JoeLumb's Album Review Megadeth's "So Far So Good So What" (1988)

 After firing Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson following their tour in support of their previous record "Peace Sells But Who's Buying?) Megadeth founder/frontman/guitarist and songwriter Dave Mustaine had hired Guitarist Jeff Young and Drummer Chuck Behler to start writing and recording what would be Megadeth's third album "So Far So Good So What?" But you see Hiring Jeff Young was not Mustaine's first choice matter of fact he along with David Ellefson brought in guitarist Jay Reynolds from the band Malice,but his skills were not up to task for recording and was soon replaced by his guitar teacher which turned out to be Jeff Young. Since then Mustaine stated that he regretted replacing Reynolds for Young. There were other guitarists considering joining Megadeth one of them was Guns N' Roses' axeman Slash. I found that tough to believe. When it came time to mix the album Mustaine who was skeptical of producer Paul Lani's "eccentricities" and his way of handling things turned to anger and that lead to Lani's dismissal from mixing the album so Mustaine turned to Michael Wagener. Dave Mustaine since then criticized Wagener for his "pedestrian" mixing efforts citing the record's "muddy feel" Dave Mustaine also brought in Sex Pistols guitarist to record parts for the cover of "Anarchy in the U.K."

Now as far as the songs off "So Far So Good So What" went when Dave Mustaine was fired from Metallica in 1983 "Set the World Afire" was the very first song he wrote for Megadeth. "In My Darkest Hour" was written when Mustaine got the news of the tragic death of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton. 

"So Far So Good So What" was released on January 19,1988 the album reached #28 on the Billboard 200 and received Platinum status. Sadly their tour in support of the record was cut short due to the firing of Jeff Young and Chuck Behler in 1989

My Overall Rating of "So Far So Good So What is a 65/100 I blame that low rating  due to the mixing of the record first from producer Paul Lani and then Michael Wagener. my favorite tracks are "Set the World Afire" and "In my Darkest Hour."

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