STEVE DIGIORGIO On Recording With DAVE MUSTAINE: 'He Wasn't What I Expected'

Summary

• Steve DiGiorgio recorded bass for The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! after Ellefson’s removal, working closely with Dave Mustaine in studio.
• Despite Mustaine’s reputation, DiGiorgio says the sessions were collaborative, with room for creative input and mutual respect.
• He later spoke with David Ellefson on tour, describing the conversation as positive, with no tension or unresolved issues.

Steve DiGiorgio, longtime bassist for Testament, has spoken candidly about his brief but intense experience recording with Dave Mustaine for Megadeth’s album The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!

In a new interview with Scars And Guitars, DiGiorgio described the session as surprisingly collaborative, and credited Mustaine for being more open and supportive than he anticipated.

“He was f-ing great to work with,” DiGiorgio said. “He pushed me, he pulled me, but when it was done, he let me know it was done. It was a big high five and a hug.”

DiGiorgio was brought in during the summer of 2021 to re-record bass parts originally tracked by David Ellefson, who was dismissed from the band following a public scandal.

With no advance demos and very little prep time, DiGiorgio entered the studio under pressure. He noted that Mustaine didn’t offer a list of other candidates for the job.

“He told me on the phone, ‘If you can’t do it, I don’t have a two or three written down.’”

A lot of pressure? Sure, but DiGiorgio says the tone in the studio was constructive. Mustaine offered direction but gave him space to experiment when possible.

“There was a little more flexibility than I thought,” he explained. “Sometimes we’d just put the controller away, face each other, and try stuff.”

Known for his work in Death, Sadus, and Testament, DiGiorgio is often associated with fingerstyle playing and complex arrangements. For the Megadeth sessions, he adapted to the band’s style, often using a pick to match the tone and attack Mustaine was looking for.

“I told him flat out, ‘I’m not super proficient with a pick.’ He just looked at me and said, ‘That’s what’s admirable about you. You’re grabbing it and f-ing crushing through it.’”

The session lasted about two weeks. According to DiGiorgio, every day was focused and efficient. There were no arguments, no creative standoffs, and none of the tension that often surfaces in secondhand stories about Mustaine’s studio demeanor.

“I can’t validate any of that,” DiGiorgio said, referring to Mustaine’s reputation. “My experience was completely positive. The whole team was great to me.”

He also addressed the elephant in the room: replacing Ellefson. The two eventually spoke during a European tour stop, when Dieth, Ellefson’s new band, opened for Testament and Voivod. The conversation was private, and, according to DiGiorgio, free of resentment.

“He gave me no heavy trip at all. Just a smile on his face. We had a f-ing awesome conversation.”

The bass parts DiGiorgio recorded remain on the album, though James LoMenzo later joined Megadeth full-time. DiGiorgio never intended to become a permanent member and views his contribution as a session role handled during an unusual transition period for the band.

Megadeth, formed in 1983, released The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! in 2022, their first full-length since Dystopia in 2016. The album’s production timeline was disrupted by Ellefson’s dismissal and COVID-related delays, eventually leading to DiGiorgio’s unplanned involvement.

Despite entering a high-pressure situation, DiGiorgio walked away with a clear takeaway: Mustaine may run a tight ship, but the experience was nothing like the horror stories suggest.

“It was a f-ing amazing experience,” he said. “I had to pinch myself when I drove away from that studio.”

Watch the full interview here 👇

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