Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson recently stated that the current version of Megadeth is “not his band anymore” and discussed whether he would watch them perform at an upcoming festival, sharing his thoughts in an interview with 101 WRIF.
Ellefson, who is currently playing with Metal Church, explained if he will stick around to watch Megadeth play when the two bands share the main stage, approximately five hours apart, on Thursday, September 17 at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky.
“Look, to me, I don’t care anymore,” Ellefson said. “I haven’t been in Megadeth now in five years. I’ve done so much more. My musical palette is wide, it’s full. I’ve got a whole new friend group and buddy group and I’m in a new tribe. And that doesn’t negate the music and all that. Obviously, look, I was just out for two weeks with [the] Kings Of Thrash [project] playing [early Megadeth] songs probably that Megadeth won’t be playing when I see them next week.”
He then addressed whether he would watch Megadeth’s set at the Louder Than Life festival.
“Will I stay around and see [Megadeth at Louder Than Life]?” he continued. “Who cares? I don’t mind. Whatever. It’s not my band anymore. That group, as it sits now, is not my Megadeth. So, to me, it’s Dave’s [Mustaine, Megadeth leader] band, and he’s doing his thing. And like I always said five years ago, I wish you well.”
Ellefson also reflected on his history and contributions to the band.
“I’m grateful for my time there,” he added. “The band wouldn’t have happened without me. I’m a founder of it. I helped start it, me and my friend [early Megadeth guitarist] Greg [Handevidt].”
Ellefson’s comments come more than five years after Megadeth ended its working relationship with him. The band announced in May 2021 that it was officially parting ways with the bassist after sexually explicit videos and related online allegations surfaced.
The 2021 departure marked the end of Ellefson’s second period with Megadeth. He originally played with the band from 1983 until its breakup in 2002 before rejoining in 2010 and remaining in the lineup until 2021.
Following his dismissal, Ellefson continued developing projects outside Megadeth. He has highlighted his decision to focus on new musical directions rather than remain tied to the band’s later work.
One of those directions has been Kings Of Thrash, the project Ellefson formed with former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young. The group has allowed Ellefson to revisit material from Megadeth’s early era, which he referenced while discussing the songs Megadeth may not perform during its upcoming festival appearance.
His current activities reflect the broader career shift he described in the interview. In addition to Kings Of Thrash and his work with Metal Church, Ellefson has pursued other projects since leaving Megadeth, including the band The Lucid, reinforcing his view that his musical identity has expanded beyond his former group.
