My Life with Deth

September 2, 2013
Ellefson is the founding bass guitarist of the multimillion-copy–selling metal band Megadeth. He is also studying to be a Lutheran pastor and is the son of a Minnesota farmer. How all that hangs together—and it does—is the subject of his memoir, co-written with English music journalist McIver. Ellefson wanted to be a rock star from his youth and had the talent and drive to succeed, rising to fame in the 1980s, drug-fueled until he became clean in 1990. It’s clear that despite years of dangerous excess, Ellefson is basically a driven businessman and salt-of-the-earth Minnesota Lutheran, a chip off his farmer dad’s block. Metal music fans will find this a fascinating backstage read; those outside that circle will tune out some of the discography detail. Yet everyone can appreciate Ellefson’s unpretentious tone and the delightful irony of a serious Christian who helped define seriously heavy metal music. Agent: Lisa Gallagher, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.