Megadeth bassist David Ellefson recetly spoke with UK-based Total Rock, offering an update on the band's plans for their next studio album, which is currently in the works. He also discussed his new book, Rock Star Hitman. Check out the interview below.

On getting into writing books

Ellefson: "In the early '90s I was reading everything from motivational guides as well as a lot of fiction. As I was travelling I was reading, I was fairly newly sober - about four years into my sober lifestyle - and since I wasn't getting drunk passing out on airplanes I had plenty of free time to read. That's what actually started it. That's the beauty of sobriety; you get to have a second life in one lifetine. All of these things I probably never would have thought of because I was getting intoxicated, suddenly having sober mind and judgement, I was going 'Wow, let me open up a laptop and start writing."

Ellefson recently shared an exclusive sample from his fiction thriller novel, Rock Star Hitman, co-written with Drew Fortier, which is out now. 

The description reads: The Sledge Chronicles: Rock Star Hitman is the first chapter in the action-packed saga of Sledge; an up and coming musician who uncovers a startling quid pro quo: in exchange for achieving his dreams of Rock stardom, he must enlist as a ruthless killer for a clandestine agency. Filled with twists, turns, screams, and even laughs, Rock Star Hitman is the cult thriller you've been dying for.

Ellefson states, “I've been on a quest to create an original thriller fiction book for some time now, and I’m beyond thrilled to announce it with Rock Star Hitman. I wanted there to be familiarity to my fans in an almost autobiographical way, but with characters and storyline which are clearly fictional. I think metal and horror/thriller fans are going to like it!”

Adds Fortier, “David and I clicked really well when creating this story, because we’ve both lived the rock n roll tale ourselves. That’s why Rock Star Hitman starts out like an autobiography from almost any musician, but then takes a sudden and unexpected turn into a world of suspense, dark humor, and bloody brutal situations. As a horror/thriller fan myself we could almost write ourselves into our own story line. Plus, I think most everyone will relate to the daunting tales of selling one’s soul for a rock n roll aspiration… a story that in and of itself is close to me as well.”

David’s canon of published literary work includes four non-fiction titles with his two memoirs More Life With Deth (Jawbone Press 2019) and My Life With Deth (Howard/Simon & Schuster 2014), a self-published lyric and poem offering Unsung: Words & Images (Blurb 2012) and his debut how-to book Making Music Your Business….A Guide For Young Musicians (Hal Leonard 1997).

Ellefson and Fortier are no strangers to collaboration; on top of their forthcoming novel, they also have an independent, found-footage horror film due out in 2021. Titled Dwellers, the movie was written by, directed by, and stars Fortier, with Ellefson producing alongside Thom Hazaert via their Ellefson Films imprint.