MD.45

The band's name was derived from Mustaine's initials backwards (MD), combined with 45 which is derived from converting Ving's backwards initials (VL) to their numerical value in Roman numerals which is 45.[http://www.megadeth.com/scorpion_archive.php?scorpion_id=82 Megadeth: Scorpion], Megadeth.com, March 3, 2008.

The band released only one album, 1996's The Craving. Many of the songs from the album were originally written for Megadeth, but due to the band almost breaking up, where Megadeth's guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza at the time focused on their solo projects, Mustaine decided to start a side project instead.{{cite web |title=Watch: MEGADETH Joined By FEAR's LEE VING For Performance Of 'Nothing Is Something' From MD.45 |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/watch-megadeth-joined-by-fears-lee-ving-for-performance-of-nothing-is-something-from-md-45 |website=Blabbermouth |access-date=3 August 2023 |date=25 June 2023 |quote=Two decades ago, Mustaine told Classic Rock magazine that "a lot of" the music on "The Craving" "was intended for MEGADETH, but every time I turned around, Marty [Friedman, then-MEGADETH guitarist] had a solo record coming out; Nick [Menza, then-MEGADETH drummer] had his own solo project. Y'know, was this MEGADETH or not? I said, 'You don't see me going off to play with anybody else. If I'm not doing it, then none of you guys are. And if I do it, then we all can — but I might not come back.' By the time I got into the studio with Lee, I figured it was a case of goodbye. But we got back together after a little period of time."}}

On June 24, 2023, Megadeth and Lee Ving performed the song "Nothing is Something" live at a concert in Tampa, Florida. This marks the only time an MD.45 song has been performed live.{{cite web |title=Go Behind The Scenes Of MEGADETH's Concert In Tampa |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/go-behind-the-scenes-of-megadeths-concert-in-tampa |website=Blabbermouth |access-date=August 3, 2023 |date=July 6, 2023}}

In 2004, while remixing the Megadeth catalog, Mustaine was offered US$ 250,000 by his-then record label Capitol Records to re-release the album. Mustaine omitted all vocals and harmonica parts from Ving. Instead, Mustaine himself recorded the vocals, and played guitar where the harmonica should have been. In his 2011 autobiography, Mustaine said:{{cite web |url=https://bravewords.com/news/lee-ving-looking-to-contact-dave-mustaine-to-get-pressure-off-the-matter-of-the-craving-re-issue |date=May 25, 2020 |title=LEE VING Looking To Contact DAVE MUSTAINE To "Get Pressure Off The Matter" Of The Craving Re-Issue |website=BraveWords}}

{{quote|The change was an effort to entice interest from Megadeth fans who might have overlooked the original.}}

In 2020, Ving publicly spoke about his disapproval, saying in a podcast that he was never consulted about the changes, and Mustaine didn't contact him in any way.{{cite web |url=https://metalinjection.net/news/md-45s-megadeth-collaborator-lee-ving-still-wants-closure-on-removal-from-the-craving |title=MD.45's (MEGADETH) Collaborator Lee Ving Still Wants Closure On Removal From The Craving |date=May 30, 2020 |website=Metal Injection}} The remastered version was released by Capitol Records.

• Lee Ving – vocals, harmonica (original issue)
• Dave Mustaine – guitar (on both issues), vocals (on remastered issue)
• Kelly LeMieux – bass
• Jimmy DeGrasso – drums

;Other

• Michael Kaye – guitar/backline technician
• Billy Moss – studio engineer/vintage recorders

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Category:Megadeth

Category:American heavy metal musical groups