Being an American metal musician, it’s not much of a secret that David Ellefson is a KISS fan. And how could he not be a fan of a game-changing band that was huge as he was growing up? With that in mind, as he’s preparing for the new Kings Of Thrash dates, we asked David about his thoughts on the final KISS show and how things went down with their farewell tour. Among other things, he also reflected on some of the aspects of his work in Megadeth as well.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: Do you think KISS has really played their final show?
David Ellefson: “I don’t know for sure. I always felt like KISS, if they wanted to, they could always do corporates. I’m surprised there’s not a KISS Las Vegas, KISS Tokyo, KISS London, and put some other guys in the make-up and go out and have KISS carry on.
“But look, Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] are artists and musicians. Gene is already out on tour playing. I get it, I was like that even in and around Megadeth. I still put out a solo record, wrote a book, music is your life. This isn’t a job where you just put in your 30 years, clock out, get your gold watch, and play golf. That’s not who we are as people.
“I think, at the end of the day, the stage always calls us back. The studio always calls us back. I’ve talked to some people, and the more they threaten to retire, the better the calls they get for the next gig. I think that’s a pure sign that the universe is like, ‘Yeah, you ain’t done. Keep going.”