Editing Gar Samuelson

{{short description|American drummer (1958–1999)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Gar Samuelson
| image             = Gar Samuelson.jpg
| caption           = 
| birth_name        = Gary Charles Samuelson
| alias             = 
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1958|2|18}}
| birth_place       = [[Dunkirk, New York]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|1999|7|14|1958|2|18}}
| death_place       = [[Orange City, Florida]], U.S.
| genre             = {{hlist|[[heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]|[[speed metal]]|[[thrash metal]]|[[jazz]]}}
| occupation        = Drummer
| years_active      = 1975–1999
| past_member_of    = [[Megadeth]], [[Fatal Opera]], The New Yorkers
| website           = 
}}

'''Gary Charles''' "'''Gar'''" '''Samuelson''' (February 18, 1958 – July 14, 1999) was an American musician best remembered for being the drummer for [[thrash metal]] band [[Megadeth]] from 1984 to 1987, contributing to their first two albums, ''[[Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!]]'' (1985) and ''[[Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?]]'' (1986). He is considered one of the most influential drummers of thrash metal, having pioneered the incorporation of [[jazz fusion]] into the subgenre.<ref name=Talevski>{{cite book|last=Talevski|first=Nick|title=Rock Obituaries: Knocking on Heaven's Door|year=2006|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=1-84609-091-1|page=570}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Early career ===
Samuelson initially started out playing for The New Yorkers, which included himself, his brother Stew, [[Chris Poland]] and Robbie Pagliari, among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/chris-poland-the-classicrockhistory-com-interview/|title=Chris Poland: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview|work=Classic Rock History.com|accessdate=August 3, 2023|last=Montalbano|first=Anthony}}</ref> The stint lasted from the late '70s into the early '80s.

=== Megadeth ===
After meeting with [[Dave Mustaine]] and [[Dave Ellefson]] of Megadeth in 1984, he was asked to join the band on October 24, 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rockcelebrities.net/dave-mustaines-remorse-about-megadeths-gar-samuelson/|title=Dave Mustaine's Remorse About Megadeth's Gar Samuelson|work=Rock Celebrities|date=November 4, 2022|accessdate=August 3, 2023|last=Cobanoglu|first=Cansu}}</ref> Guitarist [[Chris Poland]] soon followed, and Mustaine referred to this as "the first real line-up" in the [[VH1]] special on the band.<ref>VH1: Megadeth – Behind the Music DVD – October 2001 26 minutes, 35 seconds.</ref> Mustaine stated in an interview with [[Metal Forces]], that Samuelson was able to "mix up a beat."<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/feature-megadeth-mf12/|title=Megadeth - Love it to Death|last=Doe|first=Bernard|date=1985|journal=[[Metal Forces]]|issue=12}}</ref>

Samuelson went on to serve as Megadeth's drummer until 1987.<ref name="Megadeth_site">{{cite web|title=Megadeth history from 1984 to '87|url=http://www.megadeth.com/history#1987|publisher=Megadeth.com|access-date=August 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906102158/http://www.megadeth.com/history#1987|archive-date=September 6, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>  He appeared on the band's first two albums (''Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good,'' and ''Peace Sells... but Who's Buying'')'','' and played with them on both tours. However, Samuelson was ultimately fired due to his drug addiction.<ref name="Kielty" />

At the [[Woodstock '99|Woodstock Festival]] in 1999, Mustaine announced to the crowd that Gar had died. In honor of Gar, Megadeth played Peace Sells as the closing song in their set.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/ngrrgt/woodstock-99-report-57-megadeth-close-festival-as-fires-ignite-crowd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603045056/https://www.mtv.com/news/ngrrgt/woodstock-99-report-57-megadeth-close-festival-as-fires-ignite-crowd|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 3, 2023|title=Woodstock '99 Report #57: Megadeth Close Festival As Fires Ignite Crowd|work=MTV News|date=July 26, 1999|accessdate=August 4, 2023|last=van Horn|first=Teri}}</ref>

=== Later career ===
After leaving Megadeth, Gar formed a band with Megadeth touring musician, Mike Albert. The band, called Metalist, disbanded prior to signing to record label Combat Records.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Gar later formed the band [[Fatal Opera]], which featured his brother Stew on guitar. The first album, which was released in 1994, had Dave Inman on vocals, Travis Karcher playing bass and Billy Brehme on guitar.  The band's second album, Eleventh Hour, was released in 1997 and featured Andy Freeman on vocals. Fatal Opera 3, which was a collection of demos, was worked on extensively by his former bandmates and released in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Former-MEGADETH-Members-Unite-to-Honor-Drummer-Gar-Samuelson-20220131|title=Former MEGADETH Members Unite to Honor Drummer Gar Samuelson|work=Broadway World|date=January 31, 2022|accessdate=February 12, 2024}}</ref>

Samuelson played on two full-length albums and two demos, and remained a member of the band until his death.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

== Death ==
Samuelson died in [[Orange City, Florida]], on July 22, 1999, at the age of 41. The cause of death was reportedly liver failure.<ref name="Talevski" /><ref name="Kielty">{{cite news|last=Kielty|first=Martin|title=Megadeth drummer made Peace Sells|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/ex_megadeth_drummer_made_peace_sells.html|access-date=August 4, 2013|newspaper=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]|date=September 10, 2012}}</ref> He was cremated.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} His former bandmates in Megadeth dedicated the 2002 remaster of ''Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good'' to "the memory of Gar Samuelson".<ref name="Kielty" />

== Discography ==
'''Megadeth'''
* ''[[Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?]]'' (1986)
'''Fatal Opera'''
* ''Fatal Opera'' (1995)
* ''The Eleventh Hour'' (1997)
* ''Fatal Opera 3'' (2022) (Posthumous release)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2022/01/29/news/david-ellefson-and-chris-poland-share-new-posthumous-fatal-opera-collaboration-the-raven-honoring-gar-samuelson-fatal-opera-3-out-now/|title=David Ellefson And Chris Poland Share New Posthumous Fatal Opera Collaboration "The Raven" Honoring Gar Samuelson, Fatal Opera 3 Out Now|last=Viswanathan|first=Aswath|date=January 29, 2022|accessdate=August 3, 2023|work=MXDWN}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Lee Rauch]]
| title = [[List of Megadeth band members|Megadeth drummer]]
| years = 1984–87
| after = [[Chuck Behler]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Megadeth}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuelson, Gar}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Orange City, Florida]]
[[Category:American jazz drummers]]
[[Category:American heavy metal drummers]]
[[Category:Megadeth members]]
[[Category:Deaths from liver failure]]
[[Category:People from Dunkirk, New York]]
[[Category:American people of Swedish descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American drummers]]
[[Category:American male drummers]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American male jazz musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Drummers from Florida]]
[[Category:Drummers from New York (state)]]