 1986 Denver, Colorado)4:07
11."The Skull Beneath the Skin" (live, 1990 London)3:35
12."Rattlehead" (live, 1987 Bochum, Germany)4:04
13."Chosen Ones" (live, 1986 Denver)3:49
14."Looking Down the Cross" (live, 1986 Denver)4:39
15."Mechanix" (live, 1986 Denver)3:46
16."Last Rites/Loved to Deth" (demo)4:15
17."The Skull Beneath the Skin" (demo)3:12
18."Mechanix" (demo)4:00
Total length:71:53

Personnel edit

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.[18]

Charts edit

The Final Kill

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[51] 84
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[52] 79
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[53] 119
Greek Albums Chart[54] 48
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[55] 35
Japanese Albums Chart (Oricon)[56] 35
Scottish Albums (OCC)[57] 36
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[58] 93
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[59] 3
US Billboard 200[60] 169
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[61] 14
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[62] 32
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[63] 5

Notes edit

  1. ^ Original pressings list it as "Loved to Death"; reissues from 2002 onwards list it "Loved to Deth".
  2. ^ Releases after 1995 do not include this track.
  3. ^ Lyric variations by Mustaine are censored.
  4. ^ Vocals re-recorded with original Lee Hazlewood lyrics.

References edit

  1. ^ CMJ Network, Inc (February 11, 2002). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Report: 45. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  2. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: HEAR THE REMASTERED VERSION OF "THE SKULL BENEATH THE SKIN"". Megadeth.com. May 24, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved October 21, 2023
  4. ^ Prato, Greg. "Dave Mustaine (Artist Biography)". AllMusic. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  5. ^ Mustaine 2010, p. 234.
  6. ^ Mustaine 2010, p. 235.
  7. ^ a b Wagner, Jeff (2010). Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal. Bazillion Points Books. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-9796163-3-4.
  8. ^ Mustaine 2010, p. 236.
  9. ^ a b c Doe, Bernard (December 1985). "Megadeth - Love It To Death". Metal Forces. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  10. ^ "8 Things You Didn't Know About Megadeth's 'Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good'". Revolver. June 12, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "AGENT STEEL Founder/Vocalist JOHN CYRIIS On Briefly Joining MEGADETH - "DAVE MUSTAINE Was Not Prepared To Launch The First Album With My Lyrical Subjects"". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. October 24, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Ellefson 2013, p. 46.
  13. ^ Chamberlain, Rich (June 3, 2013). . MusicRadar. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  14. ^ Ellefson 2013, p. 53.
  15. ^ Kennelty, Greg (June 9, 2022). "CHRIS POLAND Says MEGADETH Didn't Blow First Album Budget On Drugs: "We Weren't Even That Far Gone Then"". Metal Injection. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Ellefson 2013, p. 54.
  17. ^ Mustaine 2010, p. 239.
  18. ^ a b c d Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (Reissue liner notes). Loud Records. 2002. pp. 2, 7–8.
  19. ^ Grow, Kory (August 19, 2011). "The Story of the Big Four: Slayer's Kerry King Joins Megadeth". Revolver. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  20. ^ . Blabbermouth.net. October 12, 2010. Archived from the original on July 17, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  21. ^ Ellefson 2013, p. 58.
  22. ^ Stephen Thomas, Erlewine. "Megadeth Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  23. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (1992). Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2 (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 1654. ISBN 1-882267-02-8.
  24. ^ "Megadeth: Album Sales Update". Blabbermouth.net. December 16, 2005. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  25. ^ . megadeth.com. April 6, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  26. ^ Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 660. ISBN 1-84353-105-4.
  27. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Killing Is My Business... and Business is Good!". AllMusic.
  28. ^ a b c Stagno, Mike (January 1, 2007). "Killing Is My Business... and Business is Good! - Megadeth". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  29. ^ Ellefson 2013, p. 55.
  30. ^ Larson, Bob (1989). Satanism: the seduction of America's youth. T. Nelson Publishers. p. 206. ISBN 0-8407-3034-9.
