Guitarist Marty Friedman (Cacophony, Megadeth) recently spoke with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation. During their conversation, Marty reflects on writing his autobiography, Dreaming Japanese, and talks about his upcoming tour.
SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, hosted by Eddie Trunk, airs daily at 3pm ET on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk.
Marty Friedman on writing his book, Dreaming Japanese:
“I’m very private, not intentionally guarded, but like it’s really hard to get a read on me because I don’t really divulge a lot of private stuff, and it’s just not in my personality to do that. But the time to do that, if any time, would be in your own autobiography. So I just completely let everything out so people are gonna like, be surprised and offended or not offended, or they’re gonna not know what to do because I think a lot of people have a hard time getting a read on the personal part of me because it’s really nobody’s business. But when you write an autobiography, that’s where you have to put it all in there. And so I’m like, ‘Okay, there’s nothing that I’m gonna keep back.’ You know? I’m not gonna try to make myself look good. I’m not gonna try to make myself look bad.”
“I’m just gonna say all these, anything that would be of any interest to anyone who might pick up this book, let it all in there. You know, there’s nothing to be ashamed about. Of course there’s a lot of things in there that I’m definitely not proud of, but these are things that happened and these are things that are true. And if I found it interesting, whether it makes me look good or bad, I put it in there. And you know, a lot of this stuff, especially with band interactions, you know, of course everybody knew that I was gonna write every detail about my experience in the 10 years I was in Megadeth, but I also treated my other bands before that, even my childhood bands with the exact same candidness and all of the real detailed things about what it’s like to be a band that’s not as big as a Megadeth or something like that. So I find that really interesting and I think that people who wanna know what it was like to be me during those, you know, some people say the golden era of Megadeth, and I tend to agree even though they’ve done wonderful, wonderful things in my absence, it’s really what exactly my perspective of how I live day to day during that time in Megadeth. And I never really ever talked about it, especially after I left the band.”
Marty Friedman on his upcoming American tour:
“You know, it got to the point where you’ve read the book, so, you know, but, things were going really, really well in Japan, but it was kind of at the expense of not being able to play in other places and not being able to really escape Japan for more than a couple weeks at a time. And the longer you do that, the harder it is to get back. So I knew that I was gonna have to start cultivating the rest of the world more. And it’s just thanks to the fans who’ve supported me, you know, through all that time, because I’ve been away from America for quite some time. But thank God for these wonderful people who supported me and come to the shows outside of Japan and now that’s what keeps us coming back.”
Friedman’s 2025 US tour, in support of his Drama album, will kick off on January 25 in Las Vegas and wrap up on February 22 in Los Angeles.
Marty comments on the tour: “My three band members from Japan, Chargeeeeee, Wakazaemon, and Naoki have created the ultimate setting to perform music from all stages of my career. If you’ve seen us live before, you know what to expect. If not, you are in for a unique treat. You will remember my band’s performances on this Drama tour for a long time. Our last two USA tours have left an unforgettable impact on them. We are all beyond excited to cross the pond and play for my home country again!”
Marty Friedman Live Drama 2025 dates:
January
25 – Las Vegas, NV – Count’s Vamp’d
27 – Denver, CO – HQ Live
29 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
30 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theater
31 – Westland, MI – Token Lounge
February
1 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
2 – Cleveland, OH – The Winchester
4 – New York, NY – The Loft at City Winery
5 – Boston, MA – City Winery
6 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
7 – Annapolis, MD – Ram’s Head on Stage
8 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House
10 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
11 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho Theater
13 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
14 – Nashville, TN – The Basement
16 – Houston, TX – Bronze Peacock at House of Blues
17 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
18 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
20 – Albuquerque, NM – Launch Pad
21 – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Whisky
Tickets, Exclusive Meet and Greet VIP Packages, Stage Played Guitars, and more are available at MartyFriedman.com.
Innovative guitar visionary, Marty Friedman, has shared a new single, “A Prayer”, from his latest solo album, Drama. The new track is being released as a digital single that includes a “Guitar Karaoke” version of the track as a B-Side. “A Prayer” is accompanied by a visualizer, available below.
Marty comments on the new single: “‘A Prayer’ was one of the first songs I wrote for Drama, It is an unapologetic tearjerker, and it set the melancholy tone for the entire album. I always wanted to do a full album of wistful songs like this, but only recently have I developed the ability to put together elaborate arrangements like this that sound deceivingly simple and uplifting.”
Marty Friedman’s presence in the world of music, the world of guitar, and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. From his groundbreaking beginnings with Cacophony, alongside the legendary Jason Becker, to his pivotal role in propelling Megadeth to its peak of popularity with his breath-taking range and unorthodox melodic sense, Marty has solidified his status as a unique guitar icon.
Drama only slightly revisits the atmospheric elements of his acclaimed 1992 release Scenes, elevating them to a modern and exotic collection of epic, extravagant, and unapologetically emotional mini-symphonies.
Tracks like “Illumination” and “Mirage” transport listeners to captivating realms, evoking sudden tears and chills. The entire album spotlights Marty’s mesmerizing melodies, game-changing arrangements, and heart-tugging motifs, even more than any of his previous work.
Recorded in Italy, where Marty had access to a treasure trove of vintage guitars along with his modern signature models, Drama is a pure delight for anyone who appreciates music that stirs emotions.
Order the album here.
Tracklisting:
“Illumination”
“Song For An Eternal Child”
“Triumph” (Official Version)
“Thrill City”
“Deep End”
“Dead Of Winter” (English Vocal)
“Mirage”
“A Prayer”
“Acapella” (Guitar Solo)
“Tearful Confession”
“Icicles”
“2 Rebeldes” (Spanish Vocal)