In a recent conversation with The MetalSucks Podcast, singer Dee Snider talked about David Ellefson’s recent sex scandal that ultimately led to the bassist’s firing from Megadeth.
Dee said:
“Creatives are damaged goods by definition. We choose to be actors, performers, writers, artists, painters, comedians – all those things – because we’re damaged. And that’s driven us to find these outlets.
“I don’t know why people are so shocked when the evidence of that damage showing itself. When Dave from Megadeth gets caught ma*turbating, well…
“First of all, you know a lot of you are doing the same thing. But second of all, he’s a musician. He’s not a priest. You can’t expect him to be priest-like – hell, you can’t expect a priest to be priest-like.
“But people are so shocked. And I don’t get why the art is thrown away with the artist. If we found out that Michelangelo was a ped*phile, would we stop going to the Sistine Chapel? Would we paint it over? It’s no longer good art because the painter turned out to be a ped*phile? I’m saying it hypothetically.
“All artists and creatives have got some skeletons in their closets, and suddenly the skeleton is shown and we’re like, ‘Well, he’s not funny anymore.’ ‘He’s not a good actor anymore.’ ‘Kevin Spacey, we can’t watch his movies anymore.’ He’s one of the great actors of his time, but he’s dead because he was…
“And I’m not saying he was right. But he’s a damaged, broken person – he always was. It’s what made him a great artist. I just don’t get that we throw away the baby with the bathwater, as the saying goes.
“I’m not saying making excuses or whatever. I’m just talking about the art being dismissed, thrown out, devalued, and disqualified because the artist turned out to be a fallible human being. And people should be very careful. Most of us live in glass houses.” […]