Former Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro spoke with Guitar World about his departure from the band and the reasons that led him to make that decision, which above all have to do with his family environment.
“It all started when I booked a trip home to Brazil. The last time I was there was in 2019, before the pandemic; I got to a point where I said, 'I need to visit my family,' so I booked a trip for the Thanksgiving season, because Megadeth doesn't do anything at that time," he says.
“When you're young, not married, and don't have kids, your mentality is, 'The more gigs, the better.' But my daughter is 12 now and I want to spend time with her. I also want to be out there playing. When I came to Megadeth in 2015, I had a young daughter and newborn twins. I was always struggling, knowing that I needed to be on tour, but I also wanted to be home with my kids and my wife. And I kept having that feeling that told me 'should I continue playing rockstar while my family stays at home?' and the more important moments I missed, the more complicated it became. It became more difficult in 2023, especially during the three-month summer tour. So I went to Dave in June and said, “This is too much for me. “I don't feel in the right place or in the right frame of mind to give 100 percent.” It was hard for me to say because I wanted to play, but I knew I needed to be home. And of course Dave wasn't expecting it. I offered to help find a replacement who turned out to be Temuu. They kept asking me, ‘Are you sure?’ In the end, I had to take control because I knew I needed and wanted to be home. People who don't have kids won't understand, but those who have kids will know what I mean."
Originally, Kiko Loureiro announced that she would not be able to be on the last part of the Megadeth tour to be able to return with her children, and then extend her departure in the month of November.