  31. ^ Possamai, Adam (2005). Religion and Popular Culture: A Hyper-real Testament. Peter Lang. p. 148. ISBN 90-5201-272-5.
  32. ^ a b c Meyer, Frank. "Megadeth: Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good (Deluxe Edition)". KNAC. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  33. ^ a b c Begrand, Adrien (April 30, 2002). "Megadeth: Killing is My Business... and Business is Good!". PopMatters. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  34. ^ The Hollywood Reporter Staff (September 2, 2011). "Megadeth Song Used in Internet Radio Terror Threat". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  35. ^ Schwarz, Ted (1996). Free Speech and False Profits: Ethics in the Media. Pilgrim Press. p. 210. ISBN 0-8298-1148-6.
  36. ^ Luhr, Eileen (2009). Witnessing Suburbia: Conservatives and Christian Youth Culture. University of California Press. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-520-94357-5.
  37. ^ Grow, Kory (January 11, 2017). "Megadeth's Dave Mustaine: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  38. ^ "Megadeth's 'Killing Is My Business' Digipack LP Miniature CD Available". Blabbermouth.net. June 5, 2009. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  39. ^ "MEGADETH: KILLING IS MY BUSINESS…AND BUSINESS IS GOOD – THE FINAL KILL REVIEW". Green and Black Music. January 11, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  40. ^ Cronin, Pete (March 5, 2023). "It's a Dirty Job..." Classic Rock. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  41. ^ a b Marsh, Mark (October 27, 2001). . Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  42. ^ Chantler, Johnson (July 4, 2018). "Megadeth: Killing is My Business… and Business is Good: The Final Kill – album review". Louder than War. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  43. ^ Chantler, Chris (September 20, 2022). "Megadeth – Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good: The Final Kill album review". Metal Hammer. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  44. ^ "Megadeth - Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good". Q. CD Universe. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  45. ^ Kühnemund, Götz. "Killing Is My Business..." Rock Hard (in German). Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  46. ^ a b Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2001). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 534. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  47. ^ Bowar, Chad. . About.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  48. ^ Sciarretto, Amy (February 11, 2002). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Report: 45. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  49. ^ Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!: The Final Kill (Reissue liner notes). Legacy Recordings. 2018. pp. 3–4.
  50. ^ "DAVID ELLEFSON Sets Record Straight: LEE RAUCH 'Never Did Any Studio Recordings With' MEGADETH". Blabbermouth. June 28, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023. However, there is some misinformation about the 'Last Rites' demo. Lee never did any studio recordings with the band. The 'Last Rites' demo that is out there on the web was recorded 100% by his successor, our other fallen brother, Gar Samuelson on drums. That three song demo was recorded as a three piece with me, Dave & Gar in summer of 1984
  51. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #477". auspOp. June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  52. ^ "Ultratop.be – Megadeth – Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  53. ^ "Ultratop.be – Megadeth – Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  54. ^ Greece Albums : Jul 13, 2013 December 18, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Billboard biz. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  55. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Megadeth – Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  56. ^ "キリング・イズ・マイ・ビジネス ―ザ・ファイナル・キル― メガデス" [Killing Is My Business -The Final Kill] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  57. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  58. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Megadeth – Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  59. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  60. ^ "Megadeth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  61. ^ "Megadeth Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  62. ^ "Megadeth Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  63. ^ "Megadeth Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2023.

Bibliography edit

External links edit

  • Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! at Discogs (list of releases)

