In a recent episode of The David Ellefson Show, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson opened up about the real reason behind his 2021 firing from the band—and it wasn’t just about personal issues or creative differences. According to Ellefson, things began unraveling when Dave Mustaine proposed something highly unexpected: re-recording Metallica’s early demo, No Life ‘Til Leather.

Ellefson revealed that this idea didn’t sit well with him and may have marked the beginning of the end for his time in Megadeth.

“There was clashes all the way down, and for me, it started in 2018 when Dave came in to — we started a tour in Oslo, and he came in and he said he wanted to re-record [Metallica’s] ‘No Life ‘Til Leather’ demo,” said Ellefson, referring to the demo that Mustaine had played on before being fired from Metallica.

“Are You Kidding Me?”: Ellefson Refused to Re-Record Metallica Tracks

Ellefson described his reaction to Mustaine’s proposal with visible frustration:

“I’m, like, ‘Are you kidding me? This is where we’re at? After all this time? We’re supposed to be writing a new album and new songs. And I was just, like, ‘I am not down with that.’”

While Ellefson admitted that playing those early Metallica tracks might have been “fun,” he ultimately couldn’t support the idea:

“As fun as it would be to play those songs, ’cause that’s one of my favorite Metallica recordings, I was just, like, ‘Yeah, I ain’t down with that.’ I’m sorry. I couldn’t kiss the ring for that one. I was, like, ‘I’m out.’ And so I think our problem started then.”

The Fallout: “Eventually I’m Out of the Band”

As Megadeth continued working on a new record, Ellefson felt the dynamic between him and Mustaine had shifted. He suggests that his unwillingness to follow orders without question may have sealed his fate:

“So as we went into the record, he knew I wasn’t willing to just f-cking say, ‘Yes, Dave,’ and go along with sh-t. So eventually I’m out of the band. So it goes. Bands are what bands are, and it is what it is.”