Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has offered some insight into his personal philosophy on live performance, revealing that he always says a “little prayer” before taking the stage. In a recent conversation with the Mind Behind The Music podcast, Ellefson spoke about his mindset, which he says has been shaped by decades of playing in everything from small clubs to massive arenas.
For Ellefson, the key to a great performance is to connect with each individual in the audience, regardless of the crowd size. “I think the trick as a performer is to perform for the audience of one,” he explained (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). He suggested that this “audience of one” could be a higher power, a loved one, or even the younger version of himself who just wanted to rock. He recalled how when his son was first born, he felt a sense of purpose on tour. “I kind of felt like I was doing everything for him,” he said.
This “singleness of purpose” helps him stay focused whether he’s playing for 20 people or 20,000. He acknowledged that larger crowds can create a heightened sense of excitement, but he maintains that the core of the performance remains the same. “It comes back to what we talked about: read the room,” he advised. “And audience of one, I think, has always been a good philosophy.”
Elaborating on his spiritual approach to performing, Ellefson was very direct. “First of all, I always say a little prayer, even if it’s just, ‘Oh, God, please help me.'” He added, “Music is sort of this divine calling that we have. And when you’re called, that means you’re being led — you’re not being driven, you’re being led. So even though you’re in a forward motion, the motivation behind it can be very different.” He believes this perspective is crucial for his career. “To me, today, the phone rings, I say yes. They lead me to where I need to go, whether it’s a record company or a producer or somebody, or another musician calls and says, ‘Hey, you wanna write some songs?'”
He concluded by stressing the importance of every single gig, no matter how small. He said that performers should never get caught up in the size of the crowd or the money they’re making. “The person at the hundred-seat club, they paid the same amount of money as the guy standing next to him, and they want to be entertained just like the guy next to ’em,” he noted. He sees every performance as an opportunity, regardless of the venue. “You’re there for a reason,” he said. “And so get on with the reason, is how I always look at it.”
