A MEGADETH representative has shot down reports that the band was responsible for removing former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted's new project, simply called NEWSTED, from the lineup of MEGADETH's upcoming Australian tour. Earlier this week, a number of news outlets reported that NEWSTED had been booted from MEGADETH's side shows in Sydney and Melbourne while touring Australia on the annual Soundwave festival. Soundwave organizers claimed that Jason Newsted's band was removed from the dates "at the request of MEGADETH." However, according to MEGADETH tour manager Jim Carroccio, nothing could be further from the truth. "[MEGADETH mainman] Dave Mustaine is not responsible for booting NEWSTED off [the Soundwave festival 'off' dates]," Carroccio tells ABC New Radio. "Dave did not put [Jason] on the bill and did not take him off the bill."He adds: "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."Newsted performed the classic METALLICA song "Phantom Lord" with MEGADETH on August 11, 2013 at the final show of last summer's Gigantour in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Newsted, who quit METALLICA in February 2001, is the frontman of NEWSTED, which took part in last year's edition of Gigantour, the critically acclaimed package festival founded in 2005 by Mustaine.Mustaine, who was one of the original members of METALLICA, was fired from the band by drummer Lars Ulrich in 1983. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett and went on to form MEGADETH and achieve worldwide success on his own.
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