Dave Ellefson says having unexpected free time in the coming months will make Megadeth’s next album even better.
The band lost drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick last year and rescheduled a string of tour dates as a result. But the setback will likely mean their new material is given more attention than usual in the studio.
The bassist tells Hot Metal Online: “We’re just returning to the studio, rehearsals are continuing before the final stages of the pre-production.
“The writing is pretty much done – that can always change in the studio. We’ll go into the recording, probably, in early May. We had some tour dates in August. Those tour dates got moved, which quite honestly is a good thing because it frees us up and gives us time to make the record with a schedule that’s a little more appropriate for how we want to make a great record.
“So some time within the next year, we will get the Megedeth record out. I’d like to think it’s not going to be a stinker. I’d like to think it’s going to be a pretty kick-ass record. There are a couple of things on there that are very heavy but they’re very forward-thinking for Megadeth – in a good way. Not some sort of pop right turn or anything like that.
“When the record says Megadeth on it, you’re going to get Megadeth inside of it.”
Replacements for Drover and Broderick have not yet been named, but whoever gets the jobs will have to pull their weight when it comes to songwriting, or face being cut out of the lion’s share of royalties.
Ellefson tells Music Business Facts: “I’ve worked in groups where it’s ‘all for one, one for all.’ I’ve worked in groups where, after a while, the roles define themselves, and you realise, me and the guitar player or the singer are the guys doing most of the writing, so do we really wanna share it with everybody?
“Well, if you’re not willing to show up and be part of the process, then, no, we don’t want to. Megadeth, from day one, has been about he who writes is part of that.”
