Kiko Loureiro Reveals REAL Reason Why He Left Megadeth + His Future in the Music Industry

Kiko Loureiro had been a part of Megadeth for years now that's why fans were shocked when he and his bandmates announced that the guitarist wouldn't be with the group anymore. The musician recently shared more details about his decision and even hinted at his plans.

The famed guitarist recently spoke in an interview with Guitar World where he opened up about his time with the band and the reason why he decided to step down.

Loureiro revealed that it all started when he booked a trip to his home in Brazil because it's been a long time since the musician went there and it was even 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 period in 2023 because Megadeth never does anything around that time," he added.

Kiko Loureiro Wants to Spend More Time With Family

In the guitarist's words, when people are young, especially when they work in the music industry, they tend to go on tour non-stop because "the more concerts, the better."

However, in his case, he has a 12-year-old daughter and Loureiro just wanted to spend more time with her, as well as with his newly born twins.

"I was always struggling with knowing I needed to be touring, but also wanted to be home with my kids and my wife. So the feeling of, 'Should I be out doing this rock star thing while my kids are at home?' kept coming up. And the more moments and important dates I missed, the harder it was," he explained. (via Key J)

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In the summer of 2023, the guitarist spoke with Dave Mustaine to tell him that going on tour was "too much" for him and he wasn't in the right headspace to give his all.

Regardless of his departure, Loureiro was happy with the memories he created with his bandmates, and there wasn't any bad blood within the group.

Kiko Loureiro Future Plans

Kiko Loureiro might not be a part of Megadeth anymore, but he's still unsure about what's next for him. Although he clarified that he's working on new music and will likely release it as a solo act.

Before he had a conversation with Mustaine, Loureiro said he already had 11 new songs, and most of them were already recorded.

In addition, Loureiro said he's open to other opportunities, but his door will remain open for Megadeth.

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