Marty Friedman, former guitarist for Megadeth, has gained invaluable life lessons over his successful career, and in a recent interview with YouTube channel The Neurotic Guitarist, he shared advice he’d offer to his younger self.
One piece of advice he would certainly give is, “Cool down on all the illegal substances.”
Looking back, Friedman admits he got his experimentation with drugs out of his system by the time he was 17. “I was doing everything I loved, all the drugs, but acid was one that I never took,” he explains.
While LSD was more commonly associated with the hippie culture of the ’70s and ’80s, rather than the punk, hard rock, and heavy metal scene Friedman was part of, a group of friends persuaded him to try it. The result was a terrifying acid trip that would become a pivotal moment in his life and music career.
“People have good trips and people have bad trips. And I think what I had was a very, very, very bad trip,” Friedman recalls. “I thought I was going to wind up being a mental patient if I ever came down from it because it was not going away.”
This harrowing experience led Friedman to re-evaluate his path in life. “While I was up there, I was like, ‘If I ever survive this, I swear to God, I’m not going to do anything but work on music and play music and become the best musician I can be. I’m not going to even take a sip of beer. I’m not going to smoke a joint. I’m not going to do any more Quaaludes, no more coke, no nothing, all gone, everything going directly into music.’ And that’s basically what I did.”
Friedman’s frightening acid trip ultimately reshaped his outlook on life, leading him to fully commit to his musical aspirations. This dedication paid off, earning him global recognition as a guitarist and songwriter. Though that night took an unexpected and frightening turn, it played a crucial role in shaping his future and setting him on the path to a remarkable career.
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