Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine has blasted the nu metal genre and says he's happy it "went away".
The thrash metal icon's biggest gripe with the nu metal bands that ruled the rock world in the 1990s and 2000s is that, at least in his estimation, they "couldn't do solos."
Mustaine tells Lifeminute: "There was a period in 2000 where we had these bands called, I think it was nu metal, and they didn't do any solos.
"Well, why didn't they do any solos? They couldn't do solos. And thank God that genre went away. People started to learn how to do solos.
"I would say, if you're in a nu metal band, you probably would be challenged even playing Johnny B. Goode. So I'm glad that went away."
Asked whether there were any new bands that he enjoyed listening to, Mustaine is still not very forthcoming.
He adds: "Well, I like some of the older music because new stuff I mean, all the good chords are taken. And if you think back when I started 40 years ago, the music playing field didn't have millions of kids sitting at home doing guitar riffs into their computer and then posting it online.
"There's good and bad with everything, and when people do things for their own art, that's great. But when you start seeing these manufactured records that band members didn't play on, that's fraud. So, I like bands that really play what they do."
He did have some kind words to say though, saving his praise for Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour.
Mustaine says: "One of my favourite guitar players is one of the simplest guys in the world. It's the guy from Pink Floyd, David Gilmour.
"He could do more with one note than some of the guys playing nowadays can do with 12. And it's just a matter of feeling. The guitar, you're touching it, so it's an extension of your spirit, your soul, and how you make it sound."
