In an interview with The Metal Voice , Max Norman, former producer of Megadeth , spoke about the controversy surrounding David Ellefson 's departure from the band . According to Norman, his girlfriend sent him a link to an intimate video of Ellefson that had leaked online, and he opened it without knowing what it was. "Now I can't unsee it," said Norman.
The producer also said that "it was a stupid thing to do," but that he feels sorry for Ellefson. "I feel sorry for him, but I have mixed feelings. And I understand Mustaine taking him out of the band because if there's one thing Dave Mustaine doesn't tolerate, it's being laughed at. Because of the way he was raised, I think, and because of the way he is, I think he thought about it. It's a brand – and he has to protect the brand."
He went on to say that he doesn't think Ellefson is a pedophile and that the bassist is guilty of something that "probably 90% of musicians have done at some point."
“It’s kind of strange because he’s a pastor, so there’s also the religious factor,” Norman said. “I see both sides and I don’t want to judge. I feel sorry for David because I think this will affect his whole life. And he has other things going on and that will be affected too. So the guy is going to go through a really difficult period.”
READ ALSO: David Ellefson speaks out about his dismissal from Megadeth: "False allegations"
