During a recent appearance on the “Real Music With Gary Stuckey” podcast, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about the band’s secret to longevity.
“I think there’s a couple of things. One, I think [fans] look to Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH guitarist/vocalist] as their hero, their leader. And Dave‘s a fighter, and he’s a survivor. I mean, look — he’s gone through being fired [from METALLICA], kicked out, kicked down. He just went through cancer. The guy, he’s a tireless warrior, and I think that’s a big part of the MEGADETH story. And that’s worldwide; that’s global.
“And then, behind that, of course, there’s this brotherhood between me and him that, as much as Dave‘s the fighter — Dave‘s the fighting one, and I’m the friendly one,” Ellefson continued. “So there’s a chemistry there that people like. They’re, like, ‘Okay, as long as Ellefson‘s in the room, we feel safe.’ So there’s a dynamic that works. And I think, look, musically, the material’s always been exceptionally well done, well played.
“These songs have stood the test of time, so they fall in the ‘timeless’ category. And there’s been a consistency; the MEGADETH style has been very consistent over the years. And I think those are kind of the four components — four or five components — that make it work.”
MEGADETH‘s rescheduled “Metal Tour of the Year” with LAMB OF GOD, plus special guests TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES should hopefully kick off later this year. Tickets and dates for the tour can be find here.
