David Ellefson recently opened up about the challenging early days of Megadeth. He revealed personal struggles he and bandmate Dave Mustaine faced while building their career. The bassist shared these insights during an interview on The Metal Interview Podcast.
Ellefson reflected on how the music industry has changed since he started in the 1980s. He discussed the financial hardships that shaped his perspective on success.
“I got in under the wire. I got in when there was still an opportunity to have a career, make a living, basically pay for your life so you can keep making more music,” Ellefson said. “For me, that was the goal. It wasn’t just to acquire a bunch of toys and then retire. It was, like, no, this is what you do.”
The musician then revealed the extent of their early struggles. He emphasized his determination to succeed independently.
“And so I’ve tried to be a good steward of the money I’ve made and the things so that I can pay the bills and not have to stress,” he continued. “‘Cause believe me, me and Dave [Mustaine, Megadeth leader], we were homeless in those early years. Man, that was rough. And I never called home for money. I said, like, ‘I’ve gotta make this on my own, man.’ And by doing that, it makes me appreciate.”
Ellefson concluded by explaining how these difficult experiences taught him to value the meaningful aspects of his musical career.
“It’s the old saying, you know the price of everything but the value of nothing,” he said. “And I think by going through what we went through, putting Megadeth together and then starting all these new bands, ’cause you all start from the beginning, you start at the beginning, you appreciate the value of it. And that’s why I think I appreciate the value of camaraderie, the value of when you have real musical companionship with people, and the value of when you put something out and it connects with people and you feel that it’s connecting, that you really feel like we’re building a community here with what we’re doing.”
These early hardships ultimately helped forge one of metal’s most enduring partnerships and successful bands.
Wikipedia reported that Ellefson co-founded Megadeth with Dave Mustaine in 1983. He remained a core member for nearly four decades until 2021. His dedication and musical contributions helped shape the band into a powerhouse of thrash metal. His bass work became integral to Megadeth’s distinctive sound.
The struggles Ellefson described paid off significantly over the years. Wikipedia noted that Megadeth has earned 10 Grammy nominations and achieved multiple gold and platinum records worldwide. The band established themselves as one of the “Big Four” thrash metal bands alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax.
Beyond his work with Megadeth, his official biography revealed that Ellefson has been involved in several side projects. These include Temple of Brutality, F5, Killing Machine, and the supergroup Metal Allegiance. This showcases his versatility beyond thrash metal.
Metal Hall of Fame documented that Ellefson also holds a Bachelor’s degree in business marketing. He frequently lectures on music and business topics. This demonstrates his broader engagement with the music industry beyond performing. This business acumen likely contributed to his ability to be a “good steward” of his earnings, as he mentioned in the interview.
