David Ellefson Interview: 10 Albums That Changed My Life

Feature Photo courtesy of David Ellefson

As one of the more significant bassists in history, David Ellefson knows a thing or two about what makes rock and metal music tick. With Megadeth—which he co-founded—Ellefson provided a deep groove and co-wrote many classic songs across classic records such as Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying (1986), Rust in Peace (1990), and Countdown to Extinction (1992). Sure, Megadeth’s guitar heroics and seething lyrics might have been memorable, but the fact remains that Ellefson’s bass works were not only essential but groundbreaking.

Megadeth aside, Ellefson has dropped many other outstanding releases, such as The Lucid (2021), Dieth’s To Hell and Back (2023), and currently, is repping his thrash metal legacy alongside former Megadeth bandmates Jeff Young and Chris Poland in Kings of Thrash.

As a bassist, Ellefson’s groove is undeniable. And as a performer and songwriter, his chops and presence are unmatched within the thrash field. Given his heavier-than-heavy resume, you’d think his influences are nothing short of bone-crushing. In many ways, they are, but there’s also a ton of diversity, which sheds some light as that is where his groove, chops, and knack for melody come in.

During a break from the action, David Ellefson beamed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to dig into his treasure chest of musical influences by revealing the ten albums that changed his life.

# 10 – Desolation Boulevard –  Sweet (1974)

I think this is genuinely where my first taste of life-changing rock ‘n’ roll came from. Everything before this was just something in the background, but not life-changing. The album cover says, “We’re cooler than you are because we are rock stars.” Ironically, this was the exact scene in my head when I first drove the Sunset Strip upon arriving in Hollywood in 1983! This is a standout album; of course, the song “Ballroom Blitz” sets the tone for what I want to do with my life: become a rock star!

# 9 – The Grand Illusion  –  Styx (1977)

I had heard Styx on the radio before this album came out with songs like “Lorelei,” “Crystal Ball,” and “Lady.” But The Grand Illusion was an album that wouldn’t leave my 8-track machine for weeks at a time. Top to bottom, this album had such great melodic hard rock songs, killer guitar and vocal work, and simple but cool bass lines, which I still love. The standout track was “Come Sail Away.”

# 8 – Double Vision –  Foreigner (1978)

Although Foreigner’s self-titled debut album was terrific (defined by “Feels Like the First Time”), Double Vision really had the juice for me. Mick Jones was such a great songwriter, and while his guitar work wasn’t quite virtuoso, he played with the fire and gusto of a true rock star. And Lou Graham’s voice was instantly recognizable and cool. I also loved the subsequent Head Games and Foreigner 4 albums, but Double Vision was the sweet spot for me, with the title track being the standout.

# 7 – Candy-O –  The Cars (1979)

Skinny tie new wave was all the rave when I was a young lad coming up the ranks and this album was another one that I would listen to non-stop, usually in the John Deere tractor while doing farm work in the autumn of 1979. Elliot Easton’s short burst of melodic solos on “All I Can Do” &and “Candy-O,” to name just a couple, were the coolest, and he, along with Pat Benatar guitarist Neil Geraldo, set great fiery hard rock guitar work inside melodic radio rock songs.

That burst of energy caught my attention. Bassist Ben Orr had the coolest look during that era, and I envied his Music Man Stingray Bass, which I had always wanted that day. While I wasn’t such a fan of keyboards in rock music, Greg Hawke was so unique and trippy that I came to love his new-age sounds and keys work inside this band and set the stage for me to embrace others from the genre, including Gary Numan.

# 6 – A Night at The Opera – Queen (1975)

On Christmas 1976, my parents gave me a copy of this cassette under the tree. I didn’t really know what to make of it as it was not a very cohesive bunch of songs to me. However, they were a unique band, and the distorted guitars made me like it. Plus, they had a larger-than-life sound, especially with the dramatic arrangement of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” But the opening song, “Death on Two Legs,” is my standout track.

