David Ellefson has expressed his willingness to rejoin Megadeth for a potential farewell tour, but only under specific circumstances. This statement came from a recent interview on Today’s Boondoggle Podcast.
The former Megadeth bassist addressed whether he would return if Dave Mustaine personally invited him to participate in the band’s final tour.
“Yeah, of course I would. I mean, I didn’t ever think I should not be there now. You know what I mean?” Ellefson said.
He acknowledged that there would be issues to resolve before any reunion could happen.
“So, now with that said, look, there’s some shit we’d have to kind of hash through, but look, it was like the last time [in 2010 when I rejoined Megadeth],” he continued. “[Prior to that] we didn’t talk for — I don’t know — four or five years, three or four years, and then [Megadeth’s drummer at the time] Shawn Drover gets us both on the phone.”
Ellefson recalled how quickly the musical chemistry returned during his previous reunion with the band.
“It was, like, a two-minute conversation. I throw a bass in my car, I drive across the desert to San Diego, we plug in, play ‘Symphony Of Destruction’. It was like we just played yesterday. It sounded amazing. It immediately sounds like Megadeth,” he explained. “And it was kind of like we just looked at each other and it was, like, ‘Why did we not talk for the last five years?’ You know what I mean? It’s so silly.”
The bassist’s comments suggest that despite past differences, the musical connection between him and Mustaine remains strong.
Ellefson’s potential return comes at a significant moment in Megadeth’s history. The band prepares for what could be their final chapter.
Loudwire reported that Megadeth recently announced plans for a final album and a global farewell tour set for 2026. The band’s mascot, Vic Rattlehead, revealed the news, emphasizing that this would mark the end of an era for the group after over four decades of metal music.
Megadeth’s official website confirmed that the final album will be released via Mustaine’s Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s new BLKIIBLK label. A first single and pre-orders are expected this fall. This strategic partnership represents a new chapter in how the band will deliver their concluding musical statement to fans worldwide.
Dave Mustaine reflected on the band’s career and the significance of the farewell in a statement that underscores the weight of this decision. “There’s so many musicians that have come to the end of their career… Most of them don’t get to go out on their own terms on top, and that’s where I’m at in my life right now… We have done something together that’s truly wonderful and will probably never happen again,” he said.
These developments frame Ellefson’s conditional readiness to return as part of a historic closing chapter for Megadeth. The timing of his comments suggests that the possibility of a reunion for the farewell tour remains open, provided both parties can resolve their differences and Mustaine extends the invitation.