December 10, 2023
killing, business, business, good, debut, studio, album, american, thrash, metal, band, megadeth, released, june, 1985, combat, records, beginning, 1985, band, given, combat, record, produce, debut, album, band, forced, fire, their, original, producer, produce. Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth released on June 12 1985 by Combat Records 3 At the beginning of 1985 the band was given 8 000 by Combat to record and produce its debut album The band was forced to fire their original producer and produce the album by themselves after spending half of the album s budget on drugs alcohol and food Despite the poor production the album was a well received effort that obtained strong reviews in various music publications Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good played an essential role in establishing thrash metal as an authentic subgenre of heavy metal music It explores themes of death occultism and violence Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good Original cover art by Combat RecordsStudio album by MegadethReleasedJune 12 1985 1985 06 12 RecordedDecember 1984 January 1985StudioIndigo Ranch Malibu CaliforniaCrystal Sound Labs Hollywood CaliforniaGenreThrash metal 1 Length31 10LabelCombatProducerDave MustaineKarat FayeMegadeth chronologyLast Rites 1984 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good 1985 Peace Sells but Who s Buying 1986 Alternative coverThe 2002 remastered remixed CD edition cover art redesigned from Mustaine s 1985 sketchesSingles from Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good The Final Kill The Skull Beneath the Skin Released May 24 2018 2 The album features the track Mechanix a song that frontman Dave Mustaine would perform with Metallica during his tenure in the band and a controversial cover of the 1965 song These Boots Are Made for Walkin A deluxe edition completely remixed and remastered with several bonus tracks was released through Loud Records on February 5 2002 It features vastly different artwork with its cover based on the version originally designed by Mustaine in 1985 All songs from the album were performed frequently during Megadeth s initial tour but have been steadily dropped from the setlist since except for Mechanix A new remastered version of the album called Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good The Final Kill was released on June 8 2018 which includes a version of These Boots with re recorded vocals redone to Lee Hazlewood s version Contents 1 Background 2 Release and promotion 3 Music and lyrics 4 Songs 5 Critical reception 6 Track listing 7 Personnel 8 Charts 9 Notes 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 External linksBackground editDave Mustaine had been originally the lead guitarist for Metallica However due to drinking substance abuse violent behavior and personality conflicts with bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich Mustaine was eventually fired from the band 4 Two months after being fired from Metallica Mustaine met bassist David Ellefson and together they formed Megadeth in Los Angeles 5 Mustaine later recalled After getting fired from Metallica all I remember is that I wanted blood Theirs I wanted to be faster and heavier than them 6 Fueled by the desire for revenge Mustaine elevated the intensity of Megadeth s music in order to challenge his former band 7 He sped up existing songs such as Mechanix which Metallica s new line up adapted into the slower paced The Four Horsemen 8 Mustaine included his original version of the song on the album to straighten Metallica up as Metallica referred to Mustaine as a drunk and said that he could not play guitar 9 After going through multiple vocalists including Billy Bonds 10 and John Cyriis 11 Mustaine decided to handle the vocal duties himself while also serving as the band s primary lyricist main songwriter and co lead and rhythm guitarist 12 Megadeth recorded a three song demo tape early in 1984 titled Last Rites engineered by Karat Faye and released it on March 9 1984 On the strength of the demo the band was asked to sign with the New York based independent label Combat Records in November 1984 Early in 1985 Megadeth was given 8 000 by Combat to record and produce its debut album 13 However this proved not to be enough and the band was given a further 4 000 Instead a majority of the budget was spent on drugs alcohol and food prompting the group to fire the original producer and produce the record themselves 14 Poland has disputed this account 15 The album was successfully recorded at the Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu California 16 Release and promotion editThe album s artwork featuring a plastic skull with tinfoil was not intended to be the original artwork 17 Both Mustaine and Ellefson had many phone