INTERVIEW WITH DAVE ELLEFSON: Lineup changes, the success of 'Cryptic Writings', and future plans
Dave Ellefson discusses drummer Nick Menza's recent departure (clarifying it was not due to cancer) and the addition of Jimmy DeGrasso. He talks about the 'Cryptic Writings' tour being the biggest since 'Peace Sells' and why Megadeth is not planning a live album. Ellefson explains the conscious effort to write radio-friendly songs for the US market and the band's affinity for the Latin American audience. He also shares his opinion on the evolution of heavy metal and Ozzfest.
Date
September 17, 1998
Media
Radio Concierto (CL)
Interviewer
Alfredo Lewin
Interviewees
Alfredo Lewin
Nick Menza's physical problem. We were told it was cancer, a serious problem I believe?
Dave Ellefson
“Well, Nick believed he had cancer in his knee, it was not cancerous, that was not the reason why Nick left Megadeth. Actually, the relationship with Nick and Megadeth was not working and we made the change, but not for health reasons.”
Alfredo Lewin
Is Jimmy part of Megadeth as a permanent drummer now?
Dave Ellefson
“As far as we know, he is now, yes.”
Alfredo Lewin
How did you find Jimmy DeGrasso? During the tour with Suicidal Tendencies?
Dave Ellefson
“Well, we saw him play with Suicidal Tendencies seven years ago, we also saw him play with Alice Cooper in 1995 when we played in Chile and when Dave did some work with him on a project called MD.45, and when a change seemed necessary with Nick Menza, Jimmy seemed the most obvious option to take.”
Alfredo Lewin
When will we have news about the production of the new album with Jimmy DeGrasso on drums?
Dave Ellefson
“We will enter the studio in January to record the next Megadeth album.”
Alfredo Lewin
You have done a great tour for the 'Cryptic Writings' album, I think it has been more than usual for a single album.
Dave Ellefson
“Yes, I think this has been the biggest Tour since one of our first albums called, 'Peace Sells'.”
Alfredo Lewin
It's a great album, great album!
Dave Ellefson
“Thank you.”
Alfredo Lewin
Is there any chance for a live album? I mean, someone who has been in this business for fifteen years thinks of a double album in Japan, Chile or Argentina, are you planning that?
Dave Ellefson
“We have talked about it but we don't have an immediate idea of doing it. Live albums usually mean the end of an era, and usually mean that what follows the live album will be something drastically different so we don't want to make our fans believe that, that we will make drastic changes.”
Alfredo Lewin
What do you think? Would Megadeth exist without Dave Ellefson? There have been so many lineup changes in the band, but you are still in Megadeth after all these years, could Megadeth exist without Dave Ellefson?
Dave Ellefson
“I'm sure Megadeth could continue without me, you know, I think that's the problem with all the musicians Megadeth has had, they believed that it couldn't continue without them, and in the end they are not in the band! (laughs) I know my place in the band, and I put it that way.”
Alfredo Lewin
You are the bassist but you are also an inspiration for the band.
Dave Ellefson
“Yes, I could say that.”
Alfredo Lewin
Let's talk about songs, 'Foreclosure Of A Dream' is one of the favorite songs of Chilean fans, it's a great video, a great song, did you write it?
Dave Ellefson
“I wrote the lyrics for that song.”
Alfredo Lewin
What was the inspiration?
Dave Ellefson
“It's about the farm crisis that occurred in the United States in the 80's, my family are farmers, so I understand the crisis and the topics of it, it's about destroying the American dream.”
Alfredo Lewin
Do you remember anything special about the two shows in Santiago?
Dave Ellefson
“I remember the last one we did, it was crazy! We had a great time! (laughs).”
Alfredo Lewin
Do you remember the Monster of Rock last year? Whitesnake, Queensrÿche and Megadeth playing together, why didn't you come to Chile that time?
Dave Ellefson
“You know, as far as I know, the promoter decided not to go to Chile. We were very disappointed because we have great memories of Chile, we have many fans and we really wanted to return to Santiago to play again.”
Alfredo Lewin
What is the reason why Megadeth is so interested in the South American market or audience, considering the few bands that travel to Chile?
Dave Ellefson
“You know, we played for the first time in South America at 'Rock in Rio' in 1991, the response to Megadeth was so positive, that we wanted to come back and tour the rest of the continent, like in Chile and Argentina, and now playing in Mexico it seems that fans in Latin America understand Megadeth, that's why we always come back here.”
Alfredo Lewin
Megadeth's lyrics have a lot of content, can you tell me what their political or social position is? On the album 'Rust In Peace', Mustaine wears a t-shirt against communism.
Dave Ellefson
“Hmm, I don't think we have made a drastic decision against any social point of view, in some of our old albums we have talked about war, political careers, and things like that, but our lyrics are more about relationships between people.”
Alfredo Lewin
What is your opinion about the new wave of American rock like the Californian sounds from Rage Against The Machine to Korn?
Dave Ellefson
“Heavy Metal is still alive, many people say that heavy metal is going to die, but for me, heavy metal is alive, it just looks different and sounds different from what it was.”