# 5 – Strangers in the Night – UFO (1979)

There was an older, cool, long-haired guy in my small town of Jackson, MN, who went to the local vocational school and befriended me one autumn in 1980. My buddies and I would go to his house for hours to listen to his groundbreaking and underground records, as he was also a novel bass player with a real Marshall half stack, which was probably the only one in Jackson County!

He also had the best record collection, including classics like Thin Lizzy and Nazareth, plus new things like AXE, April Wine, and this live album from UFO. There were many double live albums on the market back then, and the more I listened to this one, the more I fell in love with it. It never left my car’s cassette player for weeks at a time.

Of course, Michael Schenker was the rising guitar star, but Paul Raymond impressed me just as much with his keyboard/guitar work, and Pete Way was just one of the coolest rock star bass players ever! The standout tracks for me are “Rock Bottom” and “Mother Mary.”

# 4 – Boston –  Boston (1976)

This album is just perfect. Period! The songs, the production, and the performances are 100% across the board. Tom Scholz’s keyboards, production, and guitar sound were mesmerizing, and I usually couldn’t figure out how he made that spaceship sound. I would later learn it was a simple pick-scrape along the strings with a shitload of echo and delay added!

Brad Delp’s vocals were perfect, especially on the two openers of “More Than a Feeling” and “Peace of Mind.” I loved the bass work so much on this album, as it had a lot of movement to it. I later found out it was Scholz himself playing the parts on a Gibson EB-O bass with the tape sped up, so when he slowed it down to proper speed, the bass would become fatter in the track due to the science of how the particles on the analog tape responded at the slower speed.

Tom Scholz was indeed a pioneer! To this day, the spine-chilling guitar solo in the song “Hitch A Ride” practically moves me to tears, and the “Foreplay/Long Time” medley seals the deal, making this the truly epic American rock album of all time!

# 3 – Toys in the Attic –  Aerosmith (1975)

Although I heard “Dream On” on the radio around the same time, along with KISS, Styx, and Sweet, this album would become my Aerosmith album for all time. It has a warm analog sound, and I would come to love Jack Douglas’s production work on many of my favorite artists’ albums throughout the ’70s. This was Steven Tyler’s true Rock-God era as a lead singer, ala “Walk This Way.” I came to truly love Tom Hamilton’s bass work, highlighted on “Sweet Emotion,” but the standout track for me was “No More No More.”

# 2 – Heaven Tonight –  Cheap Trick (1978)

Coming hot off my KISS love affair, a buddy turned me onto Cheap Trick’s amazing In Color and Heaven Tonight albums. Another warm, analog Jack Douglas production, this LP was a top-to-bottom hit for me, and of course, I loved that they even referenced KISS in the lyrics of “Surrender.”

Their album covers focused on the two rock stars on the front, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson, with the goofy characters on the back, Rick Nielson, and Bun E. Carlos. Like Pete Way of UFO, Tom Petersson just dripped “cool factor,” and his 12-string bass work was unique, cutting edge, and downright awesome! The standout tracks for me are “Taking Me Back” and “Stiff Competition.”

# 1 – Caught in the Act –  Grand Funk Railroad (1975)

The 1970s were ripe with these double live albums. The formula seemed to me to be three studio albums and then the epic live album, which usually caught my attention, such as KISS’s Alive! Peter Frampton’s Comes Alive!, etc. As for Caught in the Act, it didn’t get my attention upon its release, as I thought they were a funk band! But once this LP hit my turntable, it has remained a staple of my record collection ever since.

Again, I’m not a huge fan of keyboards in rock music, but this album offered something much different (must be the Motor City mojo) and kicks off with groovy keys on “Footstompin’ Music” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul,” which was quite heavy and spirited! Bassist Mel Schacher would become a favorite with his slinky and creative bass lines (check out “T.N.U.C”). The standout tracks for me would be “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)” and “We’re An American Band.”