MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover is featured in a new interview with Dubai-based GulfNews.com. An excerpt is available below:

Q: Where do you think rock and metal stand in the music world at the moment?

Drover: "Metal does very well on a worldwide scale. It’s something that’s never going to go away - our fans are testament to that. Maybe not always from a commercial selling point but from a fanbase selling point, we rival any market out there in terms of fan appreciation and loyalty. I would really say that heavy metal has the most loyal and best fans on the planet. I would put that against any genre of music any time."

Q: You’ve got the Countdown to Extinction tour, you’ve released the album into a box set. It’s all so 2012. The Mayan Calendar says the world will end this year. Do you know something we don’t?

Drover: "No. I don’t. It’s just a bunch of hogwash. If this is the case everyone should quite their jobs and go on a vacation. We continue to tour and do what we do inspite of whether the world’s going to blow up or not. I don’t pay much attention to that. I hope it’s not true but you never know right?"

Q: Any new music lined up?

Drover: "We’re gathering ideas as we speak. Dave (Mustaine, founder and lead vocalist) is constanly getting stuff together. He has so many riffs he’s compiled so we’re never at a loss when it comes to the time to record. But we’re in that process now. And when the time comes, we’ll go over everything and work on it. That should be happening some time next year."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Live Nation Middle East recently announced the international musical artists to headline Gulf Bike Week 2012 at the Festival Park, Dubai Festival City. Performing on October 18, 2012 will be Megadeth with support acts from Dubai’s very own resident rock bands ABSOLACE and SANDWASH.

Check out a TV promo below:

Megadeth bassist David Ellefson: "We are thrilled to be playing Dubai in October 2012. With the recent Th1rt3en album and current Countdown To Extinction 20th anniversary tour under way we will have a fantastic selection of songs for you at our concert. Until then....keep on thrashing till Megadeth!'"

For more details visit Gulfbikefestival.com.