Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson revealed during a recent episode of his podcast, The David Ellefson Show ( transcribed via Loudwire Alice Cooper 's touring band shortly after Megadeth disbanded in 2002. Despite the opportunity to play with one of rock's greatest legends, Ellefson chose to decline the invitation, a decision he attributes to his emotional state at the time.
“When Megadeth broke up in 2002, it was interesting,” he said. “Shortly before that, we toured South America with Alice Cooper. We’ve always had a good friendship, but it was during that time that we really connected more closely, flying side-by-side through South America. We talked about sobriety, Christian faith, and our families. It was a genuine connection.”
About two weeks after Megadeth broke up, Ellefson received a call from Cooper's team inviting him to tour with the musician. However, the bassist explained that he was still dealing with the impact of the end of the band he co-founded and was a partner in.
Post-Megadeth shock influenced the decision.
“I just wasn’t mentally in a place for it,” he explained. “I was in shock from everything that had happened, as a partner in the band, a shareholder and everything else. It was a very confusing time.”
Without Ellefson, Alice Cooper ended up hiring Chuck Wright for the position, which was later taken over by Chuck Garric , the band's current bassist.
After the incident, Ellefson pursued new musical paths. He founded the band F5 and also collaborated with Soulfly on the 2004 album Prophecy . Eventually, Megadeth reunited in 2004, but Ellefson only officially returned to the lineup in 2010, remaining until his final departure in 2021. Since then, the musician has been involved in various projects, including Kings of Thrash , alongside former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young .
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