Six months after he was unceremoniously removed from Megadeth due to a video-sex scandal that ousted the married and ordained rockers’ questionable relationship with a far younger woman, ex-bassist Dave Ellefson has spoken about his departure.
Appearing on The Cassius Morris Show Eleffson was asked about his relationship in particular with enigmatic frontman Dave Mustaine, with whom Ellefson has been at odds with in the past, only to return to the ‘Deth fold later (the definitive, chaotic guide of past Megadeth lineups can be found here).
“Look, relationships are never really fully done,” he explained.
“Especially one where you’ve had sort of a brotherhood and a professional [relationship] and friendship and all these other things.
“If you’re in a band, it’s not like, ‘Dude, it’s just business.’ You’re creative, you’re friendly, there’s business — all those things are intertwined; it’s all part of that.”
While Ellefson’s comments no doubt hint that the door may be open for a friendship between to two, Mustaine recently revealed that there was “no chance” that Ellefson would be returning to the fold.
“I wish everybody the best,” Ellefson continued.
“I think that’s one of the ways to sort of bless it — you give it your best and you give it your best energy and not harbor grudges on anything. Instead of being sad that it’s over, be glad that it ever even happened.
“We got to live a dream. We got to do something most people will never get to do, and we got to do it. So, if this is the sort of exit from that, or a timeout from it, whatever it is, let it be what it is.”
In the wake of the scandal earlier this year, Ellefson filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders.
In the report, Ellefson admitted to exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured videos of their virtual “masturbating encounters” and shared them with friends without his consent.
Former ‘Deth bassist James LoMenzo has been revealed as Ellefsons’ replacement, with Ellefsons’ parts for the forthcoming record The Sick, The Dying…and the Dead! re-recorded, truly scrubbing him from the process. Listen to the full Ellefson interview below.
