Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson recently shared his perspective on Metallica’s early lineup, expressing his preference for original bassist Ron McGovney over the widely celebrated Cliff Burton. He made these comments on the David Ellefson Show.
Ellefson explained his connection to Metallica’s earliest recordings and why McGovney’s playing resonated more with him personally.
“I like ‘No Life ‘Til Leather’, and that’s Ron McGovney. Ron McGovney was more ‘my Metallica bass player,’ y’know? And it’s not anything against Cliff, because by the time I saw Metallica, Cliff was in the band. But by the time I saw Metallica, Kirk Hammett was in the band,” Ellefson said.
He described his first encounter with Metallica’s music and its impact on him as a musician.
“The very first thing I ever heard was [in] Dave’s apartment, upstairs from me, playing [Metallica’s] ‘No Life ‘Til Leather’ demo one day. And it kind of scared me. It was super heavy, it was kind of violent, it was fun, it was next level. It was something I’d never fucking heard anything like that before. As an Iron Maiden fan, Scorpions fan, fan of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, I had never heard anything like ‘No Life ‘Til Leather’. I mean that was just, the next level,” he continued.
Ellefson also noted specific differences he observed when Cliff Burton joined the band.
“By the time I heard ‘Kill ‘Em All’ a couple months later, I very clearly heard where Cliff…first of all, they slowed the tempos down. So things like ‘Mechanix’ on ‘No Life ‘Til Leather,’ I like the bassline that Ron McGovney plays in it. I play Ron’s line in ‘Mechanix’ with Megadeth,” he explained.
“I recorded my own version of it, but in my mind I was going to Ron McGovney. Because to me, it was a cover song. It was Dave’s song, but in my mind we were kind of covering the ‘No Life ‘Til Leather’ version of it,” Ellefson added.
Ellefson’s comments highlight the often-overlooked contributions of McGovney to Metallica’s foundational sound. This was particularly evident during the band’s formative period when they were developing their signature thrash metal style.
Wikipedia documented that Ron McGovney played bass on Metallica’s crucial 1982 “No Life ‘Til Leather” demo. The demo was recorded at Chateau East Studio on July 6, 1982. McGovney was originally recruited somewhat reluctantly and was more interested in band management and photography than the musician role. He departed the band shortly after due to personal and musical differences as the band evolved and sought a different direction.
When Cliff Burton replaced McGovney, he brought a distinctly different approach to the bass guitar that would help define Metallica’s early albums. Burton was known for adding innovative bass techniques to Metallica’s sound. He notably showcased his skills on the instrumental track “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)” from their debut album ‘Kill ‘Em All’. This track demonstrated Burton’s pioneering use of effects and techniques like distortion and wah pedals, emphasizing the bass as a lead instrument. His approach helped shape Metallica’s early thrash metal sound.
This historical context explains why Ellefson feels such a strong connection to McGovney’s bass work on the original “No Life ‘Til Leather” demo. His close collaboration with Mustaine in Megadeth involved playing on “Mechanix.” This created a direct link to the early Metallica material that evolved distinctly in both bands. Ellefson’s preference for McGovney’s playing style reflects not just musical taste, but also his personal connection to that specific era of heavy metal history when both Metallica and Megadeth were taking shape.
