Megadeth Denies That Newsted Is Kicked off

If you’ve been struggling over who to support in the rumored Megadeth/Jason Newsted feud, take it easy. According to a rep for Megadeth, the rumors surrounding Newsted’s recent exit from the Megadeth tour aren’t true.

Tour manager Jim Carroccio spoke with ABC News Radio, insisting that Megadeth frontman “Dave Mustaine is not responsible for booting Newsted off … Dave did not put him on the bill and did not take him off the bill.”

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Newsted’s self-titled band was scheduled to support Megadeth on some smaller shows connected to the Soundwave Festival, a five-city Australian package tour hitting the road between Feb. 22 and March 3. Given that Mustaine and Newsted are both former members of Metallica — and that Mustaine famously nursed a long grudge after being fired from the band in 1983 — some bystanders have assumed that Newsted’s exit from the tour was vindictively motivated, especially since the Soundwave promoter was quoted as saying it happened “at the request of Megadeth.”

Newsted, meanwhile, is remaining mostly mum — for now. He took to Twitter on Feb. 6, saying only, “An official statement regarding NEWSTED performances will be made soon. Thanks J”