Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine says he’ll “forgive” David Ellefson, but “just won’t play music with him anymore”
nme.comMegadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has opened up on the dismissal of band co-founder David Ellefson last year, saying he’ll “forgive” the former bassist but “just won’t play music with him again”.Ellefson was accused of grooming an underage girl online last year when several explicit screenshots and videos surfaced of the bassist and the girl, who later denied she was underage and said the interactions were consensual.Ellefson also denied the accusations, calling the contents of the images and footage “private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family” – but was ultimately fired from Megadeth two weeks after the accusations emerged.“While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward,” read a statement Mustaine issued at the time.“Let me just say this – it was a hard decision that had to be made,” Mustaine has said of Ellefson’s firing in a new interview with Metal Hammer. “There were a lot of people involved and I had to make a decision, because unfortunately, when you’re the leader, you’re the one that has to suck it up and face the music.”Mustaine continued, “All I wanted to do was make a clean break, and not hurt anyone, not hurt the fans and not hurt him.
I just wanted to move on, and I hope the gentleman concerned is doing okay.”The Megadeth frontman also alluded to the 2004 lawsuit Ellefson once filed against him for what he claimed were millions in outstanding royalties (the case was later dismissed). “I’ve forgiven him before when he sued me,” Mustaine said, “and I’ll forgive him a thousand.
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