In a recent candid interview on the Argentine podcast "Quemar Un Patrullero," hosted by esteemed rock and heavy metal journalist Gustavo Olmedo, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson offered a deeply personal and often poignant reflection on his decades-long relationship with band leader Dave Mustaine, and the circumstances surrounding his controversial dismissal from the iconic thrash metal band. Ellefson detailed periods of profound brotherhood with Mustaine, contrasting them sharply with the subsequent professional estrangement, particularly concerning the creation of MEGADETH’s latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!"
Ellefson’s narrative painted a picture of a relationship marked by intense highs and lows, beginning with his return to MEGADETH in 2010. "When I went back to MEGADETH in 2010, [Dave and I] were close — we were really close," Ellefson stated. "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." He emphasized that these genuine moments of connection were most potent when the interaction was purely between the two of them, free from the pressures of performance or external perception. "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."
However, this sense of camaraderie sharply contrasted with Ellefson’s experience leading up to and following the release of "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" in 2022. Ellefson revealed that his contributions, including bass tracks he had recorded for the album, were ultimately excluded. "He didn’t wanna use any of my music [for that record]," Ellefson explained. "I could tell he resented me. He didn’t want me to be on that album. And I finally wrote a song [that was originally going to be included on it]. It was a ballad that I’ve kept, ’cause I had Kiko [Loureiro, then-MEGADETH guitarist] play the guitar on it. And it was a very good song — I think an extremely good song that has a place somewhere. But it didn’t make the record."
The Unfinished Symphony of Collaboration and Exclusion
Ellefson further detailed a specific instance of collaboration that ultimately led to his lyrical contributions being removed from a song that became "Soldier On!" He recounted, "Dave and I even had a really close moment. We were writing the lyrics for the song that became ‘Soldier On!’ He eventually took my lyrics off of it and then used the song without [my lyrical contributions]… He wrote the music — it was his song — but I was invited to write the lyrics for it, which I did. And he decided to call it ‘Soldier On!’ We collaborated from there."
This experience prompted Ellefson to draw a stark comparison with how METALLICA handled Dave Mustaine’s departure from their band in 1983. "I say, well, look, when Dave got fired from METALLICA, at least they kept his words and his music and they paid him and gave him credit," Ellefson stated. "Dave wasn’t so kind to me. He kicked me out, took my performances off the record, and took my lyrics and everything off the record. So I think I have a horse in that race when I speak about how properly METALLICA handled things and how I think improperly things were handled on my behalf. ‘Cause I saw it; I lived it." This comparison highlights a perceived double standard in how professional relationships and creative contributions are treated in the highly competitive music industry, particularly within long-standing bands.
The Farewell and the Fallout
Ellefson indicated that his personal sense of farewell with MEGADETH occurred in 2018, following what he considered his final tour with the band. He expressed satisfaction with his perceived final contribution on the 2016 album "Dystopia," which he believes was "the last great MEGADETH record." He recalled Mustaine’s announcement from the stage in Buenos Aires in November 2017 about beginning work on a new album, which he saw as a natural point of closure. "So I feel like that was kind of a good closure for me with MEGADETH, which is why I’ve moved on and done so much other stuff. I don’t have bitterness in my heart. 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. I really don’t."
This sentiment of moving forward without bitterness is particularly significant given the events that led to his dismissal from MEGADETH nearly five years prior. In May 2021, sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving Ellefson surfaced on Twitter. In the aftermath, Ellefson released a statement denying allegations of "grooming" an underage fan and filed a police report in Scottsdale, Arizona, alleging the unlawful distribution of explicit images. He admitted to exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who allegedly recorded virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent. Ellefson stated that the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual encounter, and he became aware of the video and a defamatory Instagram post on May 9, 2021. By May 14, 2021, MEGADETH informed him of their decision to part ways, with his termination finalized three days later.
Navigating the Digital Storm and Legal Recourse
Ellefson recounted his immediate reaction to the news of his dismissal. "The [MEGADETH camp] called me to fire me. And I told ’em, ‘Guys, there’s nothing here. There’s no reason to let me go. This is all just nonsense on the Internet. It’s all it is. It’s nothing at all. And I will maintain that position all along,’ and I have." He expressed frustration with the ephemeral and often toxic nature of online discourse. "At some point you could just stay going after people on the Internet and trolls and all this kind of shit. It’s endless," David continued. "There is no Internet police, there’s no Internet human resources, where you can go and say, ‘Hey, this guy said this’ and ‘this person said this’, and da, da, da, because you should, because it’s highly defamatory. And defamation is when something harms your reputation, maybe even prevents you from getting more work. Those are real things. And the fact that it can happen on the Internet, which is kind of a fake place. It’s not even real. It’s kind of a fake place, yet that that could somehow come over to your reality. I’m fortunate that the fanbase stood by me. They said, ‘Dude, that is bullshit. How dare you do that to Ellefson?’"
The statement released by Mustaine at the time, suggesting there were "aspects of David’s private life that he has kept to himself," was perceived by Ellefson as a deflectionary tactic. "The statement that was put out, what Dave personally signed, was deflectionary, to kind of keep it away from him," Ellefson remarked. "And I said, ‘There’s nothing to keep away. There’s nothing here.’ I mean, my own legal team even said, ‘Hey, if you wanna open up on the Internet and blast that guy, you have our [blessing]’. And this is a top-level law firm in Phoenix, and they said, ‘We have never seen something so unconscionable’ as a legal word, meaning unconscious — not thinking, with no, basically, human heart. ‘You have our blessing.’"
