During a Q&A session with Kings Of Thrash on July 22, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson once again mentioned that he got Dave Mustaine’s ‘blessing’ to try out for the bassist spot in Metallica after Jason Newsted left almost 24 years ago. The bassist recalled Dave Mustaine’s response and how he never got a call back.
“[In] 2001, [Megadeth] had just recorded ‘The World Needs A Hero’ [album],” the bassist explained. “And Dave called me, and he said, he goes, ‘Hey, Lars called me, and you’re on a shortlist, and asked if it would be okay if they reach out to you.’ And Dave said, he goes, ‘There’s no way I could stop you from that opportunity. You have my blessing. I gave Lars my blessing.’ Now, they never called me. And I think they have the right man for the job with Robert. Robert’s f*cking great; he’s amazing.”
Ellefson also added that he prepared for the Metallica audition by learning to play their songs for the very first time.
In a 2021 interview, Ellefson was asked if he participated in the Metallica bassist auditions after it was announced that Newsted had left the band. “I did not,” Ellefson explained. “Lars had contacted Dave to ask him permission, which I thought was kind of him, to say, ‘Hey, would it be okay if we reach out to Ellefson?’ ‘Cause Dave called me. And he said, ‘Listen, I would hate to lose you, but, as your friend, I certainly couldn’t hold you back from an opportunity like that. So he gave it his blessing. I never did get the call.”
In 2011, Mustaine said he was relieved that Ellefson wasn’t invited to join Metallica after Cliff Burton’s death. Burton died in 1986 in a tour bus crash, just three years after Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica and started Megadeth.
Ellefson was in Megadeth from 1983 until 2002, when they broke up for a bit because Mustaine had serious nerve damage that made it hard for him to play. When Mustaine brought Megadeth back in 2004 with a new lineup, Ellefson sued him for $18.5 million, saying Mustaine still owed him money for merchandise and publishing. The case got thrown out in January 2005, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined the band.