Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has revealed details about his departure from the band. He cited a disagreement with Dave Mustaine over re-recording Metallica material as the beginning of their conflict. Ellefson shared these insights during an appearance on The David Ellefson Show.
The bassist explained how tensions began in 2018 when Mustaine proposed re-recording Metallica’s early demo material.
“There was clashes all the way down, and for me, it started in 2018 when Dave came in to — we started a tour in Oslo, and he came in and he said he wanted to re-record [Metallica’s] ‘No Life ‘Til Leather’ demo [which Mustaine played on when he was briefly a member of Metallica],” Ellefson said.
Ellefson described his reaction to the proposal and how it affected their working relationship.
“I’m, like, ‘Are you kidding me? This is where we’re at? After all this time? We’re supposed to be writing a new album and new songs. And I was just, like, ‘I am not down with that,'” he continued. “As fun as it would be to play those songs, ’cause that’s one of my favorite Metallica recordings, I was just, like, ‘Yeah, I ain’t down with that.’ I’m sorry. I couldn’t kiss the ring for that one. I was, like, ‘I’m out.’ And so I think our problem started then.”
The bassist reflected on how this disagreement ultimately led to his exit from Megadeth.
“So as we went into the record, he knew I wasn’t willing to just fucking say, ‘Yes, Dave,’ and go along with shit. So eventually I’m out of the band. So it goes. Bands are what bands are, and it is what it is,” Ellefson concluded.
Ellefson’s revelation sheds new light on the creative tensions within Megadeth. The circumstances surrounding his actual departure from the band were more complex than this initial disagreement suggests.
Metal Injection reported that Ellefson’s official exit was announced in May 2021 following a scandal involving leaked private videos and sexual allegations. Police documents revealed that he was informed of his dismissal ten days prior to the public announcement. He was actually fired just four days after the controversy surfaced.
The proposed re-recording project that sparked the initial conflict holds particular significance given Mustaine’s history with Metallica. Megadeth’s official timeline documented that Mustaine was an original guitarist for Metallica and contributed to the “No Life ‘Til Leather” demo before being replaced by Kirk Hammett. This demo is considered a key piece of Metallica’s early thrash legacy. This makes Mustaine’s desire to revisit this material both personally and professionally meaningful.
The tension between the two musicians extended beyond creative differences. Metal Edge Magazine previously featured Ellefson describing being in Megadeth as “sort of like being in musical jail.” This indicated that their working relationship had been strained for years before the 2018 incident.
These revelations demonstrate how the Metallica demo dispute served as a catalyst for deeper issues within Megadeth. It ultimately contributed to the end of Ellefson’s decades-long tenure with the band.
