Earlier this week it was announced that NEWSTED, featuring former METALLICA/VOIVOD/FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bass legend Jason Newsted, had been dropped from the bill for MEGADETH’s Soundwave 2014 sideshows. A source close to the festival confirmed that Megadeth had requested that Newsted be dropped from the bill.
Now news surfaces revealing that Megadeth didn’t have anything to do with having Newsted removed from the Australian tour lineup. That’s according to MEGADETH tour manager Jim Carroccio, who tells ABC News Radio exclusively, “Dave Mustaine is not responsible for booting Newsted off [the Soundwaves festival]. Dave did not put him on the bill and did not take him off the bill.”
Newsted had been slated to play a supporting slot on two of MEGADETH’s shows in Australia when the show’s promoter abruptly dropped Newsted, added WHITECHAPEL, and issued a statement claiming that the switch-up was “at the request of MEGADETH.” That started a rumor storm that Dave Mustaine hadn’t dropped his longstanding grudge against Metallica, from which he was fired in 1983 for drug use.
MEGADETH’s tour manager denies any bad blood between Megadeth and Newsted, telling ABC News Radio, “Dave submitted a list of bands he was comfortable with and the promoter ignored the list. Dave and Jason are friends [and] this has blown up into something silly.”