JEFF YOUNG On Possibility Of Playing With MEGADETH Again During Band's 'Farewell' Tour: 'I Don't Even Know If I'd Wanna Do It If It Was Offered To Me'

In a new interview with Chris Akin of The Classic Metal Show, ex-MEGADETH guitarist Jeff Young was asked if he thinks all former members of the band, including his ex-MEGADETH and current KINGS OF THRASH bandmate David Ellefson, should be invited to play with MEGADETH again during the Dave Mustaine-fronted outfit's ongoing "farewell" tour. Jeff responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm totally neutral about it. I have no opinion about it. I don't even know if I'd wanna do it if it was offered to me. We're already doing it with KINGS OF THRASH [which performs MEGADETH's classic songs], and to my mind better, so I don't know why I need to go do that. The reason to do it would be for the fans, so they could see it. That's the only reason to do it."

Elaborating on why playing with MEGADETH again isn't an appealing idea, Jeff said: "We're not all necessarily friends to begin with. And I'm not down for the drama, to be honest. And Marty's [Friedman, former MEGADETH guitarist] already done the [reunion] thing with them at a few gigs. So they've already been there, done that. And there's a lot of politics and drama to something like that."

He continued: "I'm neutral on it. I'm happy to just play the rest of the KINGS OF THRASH gigs we got scheduled for this year. And the next year I'm off doing my own album… So I'm thinking about that for the foreseeable future. And then if we get some cool festival gigs or some... For KINGS to come back and play together, we want it to be special, if it's, like, for Download festival or something cool, or opening for KK'S PRIEST or something like that, or ACCEPT."

Circling back to the prospect of playing MEGADETH material again, Jeff said: "It's not my mission to be playing those songs. I didn't write those, and I've written a whole [solo] album I'm about to drop of my own stuff that's closer to my heart, that's more on my vibe, that I think appeals to a larger audience, 'cause thrash is a very niche audience. There's only so many people on this planet that are into thrash metal. I'm happy to have contributed to the genre and be a part of the history of it, but it's a big world out there, and there's a lot more to do, and I only got so many days to do it."

"Bullets Ready", the latest single from KINGS OF THRASH, came out in early May via Cleopatra Records. "Bullets Ready" features a vocal duet between KINGS OF THRASH guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon and Gabriel Connor, frontman of the rising Los Angeles theatrical rock group RED DEVIL VORTEX. The track also includes a special guest appearance by former EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza.

"Bullets Ready" was mixed by Grammy-winning producer Cameron Webb, known for his work with MOTÖRHEAD, DANZIG and GODSMACK.

KINGS OF THRASH was formed in April 2022, following a special appearance by Ellefson and Young at "Ultimate Jam Night" at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California. The event was honoring the legendary "Big Four" of thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. During the evening, Ellefson and Young performed three classic MEGADETH songs alongside vocalist Chaz Leon. The electrifying performance sparked an immediate chemistry that led to the formation of KINGS OF THRASH.

KINGS OF THRASH was built around a concept envisioned by Ellefson: creating a live experience celebrating early MEGADETH albums and rarely performed deep cuts from his decades-long tenure with the thrash metal pioneers. This vision became known as "The MEGA Years".

In November 2022, KINGS OF THRASH took to the stage with four proof-of-concept concerts in San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Hollywood. Their performance at the Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip was filmed and recorded resulting in the acclaimed release "The Best Of The West - Live At The Whisky A Go Go". The double live album and DVD were released by Cleopatra Records in spring 2023 in both digital and vinyl formats.

In 2025, Cleopatra Records released KINGS OF THRASH's first thrash/punk-inspired song "Lockdown". With its accompanying music video, directed by KINGS OF THRASH drummer Fred Aching, the group distinguished themselves as more than just a nostalgic tribute band.

In January 2023, Young told Ultimate Guitar that he and Ellefson had not received any feedback from Mustaine about their new band or their recent live shows. "We couldn't care less… and it's a win-win for him," Jeff said. "Because all the publishing, for example, on the 'Best Of The West', he's getting all that money. We're making him money and he doesn't have to do anything. So, we're performing the songs because they're part of our history and the fans want to hear them and we will benefit from that, and so will he, so it's a win-win. How much cooler can anything be than that? So, if he has something to say about it… I wouldn't imagine it would be very objective… not that anything he's ever said has been objective."

Jeff's comments were similar to those he made in 2022 when he told Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series that he and Ellefson were "really not concerned" about Mustaine's reaction to KINGS OF THRASH. "I don't pay attention," he said. "I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.

"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.

"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.

"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."

Ellefson told Yes! You CAN Play Guitar! that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates. "This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH five years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.