Dave Ellefson Compares His Exit From Megadeth to Dave Mustaine's Metallica Ousting: 'It's Pathetic'

David Ellefson spoke up about his removal from Megadeth and compared his case to what happened to Dave Mustaine and Metallica.

Megadeth let go of its then-bassist in 2021 when scandal and grooming allegations emerged. The band opted to continue with James LoMenzo after working with Testament's Steve Di Giorgio who recorded bass for the band's 2022 album, "The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!"

David Ellefson Compares His Megadeth Exit to Dave Mustaine, Metallica's Situation

In 1983, Metallica had to make a huge move when it ejected Mustaine from the band due to his drug abuse, alcohol problems, and aggressive behavior. He also developed personal clashes with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich.

Speaking with Heavy Talk, Ellefson discussed his Megadeth exit and how similar it was to Mustaine's ousting. Per the bassist, he had no choice but to forgive so he could move on.

"At some point, the damage was done. So you move on. We're all human, and it is what it is. You can't lament it," he said. "I've watched how he's treated his dismissal from Metallica - still b**ching about it 40 years later. And I think it looks f**king pathetic."

Ellefson indeed moved on with The Lucid after his exit from Megadeth. He worked with Sponge's Vinnie Dombroski and Fear Factory's Mike Heller in the band and released songs with them, including "Maggot Wind" and "Damned."

The bassist also launched another band, Dieth, in 2022.

On the other hand, Mustaine spoke about his influence on Metallica's thrash metal sound during a February interview. At that time, he accused his former band of discrediting him by saying he was not a good guitar player.

How David Ellefson Was Fired From Megadeth

After speaking a little about Mustaine and his Metallica exit, Ellefson shared more details about his firing and revealed that he learned about his dismissal through one call.

He compared it to having some people drop a bomb on his house, saying it was non-negotiable although he asked his bandmates to let him deal with his scandal and promised them to be back on the road in two months.

However, it never happened as Megadeth chose to move forward without him. The band also released a statement to publicly announced that it parted ways with its former bassist following his apparent involvement in a sex scandal.

The allegations emerged online, with reports alleging that he groomed a girl online while she was still underage.