conversations with Combat Records to get the cover artwork properly reproduced from a sketch given to them by Mustaine of a picture of Megadeth mascot Vic Rattlehead on the cover 18 However the studio lost the artwork and instead made their own improvised and low budget replacement with which Mustaine and the whole band were mortified 9 failed verification Megadeth began with live performances before the record was released Although not a member of the band Kerry King of Slayer played guitar for a short period because Mustaine had not recruited a full time guitarist yet 19 In mid 1985 the group toured the United States and Canada for the first time supporting Killing Is My Business with Canadian speed metal band Exciter 20 During the tour guitarist Chris Poland abruptly left the band and was replaced by guitarist Mike Albert However Poland rejoined Megadeth in October 1985 and stayed with the band up after the tour of the next album 21 The album was released on June 12 1985 To date it remains the only Megadeth album that did not chart on the Billboard 200 primarily because it was released through an independent label with little promotion 22 Nevertheless the album still went on to become one of Combat Records highest selling releases Later that year Capitol Records signed Megadeth as they began working on their second album Peace Sells but Who s Buying released the following year 23 A limited edition of Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good was released in 2009 The CD itself is pressed on black plastic with grooves on the top to imitate an LP This version s cover is redesigned to match Mustaine s original sketch and the song These Boots was removed Over 254 000 copies of the album were sold in the United States since the beginning of the Nielsen SoundScan era 24 On April 6 2018 it was announced that the album would once again be remixed and remastered this time by Mark Lewis and Ted Jensen Titled Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good The Final Kill the deluxe reissue features new mixes and masters of the original album a new version of These Boots featuring Lee Hazlewood s original lyrics albeit with the song downtuned as a result the original 1984 demos featured on the 2002 remix and newly discovered live tracks sourced from VHS tapes found in Dave Mustaine s attic The new remaster was released on June 8 2018 25 Music and lyrics editAccording to writer Peter Buckley the record presented a faster thrashier kind of heavy metal 26 Steve Huey of AllMusic opined that the music on Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good is predominantly chaotic accompanied by lightning fast solo sections 27 Sputnikmusic s Mike Stagno said that the original pressing greatly suffered from the poor production which made the record difficult to listen to However he noted that the music is performed at rapid speed with precise riffing by both Poland and Mustaine 28 In his book Mean Deviation Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal editor Jeff Wagner wrote the album displayed unusual rhythms and unorthodox guitar riffs which carried like a runaway train 7 Speaking about the intensity of the record Ellefson said that extreme speed was deemed the cool factor in thrash metal back in those days Although Ellefson considers the album as a solid debut release he wanted some of the songs to be recorded in slower tempo 29 The album explores gloomy lyrical subjects such as death violence and occultism Speaking about the themes on the album author Bob Larson asserted that Megadeth cranks out songs about spilling blood and stomping guts with venomous anger 30 The album s title as well as its lyrics led to accusations whether the band was promoting Satanism 31 These allegations were rigidly denied by Mustaine who said that the band consciously kept away from the Satanic image I mean it s great to thrash and pound cut yourself up scream and have fun but you don t have to take out a Pagan attitude Why support the Devil He s already there I d rather just fucking thrash and be a metalist and listen to whatever I want to than be forced to listen to one style of music 9 Songs editThe album s opening track Last Rites Loved to Death nb 1 consists of two parts The first part Last Rites is an instrumental featuring a piano intro which is a reinterpretation of J S Bach s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor 32 Mustaine explained that Loved to Death was his version of a love song to his girlfriend at the time 18 The title track was inspired by The Punisher comic book and tells of a paid assassin 33 The song caused minor media controversy when a man posted an online request to a radio station to play the tune saying it was good music to go postal and kill a bunch of people to The man was later arrested under suspicion of