David Ellefson: “The Friendship Was Over in 2018. I Just Didn’t Know It Yet.”
Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson is finally telling his side of the story — and he’s not pulling punches.
In a candid conversation on The Candid Mic With Fran Strine podcast, Ellefson reflected on his second stint with Megadeth, which began in 2010 during the 20th anniversary tour for Rust in Peace and ended in 2021, after explicit video footage and online messages surfaced that led to his dismissal.
While the reunion started optimistically, with Ellefson content to return as a sideman rather than a co-owner, things gradually soured. “It went well,” Ellefson said. “We got another 10 years, 11 years out of it, won a Grammy. But it was no longer a group. It was the Dave show.”
“It Was a Long Time in the Making”
Ellefson admitted that his relationship with Mustaine began deteriorating in 2018, especially over creative tensions regarding the long-delayed follow-up album to 2016’s Dystopia. “Every time I would try to write and put something on it, it would get taken off. And it seemed very personal,” he said.
Despite his frustrations, Ellefson said he didn’t burn bridges. “I don’t slam doors. You just move on.” He has not spoken to Mustaine since his May 2021 firing, and has no interest in doing so: “After that? No, I don’t need to be your friend. I’ll move on.”
“You’re Mad in the Moment. Just Move On.”
Ellefson was Megadeth’s co-founding bassist in 1983, left in 2002, and sued Mustaine in 2004 over royalty disputes. That lawsuit was settled, and Ellefson rejoined the band in 2010 — but this time only as a salaried musician, a role he eventually grew comfortable with.
“Being a sideman absolves you from being involved in all the other stuff,” he said. “At this point in my life, I’d rather leave that stuff on the sidelines.”
Still, Ellefson maintains pride in Megadeth’s legacy and his role in shaping it. “Why oppose what I’ve done? That’s like shitting on my own work. Hold that up in high regard… then move on.”
“Busier — and Lighter — Than Ever”
Now fully focused on his own projects — including bands like Dieth, Kings of Thrash, and The Lucid — Ellefson says he’s feeling liberated.
“I wake up and every day is a day, like, ‘All right. What are we gonna do today?’” he shared. And with multiple collaborations in full swing, including his work in Metal Allegiance, Ellefson says he has no regrets.
“I didn’t see coming back in 2010, and suddenly there it was,” he said. “It was glorious… but that chapter’s closed.”
