In a latest dialogue on the X5 Podcast, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson shared his insights on the seismic shift within the music business throughout the early Nineties, when grunge music emerged and dramatically modified the panorama for arduous rock and metallic bands. Reflecting on his experiences, Ellefson vividly recounted the impression of this period on Megadeth and their contemporaries.
Ellefson recalled the pivotal second in 1991 when, amidst engaged on Megadeth‘s one materials, he heard Nirvana on the radio for the primary time.
“I lived in L.A. So, coming off Rust In Peace — that is in 1991; we’re beginning to write Countdown To Extinction, and I keep in mind driving down the freeway, and KNAC was the massive rock station. And I keep in mind listening to — is it a music known as ‘Breed’? And I used to be, like, ‘That’s fucking badass. What a terrific music.’ After which it seems it was Nirvana. And I favored Nirvana. I assumed they have been cool. I liked their sound. I completely received it. And it was principally unlawful for a metallic man to say you favored Nirvana. I imply, you may be principally crucified and shot execution-style in case you stated that. So it was not allowed for any of us to say that,” he remembered (as transcribed by Blabbermouth)
The rise of grunge, spearheaded by bands from Seattle, led to a fast decline within the reputation of hair bands and conventional metallic on media platforms like MTV. Ellefson famous: “I assume we received caught a bit of bit in it. Once we put out the Youthanasia document, our first single ‘Practice Of Penalties’ was properly acquired. ‘À Tout Le Monde’ was not. After which they only principally turned the channel. After all, Metallica reduce their hair. They began altering their sound a bit of bit — largely their picture. They remained a metallic band for essentially the most half. Metallica and Megadeth, for positive, survived it. We tailored and survived it. A few of our contemporaries simply stayed the course and, in consequence, their enterprise received smaller for an additional 10 years, till the 2000s got here round.”
Ellefson additionally recounted the cultural shift throughout Ozzfest ’98, the place Megadeth was sandwiched between acts like Limp Bizkit and Tool. He noticed the stark distinction between the rising nü metallic type and their very own, conventional metallic picture.
“Dude, I keep in mind doing fuckin’ Ozzfest ’98. And this was the second for me. So that you speak about Seattle second. However for me, the second was Ozzfest ’98. So our showtime was often 6 p.m. each night time. And headliners, clearly, was Ozzy , then it was Tool, then Megadeth, after which proper earlier than us was Limp Bizkit, and I forgot who else earlier than us, however undoubtedly the tides have been turning. And so, Limp Bizkit was up there flushing cardboard cutouts of Spice Women down their large rest room that that they had as a stage prop, everyone’s received saggy garments they usually’re form of doing, form of the Korn… The physique language moved, it modified large time — form of extra gangster, hip-hop form of factor. After which we come out in our skinny denims and we’re headbanging, and it is, like, ‘This simply feels very bizarre.’ We’re sandwiched between Limp Bizkit and Tool. And I keep in mind, me and Marty Friedman, we might exit and watch Tool. I liked them. I assumed they have been nice. It was mesmerizing. To me, they have been just like the modern-day Rush 2112 form of vibe. It was very non-mainstream, form of virtually Pink Floyd-ish. I used to be mesmerized by it, simply how fricking cool it was. So, I received it. I’ve at all times tailored to new stuff that was popping out. So I assumed it was actually cool. Then, in fact, Ozzy would come out. Nevertheless it was simply this bizarre cultural shift that was taking place throughout that point.”
Ellefson expressed a selected fondness for bands that bridged the hole between metallic and grunge, notably Alice In Chains. He additionally appreciated different acts from the period, together with Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog, and Pearl Jam, specifically their debut album.
“I believe going again to the grunge factor, the band that we are able to all agree on, I believe anyone, however particularly metalheads and guitar-player form of bands, was Alice In Chains. They have been simply cool it doesn’t matter what. They form of received everybody over, whereas Soundgarden, I favored them. I did not love them. I like Temple Of The Dog. Cornell, him, and Eddie Vedder dueting on that monitor. And likewise, earlier than Pearl Jam, Mom Love Bone. What a cool band that was. And, in fact, they solely had that second, after which it was over as soon as the singer died. However I assumed Pearl Jam Ten was nice. I imply, that was a type of nice, nice albums. High to backside, it is only a nice document. I believe in all probability for our style, you need to form of take your metallic hat off and simply take heed to it as music.”
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