For nearly four decades, Megadeth has been synonymous with Dave Mustaine. As the band’s founder, primary songwriter, lead singer, and co-producer, Mustaine has always been the driving force behind its creative and financial decisions. However, there was one brief moment in the band’s history when things operated a little differently.
During a conversation with The Metal Voice, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson shared an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the making of Youthanasia—the band’s 1994 album that, for a short time, functioned under a more democratic system.
“Youthanasia, we went into it, it was actually Nick Menza’s idea, and he said, ‘Let’s just pre-decide upfront how much everybody’s going to get,’” Ellefson recalled, as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar. “That way, when we’re showing up every day, whoever brings the best idea that day will get used, and it won’t have any agenda of, ‘Well, he’s going to make more money than me,’ or, ‘How come he’s got more songs on a record than me?’ Just bring your best.”
Ellefson explained that this system ensured that every band member had an incentive to contribute, without worrying about financial disparities. “And if it turns out they’re all Dave and Marty Friedman songs, then whatever, at least me and Nick will get paid, too. And it turned out to be, I think, a pretty fair split of stuff. So that was Nick’s idea.”
Unfortunately, this more balanced approach didn’t last long. “Now, it only worked on one album, and Dave didn’t want to do it anymore after that,” Ellefson admitted. “But it was a great album and is one of the more esteemed, especially internationally, one of the greatest Megadeth records that we made. And because it feels like a group, it feels like a team.”
Released on November 1, 1994, Youthanasia produced some of Megadeth’s most enduring tracks, including “Train of Consequences” and “A Tout le Monde.” Despite metal’s declining mainstream popularity in North America during the mid-’90s, the album achieved platinum status in both the U.S. and Canada, proving that even in a changing musical landscape, Megadeth could still command a loyal audience.
