A feud has reportedly erupted between two bands playing on the Soundwave 2014 lineup that’s resulted in a change in billing to the Sidwave that the two bands were playing together in just over two weeks.
Megadeth have booted Newsted – the titular rock band of ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted – from their forthcoming headline sideshows at Melbourne’s The Forum and Sydney’s Roundhouse Theatre.
A statement from Soundwave festival organisers simply states: “At the request of Megadeth, Newsted will not be playing the above Sidewave shows and instead will be replaced by Whitchapel.” Joining a bill that also features Danish metal group Volbeat.
Even Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah was surprised by the last-minute lineup change. The promoter was unclear on the details that led to Newsted being dropped from the Megadeth bill, tweeting “last I heard they were getting on great on tour,” telling another fan that “something has certainly gone down although we have no details.”
@Rich_tone85 They did til very recently. Have been touring together for months!
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 5, 2014
Our five cents says that the dispute has something to do between outspoken Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine – who was a member of Metallica once upon a time – and Jason Newsted, who was the band’s long-term bassist until he quit in 2001.
UPDATE 6/2: Dave Mustaine has denied that there is any bad blood between him and Newsted. Responding to a fan enquiry on a Facebook post about the lineup change, Mustaine writes: “Look, I’m disappointed too. I explained to Jason Newsted this morning. We didn’t put him on the show and we didn’t kick him off the show. He understands, why don’t you?”
In a follow-up comment, Mustaine added, “I love our Australian fans and I love Jason too. This is all a huge misunderstanding.”
Further to his previous comments, Soundwave’s Maddah suggested in a tweet that “maybe there is a problem between managers or agents.”
It’s not the only Soundwave related lineup shuffle that’s occurred recently. Last week, the festival underwent a massive change when top-billed act Stone Temple Pilots announced they’d cancelled on their festival appearance and sideshows just four weeks out from the event’s kick off.
Citing commitments to recording their first album with Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, the band have since admitted to not telling the whole truth about their Soundwave cancellation, revealing the “initial statement citing ‘recording delays’ wasn’t true” while cancelling further tour commitments in Hawaii, Indonesia, and the Middle East as Maddah defended their reason as “totally valid and understandable.”
Meanwhile, The Living End have been roped in to replace STP on the Soundwave 2014 lineup, joining a massive bill that features over 90 artists.
The Megadeth, Volbeat, and Newsted Whitechapel Sidwaves are part of a long list of sideshow announcements, the latest featuring Soundwave 2014 headliners Avenged Sevenfold, Finnish rockers HIM, Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, and Black Veil Brides.
In Soundwave tradition, there’s also a ream of massive triple-bill shows to enjoy, featuring Mastodon, Baroness, and Gojira, Rob Zombie & Korn, and Alter Bridge & Living Colour, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Glassjaw, and Dir En Grey, plus Eagles Of Death Metal, Rocket From The Crypt, & Mutemath.
Then there’s Alice In Chains, Down, and Walking With Papers, Less Than Jake, Bowling For Soup, and Zebrahead, as well as Jimmy Eat World, Panic! At The Disco, with Alkaline Trio, plus Sidewaves AFI with ††† (Crosses), Biffy Clyro, Placebo, and Clutch.
In related news, Maddah is also looking to switch the closing Perth leg of Soundwave from the Claremont Showgrounds to Arena Joondalup, mirroring Big Day Out’s last-minute venue change following ongoing battles with Claremont Council. “We’re trying to move (Soundwave in Perth). Not sure if we can,” Maddah tweeted recently. A venue change to Joondalup would also require a change of date, as Future’s underage Good Life 2014 festival already has Arena Joondalup booked for the same date as Soundwave’s Perth leg.
Megadeth Soundwave 2014 Sidewaves
with Volbeat and Whitechapel (replacing Newsted)
TICKETS ON SALE TUESDAY 28TH JANUARY @ 9am AEDT
TUESDAY 25 FEBRUARY – SYDNEY, UNSW ROUNDHOUSE – Licensed All Ages (www.ticketek.com.au)
THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY – MELBOURNE, THE FORUM– 18+ (www.ticketmaster.com.au)
Soundwave 2014 Lineup
Green Day
Avenged SevenfoldStone Temple Pilots (with Chester Bennington)The Living End
A Day To Remember
Alice In Chains
Rob Zombie
Megadeth
Mastodon
Placebo
HIM
AFI
KoRn
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi)
Filter
I Killed The Prom Queen
The Ghost Inside
Authority Zero
DARKC3LL
The Defiled
The Danger Kids
Alter Bridge
Trivium
Pennywise
Jimmy Eat World
Down
DevilDriver
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Glassjaw
Panic! At The Disco
Eagles Of Death Metal
Less Than Jake
Mayday Parade
Newsted
Biffy Clyro
Rocket From The Crypt
Asking Alexandria
Clutch
Alkaline Trio
Baroness
Five Finger Death Punch
August Burns Red
Testament
Living Color
Letlive
Motionless In White
Gwar
Crosses
Suicide Silence
The Porkers
Gojira
Black Veil Brides
Zebrahead
Satyricon
Dream On Dreamer
Mutemath
Desparecidos
Stiff Little Fingers
Thy Art Is Murder
Graveyard
Dir En Grey
Deez Nuts
In Hearts Wake
Breathe Carolina
Defiler
I Call Fives
Hacktivist
Devil You Know
Soil
The Boss Hoss
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats
Nostalghia
Upon A Burning Body
Black Dahlia Murder
MushroomHead
Finch
Pulled Apart By Horses
Ill Nino
Nancy Vandal
Bowling For Soup
Trash Talk
Skindred
Volbeat
Amon Amarth
Terror
Whitechapel
TesseracT
The Story So Far
Hardcore Superstar
10 Years
Walking Papers
Our Last Night
Coliseum
Your Demise
Heaven’s Basement
Real Friends
Soundwave 2014 Dates, Tickets
Saturday 22nd February – Brisbane, RNA Showgrounds
Sunday 23rd February – Sydney, Olympic Park
Friday 28th February – Melbourne, Flemington Racecourse
Saturday 1st March – Adelaide, Bonython Park
Monday 3rd March – Perth, Claremont Showgrounds
Tickets on sale via: soundwavefestival.com, oztix.com.au & other outlets
