Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine tells about his relationship with Nick Menza

Dave Mustaine has described late drummer Nick Menza as “a great friend, a true professional and a larger-than-life personality.”

He’s paid tribute after Menza, who appeared on four Megadeth albums, died suddenly aged 51. Reports suggest he suffered a heart attack while performing with current band Ohm in California on Saturday.

Mustaine says: “We asked Nick to join Megadeth in 1989. Our first album with Nick, Rust In Peace, and subsequent albums Countdown To Extinction and Youthanasia, kept up the momentum.

As a player, Nick had a very powerful jazzy flair, unpredictable and always entertaining. And as great a drummer as he was, the time spent with him as a person, a bandmate, and a friend was even more fun. There were several times we discussed him coming back to the band, but for various reasons it never came together. We've been in touch all along, he had come out to our shows recently, and he had remained a great friend, a true professional and a larger than life personality."

Rest in peace Nick Menza...