When Bands Forget Who Their Real Employers Are

It's pretty obvious that with all of the bullshit that is going on over the Soundwave Festival that takes place over the next week or so throughout Australia, that there are bands out there that have forgotten who it is that makes them who they are, and also makes them the well-off musicians that they are. Ego takes over, and there is no doubt there are some massive ego's out there in this industry.

There is always more than one side to every story, but really, how hard is it to remember that no matter what petty differences and arguments may occur between band and promoter or band management and promoter, bands only survive on the goodwill and support of their fans. And if you piss your fans off, then you pretty much shoot yourself in the foot.

I have bought and own every album Megadeth has ever released, the first half of their discography in more than one format. I have their DVDs and their VHS videos before that. I have the great ones, as well as the crap ones such as Risk and the recent Super Collider. I have suffered from other Megadeth last-minute tour pull-outs of Australia, most famously the day before I was to see them for the first time on the "So Far So Good... So What!" tour in 1988. One fricken day before, they cancelled. Then they cancelled again on the "Countdown to Extinction" tour. Any published excuses? No. Just live with it Australia, Dave isn't coming and isn't saying why.
Now, I have been lucky enough to see Megadeth five times. Others have not. There will be kids out there who were pumped to see a legend act such as Megadeth for the first time. And now they won't. Apparently (but not confirmed) because the promoter wouldn't apologise.

Apologise for what? Because he put Newsted on as Megadeth's support for their Sidewaves show when they were not on an 'agreed' list of 'suitable' support acts? Because the promoter then took Newsted off the support slot, and then said it was because the band's management asked him to do it? Because the promoter put the band in shit for saying what actually happened, and not just covering it up?
Ask the fans - do they give a fuck? Do they care about how it may appear as a slight on Mustaine? No. They just want to see the band play.
But no, Mustaine's ego cannot sustain being seen to be the bad guy in this, when plainly he is as culpable as anyone else involved. So, what does he do? Well, he picks up his ball, and goes home. Announces on Facebook and Twitter that...

Due to circumstances beyond its control, unfortunately Megadeth has to cancel their Australian dates. https://t.co/4I4pIujHv1
— Megadeth (@Megadeth) February 9, 2014

That's it. No explanation, no sorry, no fucking nothing. Then, on his personal Facebook page, another post, simply saying...

Then, from all appearances, despite desperate pleas from the promoter and fans alike, not another word has come from the Megadeth camp. It has just been wiped from their existence.

Well, thanks Dave. I'll be honest, and admit Megadeth was not even in the top ten bands I wanted to see at Soundwave. I have seen them before, and their latest album is not particularly good. If they had clashed with a few other bands, I would have chosen the other bands. However, what this has shown is that fans finish second to ego with him. I won't be spending anymore of my hard earned cash on anything to do with Megadeth again. Probably, he couldn't care less. But that's MY protest.

Hardcore Superstar also decided to play hardball over their timeslot.

And why did this occur? Well...

.@Chameleon_Halo HCSS said they would not get on the plane unless they were on after 4pm as their stature demanded!
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 19, 2014

So - don't worry about the fans. If we can't play after 4.00pm, we aren't coming.
What a bunch of pricks. Don't come then. Ignore your Australian fan base, who only want to SEE YOU PLAY, COULDN'T GIVE A RATS ARSE IF IT WAS 3.00AM OR 11.00PM. If I WAS a fan, I would also be putting a ban on spending any more money on you. As it turns out, because I won't see you, you have also lost any chance you may have had of me 'discovering' you, and then buying up back catalogues of stuff. Oh well. Enjoy sitting at home doing sweet F.A when you could have been playing music for your fans. Idiots.

Stone Temple Pilots and Sevendust also called early halts to their Soundwave odyssey, at the time giving 'legitimate' reasons, though rumours have since leaked that there reasons for not coming was to do with money, or what they deemed to be the lack of it. Fine. If that is the truth, then that is a matter to stay between the parties involved. Then Whitechapel cancelled, citing the 'death of a close family member'. Another bust, but what can you do? Apparently, as many fans have decided, let's blame the promoter again.

Now we have this last little story, where a strange, unexplanatory post comes up on Jason Newsted's Facebook page yesterday afternoon.

Which again was news to the promoter.

Trying to find Newsted and figure out what is going on. The band's equipment just arrived in Brisbane so not sure what's up.
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 19, 2014

Without knowing what the hell is going on (this is now 24 hours after this post), IF this is another pull out because of time slot...

@AussieKop I told him 2 days ago we'll amend set time if necessary, so it cn't be about that.
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 19, 2014

... then, even though I have bought his EP and his album off iTunes, I will again not be supporting him any further in his career. And let's face it, after the Echobrain debacle, he is lucky I am supporting him at all!!!

No matter what, I can't wait for Soundwave on Sunday. Alice in Chains, Testament, Trivium, Stiff Little Fingers, just to name a few, are bands I can't wait to see. Egotistical bands that obviously couldn't give a flying fuck about their fans be damned. This is a super day, and I'm going to have a blast!