MEGADETH, ANTHRAX & FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Members Offering Kids Free Music Lessons

Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has launched his School's Out initiative. The initiative, backed by the Grammy Music Education Coalition and David Ellefson Youth Music Foundation, aims to give kids free music lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic and has a pretty impressive lineup. So far the instructors include:

• Megadeth's Dirk Verbeuren and Kiko Loureiro
• Anthrax's Frank Bello
• Alice Cooper's Nita Strauss and Jimmy Degrasso
• Sons of Apollo's Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
• Five Finger Death Punch's Chris Kael
• Black Star Riders' Chad Szeliga
• Vio-Lence's Phil Demmel
• Sacred Reich's Dave McClain
• Sevendust's Clint Lowery
• Bleeding Through's Brandan Schieppatti
• Ellefson's Thom Hazaert
• Doll Skin's Alex Snowden and Sydney Dolezal
• Suicidal Tendencies' Ra Diaz
• Soulfly's Marc Rizzo

Here's what David Ellefson Youth Music Foundation co-chair Thom Hazaert had to say about the endeavor.

“David and I were brainstorming on ways to give back during the COVID epidemic and put some positivity out in a time of some pretty unparalleled crisis and uncertainty,” says DEYMF co-chair Thom Hazaert. "The mission of our foundation is to try and help keep music in schools, but what happens when kids can’t go to school? As I’m sitting home with my two restless kids, in basically forced exile, it kinda hit me.” He adds, “We started talking about David doing a few online lessons with kids, via the foundation, and then got around to the idea of recruiting some of our other friends as well. Then we talked to our friends at the GRAMMY Music Education Coalition, and it really took on a whole new life, and became a massive initiative.”

"When one person suffers, we all suffer, and this is an unprecedented moment in history when all of us around the world are united for a common cause,” says Ellefson. "Music and the arts have always been some of our greatest healers in a way none other can. As we reach into each other's souls with resounding hope, I'm forever thankful to our friends in the creative community who have kindly offered their expertise to put a smile on the faces of so many people in need right now. Let this be a time when we can all unite under the banner of Music and let our creativity lead the way.”

Anyone interested an apply for the lessons on the foundation's website.