MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE: DAVID ELLEFSON 'Has Really Become A Rock For Us'

Guitar World magazine recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine (guitar, vocals) and Chris Broderick (guitar). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Guitar World: How did you approach dividing up the guitar work leads and rhythms?

Mustaine: It's a real simple formula we have. If the rhythm's easy, I'll solo over it; and if the rhythm is hard, Chris will solo over it. There are two reasons for that: I'm a better rhythm player than he is, so I can handle the more difficult rhythms, but the flipside of that is he's a better soloist than I am. So the more difficult the rhythm, the harder it will be to play a solo on top of it. But then the simpler rhythms are something he can easily handle, and I can solo over those because my lead skills are a little more limited. I mean, I can play what I know how to do pretty well, but I'm not as exotic as Chris. So I play over the simpler stuff. And it's easier for him, because his rhythm skills aren't as good as mine.

Broderick: But our approach is really based on what the song needs. Where there's a lot of area for solos, there's usually a trading back and forth, which I really like. It adds diversity, and it's this kind of cool musical dance.

Guitar World: This is the first MEGADETH album since Dave Ellefson rejoined early last year. What has that been like?

Broderick: It's awesome. He's such a professional. He came in, laid down his bass lines and just nailed it. To talk about what he's done for the CD is to talk about the way he is in every other aspect. He's always on it. Very accurate, very meticulous player. He's got great tone, and he's just easy to work with. It's great to work with another iconic musician.

Mustaine: The amazing thing about Dave Ellefson is that he's a better bass player now than when we parted. I don't know if he spent the last eight years woodshedding while we were apart, but when he started playing again it was great on a lot of different levels, because he was my bassist. James MacDonough and James Lomenzo are good bass players, a good fit with the band, and we had a wonderful time together. But Dave, he's my bassist. It's like peanut butter and jelly. You just expect the two Daves to be together. Dave has been through a lot of personal changes in his life, and he's really become a rock for us. Things have progressed so rapidly with our getting back our stature and status and everything that goes with that. Had Dave not been there to help me take it all in, I don't know if I would have been able to put it in perspective and have a good run. Usually in the past, something would come up. Somebody would crash or somebody would burn. But here we are.

Guitar World: That said, what are your long-range plans for MEGADETH? Where do you see yourselves going from here? Any thoughts of retirement?

Mustaine: I know I've alluded to stopping at some point, but then it's always gotten real good and discouraged me from wanting to hang my harps up. But I'll tell you right now, if this lineup changes, I don't want to break anybody else in. I love Chris, Shawn and Dave. I just don't think I could do it again. And I can honestly tell you I don't want to do it again. I want this to be my band and stay this way.

Read the entire interview from Guitar World magazine.