According to frontman Dave Mustaine, the album title refers to stereotypical rock stars. When asked about the matter, and an earlier comment about Axl Rose having killed the traditional rock star image, Mustaine explained that "People want heroes. Most bands look like average Joes, wearing gas-station shirts, have funky hair-dos and I think people wanna be able to go 'they may not be popular, but they're MY band.'" Mustaine went on to say that many of contemporary rock music groups looked and sounded the same, and that the music industry needed a hero. He then proceeded to contrast a perceived lack of image of then current music scenes with the image of 1980s metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.