Former MEGADETH Bassist ELLEFSON: 'I Have No Ill Feelings' About The Past

Brooke Bates of VailDaily.com recently conducted an interview with former MEGADETH and current F5 bassist David Ellefson. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On split with MEGADETH and formation of F5:

"I have no ill feelings (about the past). Sometimes you meet people for what seems to be a reason, but you find out it's not the reason you thought. It's a stepping stone to something else. It's all a part of the big picture. I consider myself fortunate to have a second shot with F5, because most people don't even get a first."

On the songwriting process in F5:

"Brute force is only part of the equation. Without melody, it becomes ruthless shuffling. Melody is the payoff, the structure."

"We all flow with the same trajectory. No matter who brings an idea, we can develop it into something workable. We intuitively know where to take the song."

"We've drawn lines to color inside of. You can expect something rocking, but it's not mindless full-force heavy metal or machine gun metal. There are moments of dark, ethereal, picturesque listening and some moments it's kicking your ass."

On finding a balance between touring and family life (Ellefson is married with two kids — Roman, 10, and Athena, 7):

"I'm the quintessential minivan-driving soccer dad. On the road, I'm there to rock. But it's nice to come home and decompress.

"My kids make me more responsible. I can't churn out crappy music because I don't know who will hear it. My music reaches a lot of ears and I have to assume responsibility for the listener."

On how the metal spirit has driven him to his family:

"(Performance) takes you to a different place, and it's a cool place to be. Another side of me kicks in, but it's all a part of who I am. I've watched that beast consume a lot of people. You have to remember you're the entertainer, not the entertained."

Read the entire interview at VailDaily.com (free registration required).