commencing a potential shooting spree 34 The Skull Beneath the Skin was developed under the working title Self Destruct 12 The song graphically describes a horrendous human torture while also probing into the occult and black magic 35 Mustaine pointed that the creation of Vic Rattlehead was explained throughout that track Rattlehead according to Dave Mustaine was dedicated to the band s mascot and their fans 18 Looking Down the Cross was penned by Mustaine in 1983 under the working title Speak No Evil 12 The song tells about the temptation of Jesus Christ using religious metaphors and imagery 36 Chosen Ones was partially inspired by Tim the Enchanter from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail Mechanix was originally written by Mustaine before his tenure in Metallica 37 He would perform the song with them during his time in the band and after his departure the music and lyrics were modified to create The Four Horsemen Lyrically Mechanix is about having sex at a gas station 33 The album features the first of many covers performed by Megadeth a speed metal version of Nancy Sinatra s classic These Boots Are Made for Walkin with lyrics altered by Mustaine This sparked controversy as in 1995 the song s original author Lee Hazlewood deemed Mustaine s changes to be vile and offensive and demanded that the song be removed from the album under threat of legal action The song was removed from all pressings released afterwards and in 2002 the album was re released with a modified version of the song the altered lyrics were censored because Hazlewood had not given permission to the band to release the cover in its original version In the liner notes of the album s 2002 reissue Mustaine was strongly critical of Hazlewood noting that he had received royalties for almost ten years before he objected to the altered version 38 In 2018 the song was released with the original Lee Hazlewood lyrics on the remixed and remastered version of Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good 39 Critical reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 27 Classic Rock nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 40 Drowned in Sound8 10 41 KNAC nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 32 Louder than War8 10 42 Metal Hammer nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 43 Q nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 44 Rock Hard9 10 45 The Rolling Stone Album Guide nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 46 Sputnikmusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 28 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good received mostly positive reviews not just from metal oriented magazines but from the mainstream press too 46 Colin Larkin writing in the Encyclopedia of Popular Music called the album a ferocious blast of high energy thrash metal weakened by a thin production 23 Similarly Steve Huey from AllMusic observed that the album is as raw as Megadeth gets However Huey noted that the riffs and compositions weren t completely developed and called Mustaine s vocals amateurish at best 27 Chad Bowar from About com said that Megadeth were still finding their way on their debut album but remarked that the band showed great potential through angry and passionate musicianship 47 Adrien Begrand of PopMatters dismissed the original recording but praised the re release writing that the album blazes on at a furious pace According to him the record greatly influenced the heavy metal genre in the upcoming two decades 33 Sputnikmusic staff member Mike Stagno agreed with the praise for the remaster saying that the fuzzy sound of the original release was replaced with a clearer production Even so he opined that the album still retained the thrashy sound characteristic for the band during this period 28 Mike Marsh of Drowned in Sound recommended the music for people who want it loud fast and brutal 41 In a retrospective review for KNAC Frank Meyer said that the album put Megadeth at the forefront of heavy metal scene in the early 1980s and credited it for paving the way for thrash metal s arrival 32 CMJ New Music Report praised Mustaine s masterful wordplay and called the record a representative of the golden age of speed metal 48 Track listing editAll tracks are written by Dave Mustaine except These Boots written by Lee Hazlewood with altered lyrics by Mustaine 49 Side oneNo TitleLength1 Last Rites Loved to Death 4 382 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good 3 053 The Skull Beneath the Skin 3 464 These Boots nb 2 3 44 Side twoNo TitleLength5 Rattlehead 3 426 Chosen Ones 2 547 Looking Down the Cross 5 018 Mechanix 4 20Total length 31 10 2002 reissueNo TitleLength1 Last Rites Loved to Deth 4 382 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good 3 053 The Skull Beneath the Skin 