Ellefson likened his approach to a biblical principle: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." He explained his decision not to engage in further legal battles or public disputes, referencing a past lawsuit. "I said, ‘I could tangle with this guy again, and I could fight with this guy like I did with the lawsuit,’ which I had every right to do of what happened then," Ellefson continued, referring to the $18.5-million lawsuit he filed against Mustaine in 2004 over alleged financial mismanagement and a broken agreement regarding band ownership. "And Dave did not win the lawsuit," Ellefson clarified. "We settled out of court. That was another one. It was just another opportunity to try to kick me. And it’s, like, no, we settled out of court. And I ended up in a far better position than had I not done that, so I’m glad I went through that process, as horrible as it was."
The Lingering Shadow of Exclusion and "Brotherhood"
Mustaine’s comments in a December interview on SiriusXM’s "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk," where he dismissed the possibility of a farewell tour featuring all former members due to the "behavior of one of the bandmembers in the past," drew a strong reaction from Ellefson. "To have it end where it did, and then [for Mustaine] even recently to say, ‘Oh, because of what one person did, I can’t bring anyone back.’ You know what? Fuck off. Just fuck off," Ellefson declared. "Who is that one person? It wasn’t me, ’cause I didn’t do anything that would prevent me from coming back at all. At all. And so this sort of deflectionary thing, to sort of get on some moral high ground, it’s, like, gimme a break. Really?"
He further elaborated on the support he received from other prominent figures in the music industry. "And look, I had rock stars much bigger than Dave coming to my side and coming to my aid, standing by me, saying, ‘Man, just let me know if you need anything at all. That’s really fucked up.’ It’s fucked up about how I was handled being discarded. People saying, ‘I’m really disappointed that they chose business over brotherhood,’ ’cause at the end of the day, the brotherhood will always last beyond the business of owning a rock band — especially something we started and built together."
Ellefson concluded his thoughts on the matter with a powerful analogy: "So, with that said, at one level, again, I could call a lawyer, I could go back into defamation lawsuits, and I have every right to — trust me. But at the same time, there’s two ways to win in tug of war. I either pull you over the line or I just drop the rope and let you fall on your ass. [Laughs] And that’s what I’ve chosen to do — drop the rope. Drop the rock."
Dave Mustaine’s Perspective: A Leader’s Burden
In a 2022 interview with Metal Hammer, Dave Mustaine addressed the difficulty of dismissing Ellefson, acknowledging their long-standing friendship. "I have made mistakes myself and so I know what it feels like to have people gunning for you," Mustaine stated. "But what we had to remember is that MEGADETH has a lot of moving parts to it. There are four bandmembers; you’ve got their families, their management companies, the agencies, all of their technicians and on and on and on."
Mustaine reflected on the broader responsibilities of leadership within a band. "I can tell you I’ve made decisions in the past that were detrimental to the security of the band and I know what harm that caused," he continued. "But I don’t want to be saying anything about anyone who is unable to defend themselves." He described the decision as "a hard decision that had to be made," emphasizing his role as the leader who must "suck it up and face the music."
Mustaine expressed a desire for a clean break, aiming "not to hurt anyone, not to hurt the fans and not to hurt him." He added, "I just wanted to move on, and I hope the gentleman concerned is doing okay. I imagine there was some adjustment that had to take place when it happened." He also drew a parallel to his own experience of being fired from METALLICA, stating, "It was hard for me when I lost my job. But I’ve forgiven him before when he sued me and I’ll forgive him a thousand times. I just won’t play music with him anymore."
Ellefson’s Account of the Dismissal and Legal Ramifications
Ellefson’s perspective on the dismissal process, shared in an October 2021 appearance on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk," highlights a divergence in how the events unfolded. He stated, "I ran toward the bullets and dealt with it right away." Ellefson noted that the MEGADETH camp initially advised against any public statements. However, his legal advisors recommended a defense against what he perceived as false allegations. "Ultimately, that led to my dismissal from MEGADETH. But I have every right, as anyone does, to defend yourself, especially when somebody is making false allegations about you like that." He expressed disappointment in the outcome, particularly the lack of a joint statement as had been initially discussed.
Ellefson clarified his understanding of the term "grooming," stating he was unaware of its meaning and that no illegal activities were involved. "And any allegations of anything being illegal [are false]," he said. "There was nothing. And that’s why I immediately hired a criminal lawyer. I went right to the police department. And just for the record, the bad guy doesn’t go to the police department. Okay? So, just to be clear. The guy who didn’t do anything wrong, he goes to the police department. That’s why I went to the police department and filed a police report and let them deal with it."
He addressed the broader societal context of "cancel culture," asserting his right to self-defense against defamatory claims. Ellefson also discussed his temporary hiatus from social media and interviews as a means of personal and professional recovery. "Look, certainly time heals wounds in these things, which is good," he said. "And that was the thing — I was, like, look, I didn’t do anything wrong; there was nothing illegal here; and you let it go."
Ellefson reiterated that the true illegality lay with the person who leaked the video. "A hundred percent. That’s why I didn’t hire a civil lawyer to sue people for a million bucks. I hired a criminal lawyer, and what they do is prosecute to put people in jail. ‘Cause those were the crimes. You can’t just go do shit like that — put stuff out there, content — and not have a penalty. That is the crime." He expressed concern about a faction of internet users who might engage in such actions without understanding the severe consequences.
David Ellefson was a founding member of MEGADETH in 1983 and remained with the band until 2002, returning in 2010 for a second tenure that concluded with his dismissal in 2021. His recent statements offer a comprehensive, albeit personal, account of the complex dynamics that have shaped his relationship with Dave Mustaine and the enduring legacy of MEGADETH.