'Into the Pit:' David Ellefson & Jeff Scott Soto

If there’s one iota of positivity resulting from an unforeseeable pandemic that — no pun intended — virtually shut down the music and metal scene as we know it going on 14 months, it’s that some projects, albums and collaborations that may not have ever taken place have planted their seeds. One such undertaking finds Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and renowned vocalist Jeff Scott Soto teaming up for the soon-to-be unveiled Ellefson-Soto.

Despite the Covid-19 stranglehold on society, the Big-4-of-thrash bass musician found his way to San Antonio last Oct. 30 (coverage here) in support of cover album No Cover that features a slew of guests including Dangerous Toys vocalist and longtime Austin resident Jason McMaster, for which they shot a video the day prior for AC/DC’s “Riff Raff.” Prior to that, Ellefson brought his Basstory tour to Fitzgerald’s in 2018 (coverage and interview here). Soto also found his way to the Alamo City in 2018 with Trans-Siberian Orchestra (coverage here).

Ellefson and Megadeth are nearly complete with their follow-up to 2016’s Dystopia and have again rescheduled their headlining tour with Lamb Of God, Trivium and In Flames including Friday, Aug. 20 at Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin (tickets here). Soto, meanwhile, released solo album Wide Awake (In My Dreamland) last November and is fresh off two studio albums and a live symphonic recording with supergroup Sons Of Apollo. Ellefson’s solo group and Sons Of Apollo share former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (ATM interview here), while SOA also features bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy of The Winery Dogs and renowned keyboardist Derek Sherinian.

To tide fans over before hearing the forthcoming Ellefson-Soto songs, the duo brought in vocalist Rick Hughes of Quebec band Sword (not to be confused with The Sword out of Austin) for a quarantined version of Riot’s “Swords & Tequila” (watch below). The video, which also features Andy Martongelli on lead and rhythm guitars and Paolo Caridi on drums, proved to be the perfect launching pad for Ellefson and Soto to go “Into the Pit” with ATM on Wednesday for a Zoom chat that spanned a smorgasbord of elements of their respective careers. That included a dip into their movie endeavors, with Soto marking 20 years of his involvement with the Mark Wahlberg film “Rock Star” and Ellefson looking forward to the October release of his horror documentary “Dwellers” with actor Drew Fortier (trailer here)

Click the sound widget below to listen to our entire conversation.

Soto takes part in our virtual chat.

Ellefson brought his solo band to the Anthem School of Music grounds this past Oct. 30 playing a mixture of covers and Megadeth classics.

Ellefson gave away one of his signature bass guitars during his Basstory performance in 2018 at Fitzgerald’s.

Even one of San Antonio’s finest couldn’t resist a photo-op with Ellefson in 2018 at Fitzgerald’s.

Soto sings with Trans-Siberian Orchestra over Christmas 2018 at the AT&T Center.

Ellefson performs during his Basstory gathering in 2018 at Fitzgerald’s.

Ellefson whoops it up at the River City Rockfest outside the AT&T Center in 2016.

Ellefson enjoys himself during Wednesday’s three-way virtual conversation.

Into the Pit: Tesla vocalist Jeff Keith

For those who firmly believe 1986 was the best year for metal album releases, there’s no denying Tesla was a big reason. Within a calendar period that yielded timeless gems such as Master of Puppets, Peace Sells . . . But Who’s Buying?, To Hell With the Devil, Dancing Undercover and Slippery When Wet, bands such as Cinderella and Poison unleashed their popular debuts as well.

Tesla did the same but with one major caveat: they weren’t supposed to be lumped into the glam-metal category. Nevertheless, Mechanical Resonance shot Tesla to the conscience of rockers and metalheads on the strength of MTV hit “Modern Day Cowboy” whether they were in their hometown of Sacramento, California, on the Sunset Strip of Hollywood or here in San Antonio. Their second effort The Great Radio Controversy defied the dreaded sophomore jinx and was a bigger success thanks to the ballad “Love Song.”

So what in the heck was Tesla doing by fixing something that wasn’t broke when their third album ended up being a live acoustic release? Flourishing, that’s what.

To say Five Man Acoustical Jam was a gamble that paid off would be an understatement. The recording that combined hits from the first two albums plus covers such as The Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’ “ and The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” spawned the smash cover of “Signs” by Five Man Electrical Band.

Not bad for a band known as City Kidd that changed its name during the recording of its first album (note to millennials: Tesla is named after inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla, not an electric vehicle).

Fast forward 34 years, and original members in vocalist Jeff Keith, guitarist Frank Hannon, bassist/keyboardist Brian Wheat, drummer Troy Luccketta and 14-year member and guitarist Dave Rude have marked three decades of that effort by releasing Five Man London Jam on March 27. Recorded on June 12, 2019, at The Beatles’ famed Abbey Road Studios, the record offers up a variety from its 1990 acoustical predecessor plus tracks ranging from 1991’s Psychotic Supper to last year’s Shock.

But it wasn’t always fun and fame for Tesla starting out. Keith recalled many lazy days and crazy nights getting booed offstage during their first tour when he discussed a variety of topics with Alamo True Metal on Thursday. Click the widget below to hear our entire conversation, and check out a few videos past and present plus photos of Keith in action over the years from the Alamodome and Aztec Theatre.