David Ellefson, who was fired from Megadeth last May after accusations of “grooming” when sexually suggestive messages and explicit videos were posted on Twitter, has announced his next project, The Lucid. The band feature Sponge vocalist Vinnie Dombroski, Bang Tango guitarist Drew Fortier and Fear Factory drummer Mike Heller alongside the 56-year-old bassist.
The band are due to release the first music from their nine-track self-titled debut album on September 8. Ellefson has said about the new musical direction: “It's cool stuff, and it's very different. It's, obviously, not thrash metal, hence the name Lucid. The name kind of feels like what the music sounds like.”
Ellefson has denied the allegations of grooming, claiming the “adult interactions” were “taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family.” The woman involved has since come forward to deny that she was underage at the time.
Although Ellefson had recorded bass parts for Megadeth’s forthcoming 16th album, frontman Dave Mustaine erased them all and have recruited James LoMenzo, who played bass on Megadeth's 2007 United Abominations and 2009's Endgame album for upcoming touring commitments.
