Former Megadeth Bassist Answers Dave Mustaine’s Comments

Tensions between former bandmates in Megadeth have resurfaced after ex-bassist David Ellefson publicly responded to remarks made by the group’s leader, Dave Mustaine, regarding the band’s decision not to invite former members back for its farewell tour. The exchange highlights lingering fractures in one of thrash metal’s most influential partnerships.

A Comment That Reignited Old Tensions

During a December interview, Mustaine explained that Megadeth would not be reuniting with former members for the band’s ongoing farewell run. According to the guitarist, the decision stemmed from “the behaviour of one of the band members in the past.”

While Mustaine did not identify anyone directly, many fans assumed he was referring to Ellefson, who was dismissed from the band in 2022 after explicit footage from an online video call with a fan was leaked. At the time, speculation circulated online that the person involved might have been underage, though those claims were later denied by both Ellefson and the fan herself.

Now speaking with Quemar Un Patrullero, Ellefson has addressed the implication head-on—and he did not hold back.

“To have it end where it did, and then [for Mustaine] even recently to say, ‘Oh, because of what one person did, I can’t bring anyone back.’ You know what? Fuck off. Just fuck off,” Ellefson said. “Who is that one person? It wasn’t me, ’cause I didn’t do anything that would prevent me from coming back at all. At all.”

“Business Over Brotherhood”

Ellefson also criticized what he sees as a narrative that paints him as the sole reason former members won’t appear on the farewell tour. In his view, the suggestion allows Mustaine to take a moral high ground while avoiding the more complicated realities behind the band’s long history of lineup changes.

“And so this sort of deflectionary thing, to sort of get on some moral high ground, it’s like, gimme a break. Really?” he said.

The bassist revealed that several prominent figures in the rock world reached out to support him after the controversy surrounding his dismissal. According to Ellefson, some of those musicians expressed disappointment with how the situation was handled.

“And look, I had rock stars much bigger than Dave coming to my side and coming to my aid, standing by me, saying, ‘Man, just let me know if you need anything at all. That’s really fucked up,’” he explained. “It’s fucked up about how I was handled being discarded. People saying, ‘I’m really disappointed that they chose business over brotherhood,’ ’cause at the end of the day, the brotherhood will always last beyond the business of owning a rock band – especially something we started and built together.”

Moving Forward as Megadeth Closes Its Chapter

Despite his frustration, Ellefson insists he has no intention of pursuing legal action over Mustaine’s comments, even though he says he could. Instead, he prefers to let the matter fade rather than prolong the conflict.

“There’s two ways to win in tug of war,” he said. “I either pull you over the line or I just drop the rope and let you fall on your ass. [Laughs] And that’s what I’ve chosen to do – drop the rope.”

Before his departure, Ellefson had already recorded bass parts for Megadeth’s 2022 album, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!. Following his exit, those parts were removed and re-recorded by Steve Di Giorgio, while James LoMenzo stepped in as the band’s touring and recording bassist.

Megadeth has since entered what Mustaine describes as its final era. The band launched its farewell tour after releasing its last album earlier this year, with dates spanning Canada, South America, Europe, and North America, including a run supporting Iron Maiden. Mustaine has cited both a desire to end the band on a strong note and his struggle with Dupuytren’s contracture as reasons behind the decision.

Meanwhile, Ellefson has continued building a post-Megadeth career through several projects, including The Lucid, Dieth, and Kings Of Thrash alongside former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young.

As Megadeth approaches the end of its decades-long run, the renewed exchange between Mustaine and Ellefson serves as a reminder that even the most iconic partnerships in heavy metal can end on complicated terms. Yet the legacy the two musicians built together—one that helped define thrash metal for generations—remains far bigger than any final disagreement.