In a new interview with Metal Hammer magazine, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson revealed the details of the sex scandal that led to his recent departure from the group.
He said: “There’s two sides to it. One: when you bare it all, you’ve got nothing to hide. F**k it, now you can truly be yourself. We all come into the world with our birthday suit on, so what are we ashamed of? What I feel the worst about is the embarrassment that it caused some people, like my family, who didn’t deserve it. Out of respect for them, I’m going to keep the family dynamic off the table [during interviews]. That’s at their request.”
As for how MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine reacted to the news, Ellefson said: “Dave, his manager and his lawyer [called me after the scandal]. There was a sentiment from one of them saying, ‘Let’s step back, let Ellefson deal with it. It leaves the door open for him to come back.’ Dave didn’t want that. He made his decision and it is what it is.”
Ellefson previously said on Loaded Radio podcast that we would be willing to rejoin MEGADETH if they approached him in the future.
“Well, look, I’m not the one who closed the door. [Laughs] You know what I mean,” he said. “Dave‘s always gonna be my brother, man. And it’s funny, when I think about Dave — I’m just walking around the house, I’m thinking about some moment in our friendship and our history together — they’re usually fond memories.
“And look, brothers fight, brothers hug and make up, and that’s the journey. As a musical gig, it’s, like, oh, well, set that off. That’s off the palette now. Clearly I’ve moved on with other things that you can see I really enjoy. So… whatever.
“I’ve talked to other friends of mine about this who have had bands, and they’re in other bands where members have come and gone and whatever, and especially when you’re a principal, key member and a founding member and all these different things, you have a deferent kinship to your fans,” Ellefson continued. “I always say this: when you make a record, you’re making it for you. But when you put that record out, that record is for your audience. And at that point, it now becomes bigger than you; it becomes bigger than the four or five or three of you, whatever are in the band — it’s bigger than you now. And those songs are gonna outlive us. And everything about that legacy and the stories we just talked about here are now in infamy; they’re gonna last forever.
“So, for me, you’re part of a family. And look, should there ever be a family reunion? Hey, of course, I’ll always take the call,” Ellefson added. “But with that said, I’m not sitting around waiting for a MEGADETH reunion. Let’s just put it that way. I’m very forward focused right now and I’m very laser focused on what’s ahead.”
Ellefson was fired from the group in May 2021 after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the 57-year-old musician leaked.
