Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has opened up about his complicated relationship with bandleader Dave Mustaine, reflecting on both the close friendship they once shared and the circumstances surrounding his departure from the band.
Speaking on the Quemar Un Patrullero podcast hosted by Argentine rock journalist Gustavo Olmedo, Ellefson described periods where he and Mustaine had a genuine personal bond.
“When I went back to Megadeth in 2010, Dave and I were close – we were really close,” Ellefson said. “I was helping him with some personal things. He became a good friend to me during that time. So there were periods of closeness as men, as brothers.
“And I found those opportunities were always the best when it was just me and Dave, when there wasn’t another person in the room. We didn’t have to sort of be on stage performing for anyone. It was just me and him being brothers, [at] Starbucks drinking coffee, whatever. And those moments were genuine, they were sincere, they were heartfelt.”
Ellefson also spoke about the recording process for Megadeth‘s 2022 album The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!, noting that his bass tracks were originally recorded but ultimately removed after his departure and replaced by Steve DiGiorgio.
He claimed Mustaine did not want his contributions included on the record. “He didn’t wanna use any of my music for that record. I could tell he resented me,” Ellefson said.
The bassist revealed he even wrote a ballad intended for the album featuring then-Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro, but the track was ultimately left off the final release. He also said he contributed lyrics to the song “Soldier On!”, though those contributions were later removed.
Ellefson drew a comparison between his situation and Mustaine‘s early history with Metallica. “When Dave got fired from Metallica, at least they kept his words and his music and they paid him and gave him credit,” he said. “Dave wasn’t so kind to me.”
Ellefson said he personally views the band’s 2016 album Dystopia as the final chapter of his time in the group. “My farewell with Megadeth was really in 2018. That was my farewell tour,” he said. “I feel like I played on the last great Megadeth record, which was Dystopia.”
Despite the conflict, Ellefson insisted he does not harbor bitterness toward Mustaine. “I almost feel like I was set free to not have to deal with that anymore. Whereas Dave had bitterness toward Metallica, I don’t have bitterness toward Dave or Megadeth.”
Ellefson was dismissed from Megadeth in 2021 after explicit messages and video footage involving the bassist surfaced online. At the time, he denied allegations that he had groomed an underage fan and said the footage had been shared without his consent.
According to Ellefson, he maintained his innocence and argued the situation was fueled by online rumors. “There’s nothing here. There’s no reason to let me go. This is all just nonsense on the Internet,” he said, recalling conversations with the band’s management at the time.
He added that he chose not to pursue further legal action against Mustaine despite believing he had grounds to do so. “There’s two ways to win in tug of war,” Ellefson said. “I either pull you over the line or I just drop the rope and let you fall on your ass. And that’s what I’ve chosen to do – drop the rope.”
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