10 Greatest Secret Weapons In Rock And Roll

It's hard not to think of Megadeth as the second fiddle of Metallica if you saw them on first glance. While Dave Mustaine's work on albums like Rust in Peace have put him in the hallowed halls of metal godhood, the fact that he was booted from one of the most famous thrash bands in the world tends to have an extra weight carried with it. So if Dave is already fighting his own stigma, what chance do you have when you're the partner in crime?

As opposed to the traditional Mustaine penned lyrics and riffs, David Ellefson has been the one (almost) constant in Megadeth's world since the very beginning. Affectionately called Junior throughout most of the early days, Ellefson's playing always had the grit and muscle to match Mustaine's at the best of times, tearing through bass runs with a pick to give songs like Peace Sells a distinct gnarly attack.

Even when laying down a straight ahead mute on something like Symphony of Destruction, Ellefson really is the one who propels the groove so Dave can lean into his demented singing moments. And you better believe that was felt in the turn of the '00s, with Ellefson's trademark low ending being a welcome return to form after a few lackluster albums in his absence like United Abominations. Bass might be considered the less cool guitar, but Ellefson's trademark sound is proof enough that you need it.