Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson recently spoke about his frustrations during his final years with the band.
Ellefson revealed that his attempts to bring deeper cuts back into Megadeth’s setlist went unheard. He says that sentiment played a key role in his decision to launch Kings of Thrash with Jeff Young.
“My last years in Megadeth, I tried really hard to add these songs into the setlist, just some deep cuts [and] things that hadn’t been heard in a long time…but it just never happened, you know?” Ellefson said.
The bassist also reflected on his ongoing connection to the rock and metal community, emphasizing that his roots as a fan have never left him.
“I’ve been pretty in touch with the fanbase because I go to shows, I try to stay part of the scene, not just sort of be too far above it,” he continued. “I started as a fan. Music called to me and it became a vocation for me. But I always like to still remain a fan of it.”
Kings of Thrash was born out of a reunion that few saw coming. Ellefson and Jeff Young first reconnected in April 2022 at Ultimate Jam Night at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood. That impromptu moment quickly evolved into a full-fledged band built around early Megadeth material and rarely played songs.
The project is centered on the era that defined thrash metal — specifically the albums Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! and Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? It gives both Ellefson and Young the freedom to dig into a catalog that had long been sidelined on Megadeth’s main stage tours.
Ellefson has made no secret of how he views the current state of Megadeth without him. He has described the band as “Dave Mustaine’s solo band” in his absence, while pointing to the original Ellefson-Mustaine lineup of the 1980s and 1990s as the group’s definitive formation. These comments underscore a broader tension that has defined his public statements in recent months.
Young has been equally candid about his relationship with Megadeth’s ongoing farewell run. When asked whether he would consider rejoining the band for its final tour, he said he was neutral on the idea and would only entertain it for the sake of the fans. He noted that Kings of Thrash already performs the Megadeth classics that matter most to him.
Together, Ellefson and Young have positioned Kings of Thrash not as a tribute act, but as a legitimate vehicle for the music they helped create. The band operates on their own terms, with a setlist that reflects the full depth of a catalog they feel has never been properly celebrated on the main stage.
Source: Loudwire
