Interview with Megadeth bassist David Ellefson. Ellefson called to talk about his new book MORE LIFE AFTER DETH, the recent announcement of Dave Mustaine's cancer, the Ellefson Empire, and many great topics related to his career.
NOTE: Due to YouTube Censorship, all In Studio Cam videos of the entire week's edition of THE CLASSIC METAL SHOW are uploaded to: https://www.vimeo.com/ondemand/cmsstudio
“I’ve been diagnosed with throat cancer. It’s clearly something to be respected and faced head on - but I’ve faced obstacles before. I’m working closely with my doctors, and we’ve mapped out a treatment plan which they feel has a 90% success rate. Treatment has already begun.
Unfortunately, this requires that we cancel most shows this year. The 2019 Megacruise will happen, and the band will be a part of it in some form. All up to date information will be at megadeth.com as we get it. Megadeth will be back on the road ASAP.
Meanwhile, Kiko, David, Dirk and I are in the studio, working on the follow up to Dystopia – which I can’t wait for everyone to hear.
I’m so thankful for my whole team – family, doctors, band members, trainers, and more.
ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE featuring ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello and MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, will release it's debut album, "Get It Out", on January 18, 2019 via Megaforce. The follow-up to ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE's 2014 self-titled EP was once again produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, STONE SOUR), with Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE, ASHES DIVIDE) returning behind the kit.
The official lyric video for the first single, "Out Here", made by by Melody Myers of Designed By Melody, can be viewed here:
The track features a guest appearance by ANTHRAX guitarist Jon Donais.
A kind of rock 'n' roll primal-scream therapy, "Get It Out" is the result of nearly four years of writing and recording sessions — and decades of touring, searching, striving and liiving. "I've learned that writing songs is very cathartic," says Bello, who has long made songwriting a daily practice. When ANTHRAX is off the road, he tries out new material at open mics around New York City. "A lot of these lyrics are about the inner struggles of my life, and about the rage that has built up from my life experiences — my brother's murder; my father abandoninng my family when we were young, leaving us with no funds to pay the bills," he says. "The ups and downs of life in general. I've always had an anger inside that music really helps me deal with."
"The album has the perfect title," Ellefson adds. "This is music that has been living inside of us for so long. There's a big musical part of each of us that doesn't get heard anywhere else."
Boasting a deep bench of guest stars, including Ace Frehley (ex-KISS; the track "Late"), Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND), Nita Strauss (ALICE COOPER), Christian Martucci(STONE SOUR) and Satchel (STEEL PANTHER), the record also represents the fulfillment of a lifelong but little-known ambition for two uniquely gifted artists. As Bello puts it, "All I ever wanted to do was write good songs. I've always been a melody guy. I love hooks; I love catchy songs with a good riff." The ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE story begins in 2010, when Bello and Ellefson started touring together to lead bass clinics for the amp manufacturer Hartke. In need of backing tracks to support their demonstrations, they embarked upon some writing sessions and discovered their chemistry.
Bello and Ellefson debuted ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE in early 2014, with a self-titled three-song EP that earned the duo airplay on SiriusXM and an appearance on VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show". Those tracks — p;"Booze and Cigarettes", "Tell the World", "Here Again" — are includedd on "Get It Out" as bonus cuts, in remixed and remastered form.
Ellefson explains that "ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE could have only happened at this moment in time" — when the titans of thrash metal's "Big Fouur" are older, wiser, kinder and more open creatively. "When you're still climbing up the hill," he says, "there's no room for friendly competition. But once you've been to the top of the hill and you've seen the view — which all of the 'Big Four' have — it's okay to breakeak bread, hang out, have a drink." Or, in the case of ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE, delve into hard-rock songwriting in a profound way. "To hear other sides of us as artists — not just as muusicians and performers, but as artists."
ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE has several shows booked in early 2019, including on the ShipRocked cruise in late January.
MEGADETH are a band that needs no introduction with a career spanning over 3 decades, 14 albums and as part of the Big 4, Megadeth have chiselled their place on the Mount Rushmore of Metal.
In a unique event MEGADETH'S Co- founding member and bass guitarist DAVID ELLEFSON is heading to Australia for a Spoken Word Tour.
An evening with DAVID ELLEFSON will feature stories from life on the road and about life as a founding member of one of the biggest metal acts in the world documenting all the trials and tribulations. The night will also feature a bass demonstration and audience Q&A which will allow fans to delve deeper into all things MEGADETH and David's autobiography ' My Life With Deth' a story about the complex history of the band. 'My Life With Deth works on multiple levels. It's a behind the scenes story of MEGADETH , it's a story of overcoming drug addiction and it's the story of a man's walk of faith. What could have easily been a life ruined and wasted turned into a life that was redeemed and restored, and Ellefson's story of how it all happened is extremely interesting and inspiring.' ' Chad Bowar (heavymetal.about.com)
From the Megadeth's inception in 1983 until the band's temporary disbandment in 2002, David Ellefson was the only constant member other than bandleader, Dave Mustaine. David was a pivotal part in Megadeth's progression from a ferocious jazz infused thrash group to a state of the art speed metal band and into a multiplatinum, chart topping, global juggernaut.
After Megadeth disbanded in 2002, Ellefson pursued a variety of projects including playing with Soulfly and forming the band F5, amongst other endeavours. In 2010 David re-joined Megadeth for the 20th Anniversary of the band's seminal, genre defining classic, 'Rust in Peace'. Since then he has reclaimed his rightful place within one of heavy metal's most revered bands.
Through highs and lows, David Ellefson has experienced the gamut of rock star fame, fortune and excess and lived to tell the tale. This is your only chance to get a personal insight into the history and behind the scenes of one of metal's most iconic bands, Megadeth. Don't miss this unique event!! A must see for every metal fan!
