Ex-Megadeth Guitarist Chris Poland Worked in a Diner After Split With the Band
A recent interview with The Metal Voice has revealed that ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland worked at a diner following his departure from the legendary thrash metal band.
After splitting with the band in 1987 following the release of the monumental Peace Sells… But Who's Buying?, the guitarist found himself looking for a new job. He began working late night shifts at a local diner to help support himself.
"I was bussing tables from midnight to 8AM,” Poland told The Metal Voice. “I would be bussing tables on a weekend, and some guy would go, ‘Dude, you’re Chris Poland!’ And I'd have to go, ‘Yeah, I am!” And it was so weird, because he just looked at me, like, ‘Dude, what the fuck are you doing here?’ And I would just say, ‘Hey, man, I’ve gotta eat. I’ve gotta pay the rent.’”
Poland said that his time at the diner was an extremely odd one to endure, considering the rapidly growing success that Megadeth were experiencing at the time.
"When you think of it now, it is pretty crazy, because at that time Megadeth was beyond gold – Peace Sells was really like a train," said Poland. "And here I am bussing tables in the middle of the night at Denny’s."
Poland joined Megadeth in 1984. Legend goes that then-new drummer Gar Samuelson recommended to Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson that they add Poland, as he and Samuelson were former bandmates. Poland featured on Megadeth's first two studio albums, Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good! and Peace Sells… But Who's Buying? along with appearing on 2004's The System Has Failed as a studio musician.
In terms of his musical endeavors after his time with Megadeth, Poland embarked on a number of projects both solo and with new bands. 1990 saw the release of his first solo album Return to Metalopolis.
In 1993 he released Damn the Machine, the first and only album from the band of the same name. Poland has also been featured on projects from other metal bands including Lamb of God, Mumbo's Brain, OHM and Polcat.