Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson recently shed light on Dave Mustaine’s frustration with playing before Slayer during their touring history. He shared insights from their experiences on The David Ellefson Show podcast.
Ellefson discussed the dynamics of the 2010 tour featuring three thrash metal giants. He explained Mustaine’s long-standing issue with the band order.
“That [2010] tour, technically it was kind of a ‘Clash Of The Titans’ — it was Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeth,” Ellefson said. “It didn’t have a rotating lineup. It was just that lineup the whole tour. But we couldn’t use the name ‘Clash Of The Titans’. Apparently they had done another [action fantasy] movie [using that title] since 1991, and so we couldn’t get the name. So Jägermeister was the sponsor, so it just became the Jägermeister tour featuring Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax.”
He then addressed Mustaine’s persistent frustration with the band order that dated back to the mid-1980s.
“I remember that was always such a thing,” he continued. “Dave [Mustaine] hated playing before Slayer. We’ve always played before Slayer, even when we went out and did L’Amour and City Gardens in Trenton back in 1985. And just because Slayer was a band before we were, they kind of naturally would be given that closing slot.”
Despite Mustaine’s frustration, Ellefson revealed he actually preferred their middle position on the bill.
“But I tell you what, even though [we] were always co-headliners with Slayer, I felt like… that middle slot is always the best slot, because, to me, I feel like, look, Anthrax fans are gonna stay, especially if they’re Slayer fans,” he explained. “All the Megadeth fans, of course, are gonna stay. The Slayer fans have to stay ’cause they’re waiting to see Slayer. So it’s like, we got everybody.”
“It was the creamy center, because after we played, sometimes the venue — it didn’t clear out ’cause it’s Slayer playing, but if you’re a Megadeth [or] Anthrax fan and you’re not a Slayer fan, you might not stay,” he concluded. “So, to me, being in that middle slot was always the best position.”
The 2010 tour that Ellefson referenced was part of a larger thrash metal movement. It showcased the enduring power of these legendary bands and their complex touring dynamics.
Setlist.fm documented that Megadeth consistently delivered powerful performances during the 2010 tour. The band featured fan-favorite tracks such as “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due,” “Hangar 18,” and “Tornado of Souls.” These setlists demonstrate how the band maximized their middle slot position with carefully curated performances that showcased their technical prowess and songwriting abilities.
The tour structure that frustrated Mustaine was actually part of the larger American Carnage Tour framework. Wikipedia reported that this tour featured not only Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax but also Testament on some dates. It created a thrash metal super-tour that was significant for fans of the genre. The billing order remained consistent throughout most dates. Slayer maintained their headlining position based on their earlier formation and established touring hierarchy.
Meanwhile, Slayer’s closing performances lived up to their reputation for intensity. Setlist.fm showed that the band closed shows with powerful performances that included songs from their “World Painted Blood” album. They maintained the high-energy climax that made following them such a challenge for other bands. This consistent delivery of intense closing sets reinforced why venues and promoters typically placed them in the headlining slot.
The competitive dynamics between these thrash metal giants reflected broader industry practices. Band formation dates, commercial success, and touring history all influenced billing decisions. Despite Mustaine’s frustration with the arrangement, the tour’s success demonstrated that each band brought their own strengths to different positions on the bill. This created a comprehensive thrash metal experience for audiences.
