According to Therockradio.com, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has disputed reports that the band is assembling a tour that would feature the "Big Four" of the 1980s underground thrash metal scene -- itself, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX. In an interview with Nudge at Dayton, Ohio radio station 103.9 (The X), Ulrich said, "I think it would be a super-fun thing to do. It's something that I would definitely support. It's something that I would love to encourage. It's something I love to be very proactive in putting together. But right now . . . it's not something that's like hush-hush being worked on behind the scenes or anything like that. I read some of those internet sites myself once in a while, and it's not something that's going down, but it's something that I would be totally for at some point if it could happen. And we would love to be a part of that at any level possible."

Ulrich added that he believes the idea originated at a London party last March, where "a bunch of us were sitting around way later than we should have been sitting around (having) a bunch of very heavily red wine-induced conversations . . . And the idea of doing that at some point came up in that conversation."

Ulrich's comments, however, directly contradict those of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who told Metromix that work was moving forward on just such a tour, although he cautioned, "It's not a sealed deal. We're working on it."

Metallica kicked off its latest North American trek on Monday (September 14th) in Nashville, and next plays on Saturday (September 19th) in Montreal.