3 464 Rattlehead 3 425 Chosen Ones 2 546 Looking Down the Cross 5 017 Mechanix 4 208 These Boots nb 3 3 449 Last Rites Loved to Deth demo 4 1610 Mechanix demo 3 5911 The Skull Beneath the Skin demo 3 11Total length 42 36 The Final Kill 2018 reissue No TitleLength1 Last Rites Loved to Deth 4 522 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good 3 043 The Skull Beneath the Skin 3 434 Rattlehead 3 405 Chosen Ones 2 546 Looking Down the Cross 4 597 Mechanix 4 238 These Boots nb 4 3 369 Last Rites Loved to Deth live 1987 London UK 4 4810 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good live 1986 Denver Colorado 4 0711 The Skull Beneath the Skin live 1990 London 3 3512 Rattlehead live 1987 Bochum Germany 4 0413 Chosen Ones live 1986 Denver 3 4914 Looking Down the Cross live 1986 Denver 4 3915 Mechanix live 1986 Denver 3 4616 Last Rites Loved to Deth demo 4 1517 The Skull Beneath the Skin demo 3 1218 Mechanix demo 4 00Total length 71 53Personnel editProduction and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes 18 Megadeth Dave Mustaine lead guitar lead vocals piano track 1 David Ellefson bass backing vocals Chris Poland lead guitar Gar Samuelson drums timpani track 5 Lee Rauch drums demos only 50 Production Produced and mixed by Dave Mustaine and Karat Faye Co produced by Megadeth Pre production by Jay Jones 2002 remix and remaster Mixed by Bill Kennedy Pro Tools by Chris Vrenna Mastered by Tom BakerThe Final Kill 2018 remix and remaster Mixed by Mark Lewis tracks 1 8 Mastered by Ted JensenCharts editThe Final Kill Chart 2018 PeakpositionAustralian Albums ARIA 51 84Belgian Albums Ultratop Flanders 52 79Belgian Albums Ultratop Wallonia 53 119Greek Albums Chart 54 48German Albums Offizielle Top 100 55 35Japanese Albums Chart Oricon 56 35Scottish Albums OCC 57 36Spanish Albums PROMUSICAE 58 93UK Rock amp Metal Albums OCC 59 3US Billboard 200 60 169US Top Hard Rock Albums Billboard 61 14US Top Rock Albums Billboard 62 32US Top Tastemaker Albums Billboard 63 5Notes edit Original pressings list it as Loved to Death reissues from 2002 onwards list it Loved to Deth Releases after 1995 do not include this track Lyric variations by Mustaine are censored Vocals re recorded with original Lee Hazlewood lyrics References edit CMJ Network Inc February 11 2002 Loud Rock CMJ New Music Report 45 Retrieved November 24 2013 EXCLUSIVE HEAR THE REMASTERED VERSION OF THE SKULL BENEATH THE SKIN Megadeth com May 24 2018 Retrieved December 12 2022 Megadeth Killing Is My Business And Business Is Good Album Reviews Songs amp More AllMusic retrieved October 21 2023 Prato Greg Dave Mustaine Artist Biography AllMusic Retrieved December 19 2013 Mustaine 2010 p 234 Mustaine 2010 p 235 a b Wagner Jeff 2010 Mean Deviation Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal Bazillion Points Books p 42 ISBN 978 0 9796163 3 4 Mustaine 2010 p 236 a b c Doe Bernard December 1985 Megadeth Love It To Death Metal Forces Retrieved November 13 2013 8 Things You Didn t Know About Megadeth s Killing Is My Business And Business Is Good Revolver June 12 2018 Retrieved August 1 2023 AGENT STEEL Founder Vocalist JOHN CYRIIS On Briefly Joining MEGADETH DAVE MUSTAINE Was Not Prepared To Launch The First Album With My Lyrical Subjects Brave Words amp Bloody Knuckles October 24 2019 Retrieved August 1 2023 a b c Ellefson 2013 p 46 Chamberlain Rich June 3 2013 Dave Mustaine on Super Collider Endgame Risk and More MusicRadar Archived from the original on December 20 2014 Retrieved July 11 2014 Ellefson 2013 p 53 Kennelty Greg June 9 2022 CHRIS POLAND Says MEGADETH Didn t Blow First Album Budget On Drugs We Weren t Even That Far Gone Then Metal Injection Retrieved August 4 2023 Ellefson 2013 p 54 Mustaine 2010 p 239 a b c d Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good Reissue liner notes Loud Records 2002 pp 2 7 8 Grow Kory August 19 2011 The Story of the Big Four Slayer s Kerry King Joins Megadeth Revolver Retrieved December 24 2013 Ex Megadeth Touring Guitarist Mike Albert Releases Weapons Blabbermouth net October 12 2010 Archived from the original on July 17 2009 Retrieved November 12 2010 Ellefson 2013 p 58 Stephen Thomas Erlewine Megadeth Biography AllMusic Retrieved September 18 2013 a b Larkin Colin 1992 Encyclopedia of Popular Music Vol 2 1st ed Oxford University Press p 1654 ISBN 1 882267 02 8 Megadeth Album Sales Update Blabbermouth net December 16 2005 Retrieved October 1 2013 Killing Is My Business And Business Is Good The Final Kill Deluxe Reissue megadeth com April 6 2018 Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved April 28 2018 Buckley Peter 2003 The Rough Guide to Rock Rough Guides p 660 ISBN 1 84353 105 4 a b c Huey Steve Killing Is My Business and Business is Good AllMusic a b c Stagno Mike January 1 2007 Killing Is My Business and Business is Good