MEGADETH Bassist Says New Album Really Takes Him Back To Origins Of Band's Sound

February 3, 2013

Eric Blair of "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" conducted an interview with MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, a massive music-products convention that took place January 24-27 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. You can now watch the chat below.

On the recording sessions for MEGADETH's new studio album:

Ellefson: "It's really coming well. In fact, right before I cam here, I was just down [in the studio] playing some bass. We have ten tracks done as of now, at least the bass and drum tracks, and you can really hear the songs coming together now at this point. And boy, there's some great stuff. I mean, it really takes me back to some of the real origins of the MEGADETH sound from back in the very beginning, which I'm thrilled about."

"It's too early to [talk about individual songs], unfortunately, But all I can say is there's a pretty wide range [of music], as I think our best MEGADETH records have — we've got a very wide span of our musical history. But we are our best when we just get in a room and just start crushing and throwing it down, and that's where we're at right now. 'Cause when you go in the studio, you go, 'I've got this idea,' 'I've got this idea,' you kind of throw them out, and sometimes it's a process of elimination. And all of sudden, you find in the middle there's the heart and soul of it. And that's really where we're at right now. And I tell you, these last few days I've been playing bass on it, and it's a workout and it's just freakin' ripping. I hope my passion tells you the story. Yeah, I am excited; it's great."

On how MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine being a born-again Christian has changed MEGADETH's life on the road:

Ellefson: "I think it's been great. I mean, look, our story is out there. We've been a very open book about our lives, about the history of the band. I think it's the thing our fans appreciate about us — whether you like it or not, we speak it. And so to be open about that with our lives, 'cause our personal lives really are our professional lives by and large. Because being in MEGADETH, it's who we are — it's not just a band, it's who we are as people. For Dave, obviously, that was a great conversion for him and a great thing for his life. And I've done kind of a similar thing myself years ago. By the time I was 25, the drugs and the booze kicked me, and I was done. But the funny thing is that was right before we recorded 'Rust In Peace', and then from then on, I've had the best years of my bass-playing career and certainly of the MEGADETH career. So, for me, keeping my nose clean — for the real desire and not because I have to and not white-knuckling it, 'cause I have a real desire to… I'm a bass player first and foremost and a bandmember, and there's a lot of things that come along with that. My craft, being a bass player in MEGADETH, has been its best when I've kept my nose clean."

On whether the lifestyle of hard partying and excessive drug use gets old after a while:

Ellefson: "I couldn't even imagine, having done this now — 30 years of MEGADETH this year, actually, so to think back, at this point, to have lived a life like I used to back in the day, I don't know that we'd still be here having this conversation. So, for me, really, I had to really get back to just the real passion of why I even am here doing any of this, which is, I just love being a bass player in a killer metal band — that was my goal from age 11. When I picked the thing up, that's what I wanted to do. And I guess maybe if there's any inspiration from that, when you lock on to something you really like, man, just go for it — whether you're playing bass or whatever line of work it is — just really go for it and give it your all. I never had a back-up plan, and that seemed to work out pretty good."

On whether being sober has allowed him to connect with the MEGADETH audience better:

Ellefson: "Oh, sure, without a doubt. I mean, to actually look people in the eyes and see the whites of their eyes and see that front-row passion. Obviously, in the back of the arena, it's kind of the abyss and you don't have that personal contact. But, yeah, to be present and be in the moment. The fans pay a lot of money for a ticket, it's a special moment in their lives to be there to see us perform, so the least I can do is be present for them."

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).