MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine has issued the following update via the band's official Facebook page here:

"Due to circumstances beyond its control, unfortunately Megadeth has to cancel their Australian dates. Megadeth's decision is unrelated to the fact that Jason Newsted (NEWSTED, ex-METALLICA) is performing at Soundwave. Jason and I spoke recently and continue to be friends.

All I asked for was an apology for blaming me for something I didn't do. I am still willing to play, but the promoter would rather not apologize and prefers to say I asked him to lie, which I didn't. Am I the only one that sees how easy it is to fix this? The AJ Maddah that I know is a wise and caring man, and I don't know what has happened to my old friend. My bags are packed, Aussie fans."

Following Mustaine's announcement, promoter AJ Maddah took to Twitter and issued a statement in an attempt to get Mustaine to reconsider:

"Dave, we have been friends for a long time and I love you. Your family is like my own. But the only people being punished here are the fans.

We took instructions from your representatives and we acted on those instructions, as we would with any other artist.

I realise that you fired your agent and manager and appointed new ones during the process… And that there may have been misunderstandings or miscommunications, but none of those were at our end.

Despite all] of this, I sent you a statement regarding possible misunderstandings / miscommunications, apologising to fans, etc. … even though my people did everything by the book and correct protocol was undertaken getting approvals for supports. There are strings of emails supporting this, including ones forwarded with instructions to remove certain artists.

I am not sure where and how you believe you are owed an apology. And if you are, it should be from your own reps!

All you are doing by cancelling is punishing the fans who have had no part in any of this. Your reps approved your supports and sent clear instructions. They even approved artwork and press release. If you have a quarrel, or you were not consulted, then your issue is with your reps and not Australian reps or your old friend!

So here it is, Dave. I apologize for whatever slight you think I have done you.

So, does this mean tour is back on?”

Judging by a follow-up post by Maddah several hours later answering fan questions about the situation, it seems Mustaine's answer was "no."
"Nope. Total silence. Got a call from his agent apologising for his behaviour. That's about it."

Stay tuned for more drama...

Last week it was announced that 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 New 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."