DAVID ELLEFSON: "KISS Changed My Life When I Saw And Heard Them"
October 16, 2007, 17 years ago
In an exclusive interview conducted by e-mail, The MetalDen.com turns in a Q&A; with DAVID ELLEFSON, covering his background in rock 'n' roll and all of the current musical endeavors for the former MEGADETH bassist.
The following is an excerpt from the interview:
Q: What first drew you to playing music?
A: "At first it was the usual thing to take up an instrument as a kid. Then, around age 10 I started hearing things on FM radio where I grew up in Minnesota that were rockin' my world, like SWEET, STYX, AEROSMITH, and of course, KISS changed my life when I saw and heard them. I just thought their whole world was so cool because it was total entertainment."
Q: Absolutely. When did you get into playing the bass guitar? And do you remember the first song you learned all the way through?
A: "KISS and BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE were the first bands that got me into bass. I loved the way it looked, sounded and to me the guys who played the instrument were just downright cool! My first song was probably 'Not Fragile' by BTO and 'Shout It Out Loud' by KISS."
Q: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
A: "KISS, IRON MAIDEN, RUSH and early AC/DC are just a few. I was mostly influenced by bands and songs, rather than only bassists. I really like hearing great guitar players and drummers in rock bands, too, which is why the first VAN HALEN album hit me so hard, but then again so did MOTÖRHEAD."
Read the full interview at this location.
