David Ellefson Shares What He Misses About Being in Megadeth

David Ellefson has shared what he misses about being in Megadeth the most, noting that there are certain aspects of their shows and tours that he really enjoyed.

It’s been almost three years since Ellefson was fired from Megadeth after some private and graphic conversations he had online with a woman were leaked. Of all of the musicians who’ve been in Megadeth aside from Dave Mustaine, the bassist had the longest tenure. There are understandably quite a few things he misses about being in the group as a result.

“I mean, look, it’s my band too,” Ellefson told The Metal Voice at this year’s NAMM convention, which fellow former Megadeth bandmate Jeff Young was part of as well. “I helped start it. But let me be clear. There are things about it, of course, that I miss — the fans, the performances, the shows. And I enjoy the touring.”

Ellefson went on to describe himself as a “road warrior,” and explained how much he likes the nomadic lifestyle that comes with being on tour with a successful band. However, he also stressed that it wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies with Megadeth, especially because they weren’t always as popular as they are now.

“I’m a wanderlust guy. My fortune in life is out there, not just sitting at home. I’ve tried that, and I get bored after about a month. I’m a shitty golfer and I can’t surf worth a damn, so I may as well stay on the road and play,” he elaborated.

“Of course, there’s things about that and the big gig and everything, but Megadeth was not always a big gig. We started where everybody else starts — it was small gigs. So I’ve known it from the bottom to the top and everything in between.”

Despite missing that aspect of being in Megadeth, the rocker assured that he’s happy where he is in his life at the moment. He’s still making music that he enjoys and still gets to play shows with the various bands he’s started since his departure from Megadeth.

Check out the full conversation below.

Ellefson and Young played together a few years ago in a group called Kings of Thrash, which saw them celebrate their legacy as members of one of the “Big 4” thrash bands. According to an interview Ellefson did with Metal Express Radio in late 2023, the duo have also been working on new material for another project that’s yet to be named.