When Megadeth needed a drummer in 1989, Nick Menza was asked by Dave Mustaine to join the band. Menza first played live with Megadeth on May 12, 1988 in Bradford, England.

This prior experience and personal relationship led to the invitation to join Megadeth for the 1990, multi-platinum recording Rust in Peace. and for the next ten years Menza became associated with the bandÂ’s classic and most profitable era. 1990?s Rust In Piece, 1992?s Countdown to Extinction, 1994?s Youthanasia, and 1997?s Cryptic Writings.

Released worldwide on September 24, 1990, Rust in Peace was a hit with fans and critics alike, debuting at No. 23 in the US and No. 8 in the UK The album featured the singles “Holy Wars”, “The Punishment Due” and “Hangar 18?, both of which had music videos made of them and remain live staples. Rust in Peace went on to sell more than a million copies in the US and received Grammy nominations in 1991 and 1992 for Best Metal Performance.

What would become Megadeth’s most commercially successful effort, Countdown to Extinction. The album was the first to feature writing contributions from each band member, and was named by drummer Nick Menza. Released on July 14, 1992, Countdown to Extinction was an instant hit, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts in the US, and No. 5 in the UK. Anchored by the Mainstream Rock hits “Symphony of Destruction” “Foreclosure of a Dream” and “Sweating Bullets” The album quickly went double platinum in the US, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance in 1993.

More success was followed from Youthanasia, released on November 1, 1994 debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart in the US, Certified gold in Canada after thirty minutes and was certified platinum in the US. Later in November, the band was invited twice to perform at David Letterman’s Late Show: the first time they performed “Train of Consequences”and “À Tout le Monde” on the second occasion.

On June 17, 1997, Capitol Records released Cryptic Writings. The album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Top 200, and was Megadeth’s sixth consecutive studio album to be certified platinum in the United States. “Trust”, a single from Cryptic Writings, became Megadeth’s highest charting single to date. The No. 5 Mainstream Rock Track was also nominated for a Best Metal Performance Grammy in 1998.

Megadeth joined Ozzfest 98 but, halfway through the tour, drummer Nick Menza discovered a tumor on his knee and was forced to leave to undergo surgery. Megadeth then hired a temporary replacement by Jimmy DeGrasso rather than cancel any dates.

When the time came to record a follow-up album, Menza was not asked back and DeGrasso became the bandÂ’s official drummer. while in the hospital recovering from knee surgery, Nick received a phone call from Mustaine that simply said your services are not needed anymore.

Nick Menza (1964, Munich, Germany) was born as the son of famed jazz saxophone player Don Menza. Little Nick began playing drums at the age of two.



It was then Nick performed at his first public concert when during the intermission someone sat him down on Jack De Johnette's drums and he proceeded to play. Nick was nurtured around the tutelage of such notables as Buddy Rich, Steve Gadd, Nick Ceroli, Jeff Porcaro and Louis Bellson.



Beginning his professional musical career at the age of eighteen drumming in the band Rhodes featuring singer Kelly Rhoads, brother of the late Randy, Nick released his first record with Rhoads called "Into The Future" in Europe. The band hit the road with Foghat for a short time.



Moving on to session playing including styles ranging from R&B to Gospel, Funk and Heavy Metal recording with the likes of John Fogerty, Nick caught the attention of then Megadeth drummer Chuck Behler and became his tech.



When Megadeth needed a drummer, Nick Menza was asked to join the band. In July 1989 Nick Menza was hired as Megadeth's drummer. He replaced previous skinsman Chuck Behler who had played with Megadeth since early 1987.



With Menza on drums the band release albums like "Youthanasia" (1994) and was featured on several soundtracks of motion pictures and computer games.

Nick Menza would stay until July 1998, when Jimmy DeGrasso joined the band as his replacement.



During his stint in Megadeth, Nick also played drums on his bandmate Marty Friedman's three solo albums Scenes (1992), Introduction (1994), and True Obsessions (1996).



By the summer of 1998, while the band was still touring in support of Cryptic Writings, Menza was having knee problems and sought medical advice. He was informed he had a tumor, which was later found to be benign, and had it removed. As a result, Megadeth hired a temporary replacement by Jimmy DeGrasso rather than cancel any dates. When the time came to record a follow-up album, Menza was not asked back and Jimmy DeGrasso became the band's official drummer. Nick Menza has said in several interviews that, while in the hospital recovering from knee surgery, he received a phone call from Mustaine that simply said "Your services are not needed anymore".



After his departure, he began work on solo album 'Menza: Life After Deth' in 2001.



Following the reissue of the entire Megadeth catalog, Nick Menza was invited to reunite with Megadeth in 2004. Days after a reunion was announced Menza was fired after rehearsals and replaced with Shawn Drover (Eidolon). Dave Mustaine said that this was because Nick "just wasn't prepared" for a full scale US tour, physically.



In April 2006, Menza joined the Los Angeles-based metal band Orphaned to Hatred.



In March 2011, Menza appeared in a music video for Mindstreem's We Up Next.



Around thye same time, Nick Menza played in California-based progressive rock band Deltanaut.



Nick Menza passed away on May 21, 2016 after succumbing to heart failure while performing with his band, OHM, in Los Angeles.