David Ellefson, former bassist of Megadeth, recently spoke about his departure from the band and compared himself to Megadeth’s frontman, Dave Mustaine, and his exit from Metallica. Ellefson called Mustaine’s continued fixation on his dismissal from Metallica “pathetic” and stated that he has handled his own dismissal more maturely than Mustaine did.
In a recent interview with Brazil’s Heavy Talk, Ellefson revealed that he was not given notice or an explanation for his dismissal from Megadeth. He wasn’t allowed to explain himself to the band either, as they wouldn’t hear it. He explained that he told the band that the allegations against him were false and that he would take care of it, but he wasn’t given a chance. Despite the unfairness of the situation, Ellefson said that the band didn’t have his back, and he had no choice but to move on.
Ellefson then compared himself to Mustaine, who was famously kicked out of Metallica in 1983 due to his drug abuse issues. Mustaine has been vocal about his dismissal from Metallica for over 40 years, and according to Ellefson, he believes that it is time for Mustaine to “fix his sh*t and move on.” Ellefson emphasized that he had to forgive the situation to move on and not linger on it.
Ellefson’s departure from Megadeth came after allegations of sexual misconduct with an underage fan, which he denied. He also claimed that explicit videos were released without the other party’s consent. However, on May 24, 2021, Mustaine announced on behalf of Megadeth that they had parted ways with Ellefson.
It’s difficult to compare the situations of Ellefson and Mustaine, as they are different. Mustaine was dismissed from Metallica due to his drug abuse issues, while Ellefson was accused of sexual misconduct. However, both of them were fired abruptly, and it’s understandable that they would feel hurt and upset about it.
What’s important is how they each chose to deal with the situation. Ellefson chose to forgive and move on, while Mustaine continued to dwell on his dismissal. It’s easy to understand why Ellefson might view Mustaine’s continued fixation on his dismissal as “pathetic,” but it’s also important to acknowledge that everyone processes things differently.
“Look, I have no choice but to have to forgive it so I can move on. I really don’t. So I don’t know what more to say about it other than that. Look, at some point, the damage was done. So you move on. We’re all human, and it is what it is. You can’t lament it. I’ve watched how he’s treated his dismissal from Metallica, still b*tching about it 40 years later, and I think it looks f*cking pathetic. And it’s, like, ‘You know what? Fix your sh*t and move on.’ And that’s how I’ve chosen to deal with it: fix your sh*t and move on.”