MEGADETH Members 'Shred' With Students At Berklee College Of Music

According to The Boston Globe, MEGADETH stopped by the Berklee College of Music before the band's March 21 concert at the House Of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts to "shred with students." The musicians were invited to the school, which is located in the Fenway neighborhood, by Bass Department chair Steve Bailey to check out a rehearsal of the Berklee Megadeth Ensemble and give students a few pointers. MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and guitarist Kiko Loureiro even played the band's song "Tornado Of Souls" with the students.

Mustaine said in an interview several years ago that he plays guitar in much the same way the killer robot from "The Terminator" blasts humans — relentlessly, with a level of aggression that almost knocks the listener down.

"I'm self-taught and I don't know a lot of theory," he explained. "I picked up the guitar and learned how to play it. A lot of guys talk about loving the guitar and loving to play it. I always thought you should punch it in the stomach."

Asked by Bass Player magazine what advice he can offer to young bassists, based on his path to success, Ellefson said: "First, don't be afraid to leave your hometown to relocate to where the scene and the energy is. That's what I did; I got some bangs and bruises, but it gave me a career and made me a better musician and person. Second, learn to function as a supportive bassist in as many different styles of music as possible, to increase your opportunities. And finally, have a good attitude; strive to be the wind in people's sails and not the speed bump in their road to progress."