During a recent conversation with Brazil’s Heavy Talk, ex-MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked whether he had discussed a possible resolution with the band’s frontman, Dave Mustaine, prior to his dismissal from the band in May 2021. This occurred only a few days following the release of sexually suggestive texts and graphic video content featuring the bassist on Twitter.
He responded (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “I got one call: ‘You’re fired.’ [Laughs] And I said, ‘What the f**k, man?’ I said, ‘Some sh*tty f**king people just dropped a bomb on my house. And that’s it? It’s not even true. It’s f**king bulls**t. And this is how you treat me?’ It was non-negotiable. I mean, I asked. I said, ‘I’m gonna take care of it. Let me just deal with it. And it will f**king be done. We’ll be ready to go on the road in two months, and everything will be fine.’ And it was.
“Because it was just false allegations and bulls**t. But [Dave] didn’t wanna know about it. I think he was getting pressure from some other people around him. And it’s too bad it went that way. Because it was really nothing. I took care of it. And then once the word came out that I was fired, then it turned into this big f**king thing, which, quite honestly, was very damaging and very hurtful and not fair. I’m glad I don’t have that f**king amends on my shoulder, because that was f**ked up.
“Look, I have no choice but to have to forgive it so I can move on. I really don’t. So I don’t know what more to say about it other than that. Look, at some point… The damage was done. So you move on. We’re all human, and it is what it is. You can’t lament it. I’ve watched how he’s treated his dismissal from METALLICA, still bitching about it 40 years later, and I think it looks f**king pathetic. And it’s, like, ‘You know what? Fix you s**t and move on.’ And that’s how I’ve chosen to deal with it: fix your s**t and move on. And that’s why I put out four records in the time the last f**king MEGADETH record came out, and I think every one of ’em are as good or better than the latest MEGADETH record.
“I think the quality… And part of it is I’m working with great people,” he added. “Whether they’re famous or not doesn’t matter. I’m working with good people. They’re safe, they’re reliable, they’re truly men of integrity, and I think that really makes a big difference. I feel safe around them. And the creative process is fun. It’s not restrictive. It’s unlimited. And so this creative explosion has happened. And again, listen, I’m not trying to be in 85 bands — believe me, I’m not. But it’s interesting that there was this sort of post-MEGADETH season here where all these records came out. And rather than try to limit them and restrict them, I’m, like, ‘F**k it. Put ’em out. Let’s go.’ In a lot of ways, it’s turned out okay. It’s been fine. And I’m okay. People ask, and I’m, like, ‘I’m okay.’ It was kind of a weird ending.”
