Throughout a Kings Of Thrash fan Q&A session in Richmond, Victoria, Australia, on July 22, 2024, former Megadeth‘s bassist David Ellefson, spoke a few pivotal second in his profession. Ellefson confirmed that he obtained Dave Mustaine’s “blessing” to audition for Metallica after Jason Newsted left the band practically 24 years in the past.
Newsted’s exit from Metallica in 2001 was spurred by disagreements with James Hetfield, notably relating to Newsted’s aspect challenge, Echobrain. Within the aftermath, producer Bob Rock stepped in to report the bass elements for St. Anger earlier than Robert Trujillo was chosen because the everlasting bassist.
Ellefson shared his ideas on the state of affairs, explaining how Mustaine knowledgeable him in regards to the potential alternative (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “In 2001, Megadeth had simply recorded The World Wants A Hero album. And Dave known as me, and he mentioned, he goes, ‘Hey, Lars known as me, and also you’re on a shortlist, and requested if it will be okay in the event that they attain out to you.’ And Dave mentioned, he goes, ‘There is no method I might cease you from that chance. You may have my blessing. I gave Lars my blessing.’ Now, they by no means known as me. And I feel they’ve the best man for the job with Robert. Robert‘s fucking nice; he is wonderful.”
Ellefson mirrored on how making ready for a possible Metallica audition opened his eyes to the variations between the 2 bands. He famous that studying Metallica’s later materials, notably from albums like The Black Album, was a problem.
“Not ‘Kill ‘Em All‘ and ‘Journey The Lightning’, which was extra just like what we have been doing in Megadeth, however the later stuff, even the Black Album, and simply actually performed the bass strains and listened to how James put his phrasing of the vocals over high of the riff. It was like an entire different style. It was surprising how totally different it was. And I really needed to ask myself, I am going, ‘I ponder if I am… I may not be the best man for this.’ And never that I’d say no, ‘trigger what can we do? We are saying sure, proper? That is the lesson of the day — say sure.”
Regardless of by no means getting the decision, Ellefson holds no regrets and praises Trujillo’s position within the band. His insights into how Metallica’s songwriting and manufacturing advanced through the years, in comparison with Megadeth’s, reveal a deep respect for each bands’ distinctive approaches to their music
“It was an eye-opener to me of how their music had transitioned from the early days. And so they’d had nice producers, with Bob Rock. They have been capable of make very costly albums and take the time to put in writing and actually dig deep and make data like they did with the Black Album and stuff. Nevertheless it actually taught me how totally different they have been from what I used to be used to doing in Megadeth and dealing with Dave and the way he would write and the way he would put the phrasing of his vocals over high,” Ellefson defined.
As Ellefson places it, whereas riffs and instrumentation are essential, the vocals maintain a unique degree of significance: “Let’s face it — when the singer begins singing, that is who we hearken to, whether or not it is Dave or Paul Stanley or Bruce Dickinson or Ronnie Dio. The riffs might be superior, however when the singer begins singing, whether or not you are a woman or a man or no matter, you fucking hearken to the singer. And, look, it was my thought for Dave to be the singer in Megadeth. I used to be the one who mentioned, ‘Dude, you have gotta sing.’ ‘Trigger he was writing the stuff at the moment, and I mentioned, ‘There is no one who’s gonna are available in right here and sing that shit the way in which you are listening to it, the way in which you feel it. You are by no means gonna have the ability to train anybody how to try this.'”
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