MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine has issued the following update:

"Droogies!

It appears that there will be some description needed for this song.

'A Tout Le Monde', as most of you know, and all of the know it alls know, was from Youthanasia.

The video was banned, the single was shelved, and without your loving support of a truly beautiful song, it would have died.

MTV banned it because they said, 'it was a song about suicide,' as did many people, but why would the line, 'I'd love to stay with you all' be in there? It would need to say something like, I want to die, right?

And I had a manager at the time that was told along with me by MTV not to use Director Wayne Isham (METALLICA) because we had used him too much; odd request, but I heard them loud and clear.

Of course management didn't listen and tried to slip it in to MTV under a pseudonym and MTV flipped. They are/were pissed at me for something I didn't do and I would be OK if it was something I did, but I told the manager, and David Ellefson (bass) can attest to this, NOT to use Wayne.

Their solution was to ban the $300,000+ vidi, and radio in America was following MTV very closely at the time, still do to an extent, and did not play the single.

The song was left at the altar. I got sent a bill.

Then after the shooting in Montreal, where someone tried tying this song into that horrific act, I knew it was time to follow something that had been haunting me from the start of that song: I could not allow myself to accept the failure of my music because of someone else. I will take the heat, I am well forged by now, so there is yesterday's news.

But there was something else: I'd wanted to hear that song as a duet, since it truly was a song of love. But the person had to be perfect; had to be angelic.

I decided, and I have sang 'A Tout Le Monde' again with Christina Scabbia (LACUNA COIL) because she is that person. I had Lisa Marie Presley confirmed, as well as two other attempts, but Christina was the obvious choice for our metal community.

The song was sped up a little, like it was supposed to be on Youthanasia before all the tempos were turned down. It has a 50% longer solo of original Glen Drover lead guitar blending into the original Friedman solo, and launching off of that at the end of the solo taking it up a little bit more.

So, now that leaves us with what to do with this song. Well, its intention was only to soothe my wounds, and it was meant to be a 'B-side' for Japan, but that didn't happen, as you will no doubt read.

The song was finished and turned in to the record company and the radio department and everyone, including people that have heard the song before, are saying, 'this is the single for America!' There was excitement and a buzz, and they ALL agreed on this, which is a feat in itself when you have some many creative people in one place at any given time.

Imagine my surprise, and my sense of being vindicated, and then the shock and concern about you Droogies not understanding (which apparently you don't), let alone the indifferent public, which is now the primary target, since you have already heard it and it was supposed to be a simple "B-side", and the haters who will undoubtedly hate.

On one hand it worked, and on the other, I have to explain myself, which I don't like.

But it gets stranger.

Now 'A Tout Le Monde' has a new life and people are reacting, but there is concern about, as I was told, 'the guy in Arkansas that calls the song 'a toot lay monday'.' I said, 'I say the pronunciation in the song,' but it was suggested to me, to help the public to discover this classic you all know and most love (and some don't want tampered with) to add a subtitle.

I said, "huh?" The moments after that were inconsequential, and I just found myself agreeing because there were worse things I had to fix at the time, and I had to pick which thing I was going to give my attention to at "crunch time."

So, in an effort to make things easier for the DJs, and remember this is just for radio, there has been a subtitle added to 'ATLM' ala 'A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)' for the album and the single has been called 'Set Me Free (A Tout Le Monde)' for radio by Roadrunner.

You have gotten 'Sleepwalker', we posted 'Gears Of War', and everyone seems to have heard 'Washington Is Next!', and I think we are doing pretty good.

All I can say is, just trust me on this one. Again, it was meant to be a 'B-side' and with all of the professionals over at Roadrunner, I think they really may be right and they may have a real surprise for you.

We shoot the video for this song on the 8th of this month before I leave for Vancouver, and Christina shoots her part on the 9th.

Thank you to the guys in Lacuna Coil for supporting Christina in doing this, and to you Ms. Scabbia, you were fantastic!

Tour dates for the US run are officially announced Monday morning here, so check back then

Release the hounds!!!"

As previously reported, Megadeth and MACHINE HEAD have been added to HEAVEN AND HELL's upcoming US tour. "Leaked" dates are as follows:

March

30 - New York City, NY at Radio City Music Hall

April

22 - Phoenix, AZ at Dodge Theatre
24 - San Jose, CA at HP Pavilion

May

6 - Minneapolis, MN at Target Center
10 - Philadelphia, PA at Wachovia Spectrum
15 - Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena
17 - Lowell, MA at Paul E. Tsongas Arena
19 - Holmdel, NJ at PNC Bank Arts Center

Heaven And Hell commence their world tour this month in Canada with Megadeth and DOWN opening the shows. The dates are as follows:

March

11 - Vancouver, BC at Pacific Coliseum
13 - Edmonton, AB at Rexall Place
14 - Calgary, AB at Saddledome
16 - Regina, SK at Brandt Centre
18 - Winnipeg, MB at MTS Centre
20 - Sault St. Marie, ON at Steelback Centre
22 - Toronto, ON at Air Canada Centre
24 - London, ON at John Labatt Centre
26 - Montreal, PQ at Bell Centre
27 - Quebec City, PQ at Colisee Pepsi Arena
28 - Ottawa, ON at Civic Centre