Megadeth Sputnikmusic Retrieved March 3 2012 Ellefson 2013 p 55 Larson Bob 1989 Satanism the seduction of America s youth T Nelson Publishers p 206 ISBN 0 8407 3034 9 Possamai Adam 2005 Religion and Popular Culture A Hyper real Testament Peter Lang p 148 ISBN 90 5201 272 5 a b c Meyer Frank Megadeth Killing Is My Business And Business Is Good Deluxe Edition KNAC Retrieved August 28 2013 a b c Begrand Adrien April 30 2002 Megadeth Killing is My Business and Business is Good PopMatters Retrieved September 15 2013 The Hollywood Reporter Staff September 2 2011 Megadeth Song Used in Internet Radio Terror Threat The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved December 23 2013 Schwarz Ted 1996 Free Speech and False Profits Ethics in the Media Pilgrim Press p 210 ISBN 0 8298 1148 6 Luhr Eileen 2009 Witnessing Suburbia Conservatives and Christian Youth Culture University of California Press p 90 ISBN 978 0 520 94357 5 Grow Kory January 11 2017 Megadeth s Dave Mustaine My Life in 15 Songs Rolling Stone Retrieved August 31 2022 Megadeth s Killing Is My Business Digipack LP Miniature CD Available Blabbermouth net June 5 2009 Archived from the original on January 11 2013 Retrieved November 12 2010 MEGADETH KILLING IS MY BUSINESS AND BUSINESS IS GOOD THE FINAL KILL REVIEW Green and Black Music January 11 2019 Retrieved August 4 2023 Cronin Pete March 5 2023 It s a Dirty Job Classic Rock Retrieved March 5 2023 a b Marsh Mark October 27 2001 Megadeth Killing Is My Business Drowned in Sound Archived from the original on December 19 2013 Retrieved August 28 2013 Chantler Johnson July 4 2018 Megadeth Killing is My Business and Business is Good The Final Kill album review Louder than War Retrieved March 5 2023 Chantler Chris September 20 2022 Megadeth Killing Is My Business And Business Is Good The Final Kill album review Metal Hammer Retrieved March 5 2023 Megadeth Killing Is My Business And Business Is Good Q CD Universe Retrieved August 28 2013 Kuhnemund Gotz Killing Is My Business Rock Hard in German Retrieved February 1 2014 a b Brackett Nathan Hoard Christian 2001 The Rolling Stone Album Guide New York City New York Simon amp Schuster p 534 ISBN 0 7432 0169 8 Retrieved February 1 2014 Bowar Chad Best Megadeth Albums About com Archived from the original on October 14 2013 Retrieved December 21 2013 Sciarretto Amy February 11 2002 Loud Rock CMJ New Music Report 45 Retrieved December 20 2013 Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good The Final Kill Reissue liner notes Legacy Recordings 2018 pp 3 4 DAVID ELLEFSON Sets Record Straight LEE RAUCH Never Did Any Studio Recordings With MEGADETH Blabbermouth June 28 2023 Retrieved August 3 2023 However there is some misinformation about the Last Rites demo Lee never did any studio recordings with the band The Last Rites demo that is out there on the web was recorded 100 by his successor our other fallen brother Gar Samuelson on drums That three song demo was recorded as a three piece with me Dave amp Gar in summer of 1984 ARIA Chart Watch 477 auspOp June 16 2018 Retrieved June 16 2018 Ultratop be Megadeth Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good in Dutch Hung Medien Retrieved November 8 2023 Ultratop be Megadeth Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good in French Hung Medien Retrieved November 8 2023 Greece Albums Jul 13 2013 Archived December 18 2018 at the Wayback Machine Billboard biz Retrieved February 27 2014 Offiziellecharts de Megadeth Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good in German GfK Entertainment Charts Retrieved November 8 2023 キリング イズ マイ ビジネス ザ ファイナル キル メガデス Killing Is My Business The Final Kill in Japanese Oricon Retrieved October 4 2021 Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved November 8 2023 Spanishcharts com Megadeth Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good Hung Medien Retrieved November 8 2023 Official Rock amp Metal Albums Chart Top 40 Official Charts Company Retrieved November 8 2023 Megadeth Chart History Billboard 200 Billboard Retrieved November 8 2023 Megadeth Chart History Top Hard Rock Albums Billboard Retrieved November 8 2023 Megadeth Chart History Top Rock Albums Billboard Retrieved November 8 2023 Megadeth Chart History Top Tastemaker Albums Billboard Retrieved November 8 2023 Bibliography editMustaine Dave 2010 Mustaine A Heavy Metal Memoir HarperCollins ISBN 978 0 06 171437 5 Ellefson David 2013 My Life with Deth Discovering Meaning in a Life of Rock amp Roll Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 1 4516 9988 3 External links editKilling Is My Business and Business Is Good at Discogs list of releases Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good amp oldid 1188655802, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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