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What Megadeth Sez... This issue our "So & So Sez" features brings us back to Megadeth (our third interview with...

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What Megadeth Sez... This issue our "So & So Sez" features brings us back to Megadeth (our third interview with the band). This time we spoke to bassist Dave Ellefson. Here’s the conversation.

Why don’t you dissect and / or define the new sound we hear on Risk?
Uh, dance tracks combined with evil, dark, sick, menacing, metal crossed with melodious pop harmonies (laughs).

Hmmm.
I’m being factitious.

Yeah, I was going to ask what percentage of seriousness...
Actually, I don’t know. I guess I’ve never really thought about it in terms, because... Let’s put it this way: There’s 12 songs on the record and every song covers either a genre of Megadeth or it covers . . . almost a genre of rock music. Every thing from pop to metal.

Uh-huh. Yeah, I noticed there’s, like, a rock anthem on there.
Yeah, and you know, there we tried to use a little bit of some of -- I hate to say -- dance-type of beat grooves, but certainly some of the more club-oriented type grooves in a couple tunes. In particular, I’m thinking of "Insomnia" and "Crush ‘em."

Do you think I’d be accurate in describing some of the lyrics on this album as almost being a personal struggle and maybe covering the topic of guilt?
Yeah, maybe. I’d say that’s probably true to some extent. I mean, especially with some of the songs, like "I’ll Be There," were not even really so much of a personal thing, but I can certainly understand the slant you might get on it of guilt for doing something and feeling bad for it, then feeling like there is almost like an amends out for it, you know? I didn’t write the lyrics, so I can’t speak for Dave on that; but that would be as a listener, you know? That would kind of almost be my read, and it’s funny you mention that, because anytime I relate to something it’s probably because that’s happened in my life. You know what I’m sayin’? If you’ve no experience with something, you probably don’t even relate to it. It’s the same with a tune like "Breadline." A man who once had everything, for whatever reason -- abuse or disuse -- has now lost it all and is basically standing in line at the soup kitchen, and is almost oblivious to everything that happened. It’s like, you know, having had close brushes with that, I can relate; whereas someone who may have never had that experience might go, "Breadline, what the hell’s that? What’s a Breadline?" Ya know?

I think that, in a sense, the cliche is really profound: "There, but for the Grace of God, go I."
Yeah, right. Exactly.

Dann Huff has produced two (of your) albums now. What would you list as maybe a couple of your favorite Giant songs?
Well, obviously the guitar solo (laughs) that opened up the first Giant record. I mean, that, you know, is . . . on at least the technical and cool level of, like, Van Halen’s "Eruption," you know? And then there was a tune right after that... I remember those first three tracks -- bang, bang, bang, right in a row -- were, like, slammers. You know? Yeah, the whole stinkin’ album; every single song I like.

You know, it’s funny. Dave and I were just over at CNN doing an interview, and Jodi Macina, who’s a new country artist, was over there getting ready to sing and she starts saying, "Hey, you know, I like your voice and your songs and everything... (The) first thing she brings up is, "Oh, you guys know Dann Huff?" Dann Huff played on her record (laughs), so yeah, Dann is definitely a well known man around the music circles.

Yeah, no doubt. I’d like to have him play on my album. Well, what do you think of Jesus Christ?
What do I think of Jesus Christ?

Uh, huh.
Well, I was actually brought up in a Christian household, so I have, you know, a pretty broad knowledge of it; and strayed from it for quite a while. And, now that I have children, I actually do go to church, so I’ve kinda sorta returned to it, you know? I don’t know. That’s an area I hate to use -- politics and religion are two areas that I hate to even delve into, because people can so easily take offense to it -- but, personally, I think, "To each their own and everybody should have . . . everybody basically needs something to believe in, whatever that is."

What do think about His claims to be the Way, The Truth, and The Life, no one comes to the Father but by Me?
Um, in my own personal experiences in travels around the world, seeing many different cultures, many different religions, the way many different people operate and, um, I kind of have a hard time when anyone says, "It’s my way or the highway." But, on the other hand, therein lies the leap of faith; and faith is basically believing in something you can’t see, feel, or touch, or even know to be true by any other way than just making that leap of faith.

Um, hmm. Have you ever gotten into it with somebody about that particular claim?
Yeah, I mean . . . like I say, basically, for me, as far as walking the path in life, I’m a work in progress, myself. You know what I mean? I don’t think anybody really arrives until, you know, until they’re there. I give credence and credit to basically anyone who is searching or is on the path; as opposed to anyone who is so arrogant to think there is no need for it. And for those people, we pray.

Yeah, that’s interesting, uh...
I assume you are a Christian, which is why you are asking me...

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