MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine has issued the following update:

"I am going over the week and what I have accomplished and what still needs to be done going forward. It was a great week, we are up to eight song ideas, and not only did James and I get a load of work accomplished, but we also managed to get over to the U.S. Naval Hospital and visit the cancer and leukemia patients and all of the amputees from the I.E.D.s in Iraq. That was a very sobering moment.

I was also able to do a photo shoot for Dean Guitars yesterday of me and my new R.I.P. V (VMNT) and it looks absolutely amazing. I have had the misfortune of losing several of the "more beautiful" guitars in my collection over the years to malfunctions, and mental meltdowns, but this is a guitar that I believe, even "I" would not be able to see get hurt or damaged in any way.

In other words - this is the baddest mutha-f*cka I have ever had!

You will no doubt see soon, and probably at NAMM this year, which I will be proudly practising my penmanship at the DEAN Guitars booth. I will hopefully be able to stop in and say hello and thanks to all of my endorsers, which aren't many because I don't play stuff just because its kewl or free or costs less, just like I only play the best guitars because they are the best guitars!

I do endorse several products that you can see on my gear page, and there will be a few slight additions to my repertoire, like the surprise coming from Marshall Amplifiers this next year. You will be able to see these magnificent works of art on the JUDAS PRIEST - Megadeth - TESTAMENT tour coming up in February, in the UK and Europe, as well as Gigantour in the USA and Canada this spring and summer, and around the rest of the world for the following months.

You will also be able to hear these new products on the new record that we are working on in my personal studio, the 12th studio record for Megadeth, so stay posted for uploaded clips of new music at our fan club and all over the Official Megadeth websites.

Thank you for all of your participation in the contests with Megadeth.com and with our Official Megadeth Fan Club - the MFC. On January 1st we are going to be accepting new memberships for the Official Megadeth MegaFanClub again. Stay tuned to details on that too.

Today I will be going over the artwork for the Christmas Card entries and picking the winner. If you entered, cross your fingers, and we will notify the winner and runners up soon.

Lastly, our beloved Webmaster is finalizing the criteria for the "Challenge." This is going to be a great way for you or someone you know to help their community and do something good with themselves, and do the "pay it forward" kinda thing. As things become clearer, so will what we are going to consider meeting the "Challenge.

Hell, there aren't really a lot of us, and there are a lot of concerts and we could easily have a lot of people from each city coming back to meet us, if it results in making their cities and their countries and ultimately the world a better place, then just tell me when can we start this?

I am off to seize the day, and will keep you updated here and at all of our "Official Megadeth Circle of Sites." ANd you can get periodic updates from me and the other band members from TheLiveLine. Just check out their numbers and call them. There is going to be a new site launched for TheLiveLine in the near future and the behind the seens work that is going on is fascinating. I can't wait to bring this to you "LIVE!"