"We are informing our fans that David Ellefson is no longer playing with Megadeth and that we are officially parting ways with him,” announced founder Dave Mustaine. “We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward.
"We look forward to seeing our fans on the road this summer, and we cannot wait to share our brand new music with the world. It is almost complete."
Earlier this month, a series of intimate online conversations and explicit videos shared between a young woman and Ellefson were leaked by a third party, which led to both the rocker and the woman confirming that the interactions took place as initiated by the fan, that there was no “child grooming” involved, and that the two had never met in person.
The Mustaine update follows the band’s recent public statement about the situation, where the group said they were “watching developments closely” and that “there are clearly aspects of David's private life that he has kept to himself,” adding, “As this situation unfolds, it is important that all voices be heard clearly and respectfully. We look forward to the truth coming to light.”
Ellefson, who became a Lutheran pastor nearly a decade ago, and his wife Julie have been married for 27 years; they have two children.
Mustaine co-founded Megadeth with Ellefson in Los Angeles in 1983 following the guitarist’s dismissal from Metallica; the bassist was in the lineup until the group’s 2003 breakup and, while they reformed a year later, he rejoined the band in 2010.
Megadeth have been working on the follow-up to their 2016 album, “Dystopia.”
— Megadeth (@Megadeth) May 24, 2021
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Search Megadeth at hennemusic
