GREAT to see my friend David Ellefson at the shows this weekend. Sunday was his 59th birthday!
By Meltdown | 101 WRIF
We already talked tour stories, Alice in Chains, and saying yes to everything—but when it comes to This Was My Life: The Story of Nick Menza, things got deeper. Real quick.
David Ellefson didn’t just co-produce a film. He created a time capsule. A love letter. A peace offering. Something for Nick’s family, and for all of us who grew up pounding the dashboard to “Holy Wars.”
“This wasn’t just about Megadeth. This was for his family.”
When I asked what sparked the documentary, Ellefson got honest.
“Nick’s manager asked me to get involved. He even said, ‘We’ll try to pay you.’ I told him, ‘Look—no one’s got any money. Let’s just do this to honor Nick.’”
The film doesn’t rely on high-dollar Megadeth concert clips (that licensing ain’t cheap). Instead, it’s packed with rare footage—home videos, backstage moments, and deeply personal interviews.
“Nick was kind of ahead of his time, always filming. Before A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica, he was already documenting everything. Him tapping out Lucretia backstage at NEC Arena—if you’re a fan, you know that rhythm.”
The Menza Mafia & the Spirit of the Music
One of my favorite stories Ellefson told was how the film’s vibe came together—like the “Memphis Mafia” in Elvis docs, only this time with the Menza Mafia.
“We filmed a lot of the interviews the same day, all of us in L.A. Then me and Jeff Young went to the Rainbow that night, just bullshittin’. Jeff hums this old riff from ’88—and I go, ‘Dude, I remember that!’ That became ‘Bridges Burn’ with Kings of Thrash.”
Classic Ellefson. Always creating, always catching vibes.
He even hinted at a documentary about Nick’s dad, Don Menza—jazz sax legend and the guy who played the Pink Panther theme. “That’s his ‘Peace Sells,’” Ellefson joked. “Maybe I’ve got the Pink Panther and Don’s got ‘Peace Sells.’”
“Am I at peace with everything? Yeah, I am.”
Toward the end of our chat, I asked Ellefson something a little heavier: Are you at peace with your career?
“You know, I am,” he said. “But I also feel like there’s more train on the tracks. I haven’t seen the light at the end yet—and maybe I’m not supposed to.”
He talked about friends who flatlined and came back. Talked about death. Talked about faith. Talked about music being more than just sound—how it’s a spirit in the air that you capture when it’s ready.
“One day I don’t want to play. Next day I flip open the piano, and this song just comes back to me like a ghost. Not a metal song. Just something real.”
And when it’s time to share it?
“I won’t market it to thrash fans. I’ll just drop it online like, ‘Hey, I did this one afternoon.’ That’s where I’m at.”
🎥 This Was My Life: The Story of Nick Menza is rolling out to festivals and streaming platforms now. Limited Blu-rays exist if you’re lucky enough to snag one.
🎸 Kings of Thrash hits the road this fall—Ellefson called it the “East Coast, Ohio Valley, Michigan” leg. You know Detroit’s on that list.