Alfredo Lewin
What is your opinion about the European heavy metal scene, in Europe they continue fighting for true heavy metal like Helloween, Blind Guardian, do you think that European and Latin American audiences are more faithful to the roots?
Dave Ellefson
“Well, I'm very happy that the Latin American audience has been so positive with Megadeth, but Megadeth is a band that moves forward, and we try to look evolved, and some of the groups I don't see them evolve, and if you don't evolve you die.”
Alfredo Lewin
What did you have in mind when you recorded your last album 'Cryptic Writings'? Did you reinvent yourselves a bit?
Dave Ellefson
“Yes, we knew we had to write some songs that would go on American radio, so we consciously thought about writing four songs on 'Cryptic Writings' that are suitable for the musical radio environment in the United States, it was important for us, because without success in the United States it probably would not have been possible to return to Latin America so we did it, but at the same time we did not turn our backs on our most fervent fans who love the traditional Megadeth sound so we consciously made an effort to create songs that are within the old classic heavy Megadeth sound.”
Alfredo Lewin
Which four songs are you referring to?
Dave Ellefson
“To 'A Secret Place', 'Almost Honest', 'Use The Man' and 'Trust'.”
Alfredo Lewin
Which are the current singles.
Dave Ellefson
“Yes, exactly.”
Alfredo Lewin
Speaking of your guitarist Marty Friedman, have you seriously considered another guitarist for Megadeth?
Dave Ellefson
“Not seriously, we held auditions for months, and never found anyone, until Marty came walking in for an audition, he had the look, he had the sound, more than anything his attitude was right for the scene, Marty has brought good ideas to Megadeth, and is now helping with the new album.”
Alfredo Lewin
Is he still thinking about his solo career or is he focused on Megadeth?
Dave Ellefson
“No, I don't think he's thinking about a solo career right now, we are very involved with Megadeth, and Megadeth is the focus for all of us, this is where we put our attention.”
Alfredo Lewin
Many people in Chile want to know, why did you change your producer for the new album, why did you decide not to work with Max Norman again?
Dave Ellefson
“It was time for a change, you know, I think that when a group works with a producer for a long time, they start to stagnate, we are all big admirers of the guitarist Dann Huff, and Dann Huff was starting in record production, so the option was correct, and it was a very welcome change for us.”
Alfredo Lewin
I think you are a very important factor in the credibility of Ozzfest this year, how did you decide to work with Ozzy on his festival now?
Dave Ellefson
“Well, the scene has changed too much, the lineup of the bands, at first we were a little bored because it seemed too much like a kind of old Heavy Metal Tour, but fortunately on the Ozzfest stages the lineup of the bands has changed, it has become much more modern and contemporary, with bands like Soulfly, Coal Chamber and Tool, and once this started to take place, we wanted to be part of Ozzfest, because Ozzfest truly represents the best of heavy metal today.”
Alfredo Lewin
What was your favorite band at Ozzfest?
Dave Ellefson
“Ah, I love Ozzy Osbourne and it was fun to see him, but the new bands were far superior, I would say Tool was my favorite, I was very impressed with Tool.”
Alfredo Lewin
Don't you think Ozzy is one of the greatest contributions to the development of the heavy metal scene of the 90's?
Dave Ellefson
“Yes, and also in the 80's, I mean Ozzy Osbourne was responsible for exposing many great guitarists as well as helping many nascent heavy metal bands, if there is a hall of fame for heavy metal, Ozzy would start it! (laughs).”
Alfredo Lewin
What is your opinion about 'Black Sabbath The Reunion', you did a cover of 'Paranoid', are you still Black Sabbath fans?
Dave Ellefson
“Yes, I have always been a Black Sabbath fan, I never saw 'Black Sabbath The Reunion', so I really can't comment on that.”
Alfredo Lewin
You can briefly describe the songs that people know from C.W.; can you describe 'A Secret Place'?
Dave Ellefson
“'A Secret Place' is about that secret place in your mind where you can go and no one can bother you, a kind of peaceful place where you can meditate and think about things, the song 'Trust' is about relationships with the opposite sex, 'Use The Man' is a song about what happens when people are into drug addiction...”
Alfredo Lewin
Why does 'Use The Man' have that little introduction?
Dave Ellefson
“Something different, we did it to make it fun.”
Alfredo Lewin
Do you think the audiences that followed you like me, during the time of 'Killing Is My Business', do you think those audiences are still there wearing t-shirts, buying records, what do you think, have things changed these years?
Dave Ellefson
“Well, thank you for being one of our first supporters (laughs), we really appreciate that, however times are changing, there are a lot of young people who are now listening to rock music, and it is important that Megadeth appears for them, as well as people like you, who have been our first fans.”
Alfredo Lewin
What are the differences in the show, the setlist, what songs are you not playing right now just to have time to play the new songs?
Dave Ellefson
“All we did was make our setlist longer, we try to play most of the new songs, we are always changing our list, so it is difficult to say which songs we will play in Santiago.”