DAVID ELLEFSON On METALLICA Giving DAVE MUSTAINE Kill 'Em All Songwriting Credits - "The Fact Those Guys Did The Right Thing Is Awesome"
October 9, 2022, a year ago
Speaking with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson discussed the rivalry between frontman Dave Mustaine and his former Metallica bandmates. Mustaine, of course, was a member of Metallica but was let go mere weeks before the recordings for the band's 1983 debut album, Kill 'Em All. Mustaine is credited with writing four songs on the album: "The Four Horsemen", "Jump In The Fire", "Phanotom Lord" and "Metal Militia".
Ellefson: "I was always encouraging Dave, going 'Dude, don't look over there. What we're doing is cool, man.' I mean, Lars (Ulrich / drums) was coming to our shows, paying attention to what we were doing. He was definitely a fan of Dave's work and he was a friend. I think it probably bummed him out that he had to let him go. He had to make a choice but he continued to come to the gigs; he hung out. He was always friends with Dave. It's like, 'Look, these guys haven't forgotten you. They used your songs, they put your name on it, and they paid you. They don't hate you.'
There's a lot of other bands where it's like, 'Fuck that guy. We're gonna steal his songs. we're not gonna credit him, and we're not gonna pay him. Fuck you, sue us.' That's how it usually goes in the music business, so the fact that those guys (Metallica) did the right thing every step of the way, I think, is awesome."
