Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted is not joining Megadeth. So you can stop telling all your friends that he is. In a post on Instagram, Newsted's wife Nicole wrote: "Jason is not joining Megadeth. Peace to them. Listen to metal".
There was a certain logic behind the recent rumours that Newsted had joined the band. Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine is also an ex-member of Metallica, so there's a link there. And Newsted's former band Newsted supported Megadeath on tour in 2013, with Newsted himself joining the headliners for one song at the tour's final show in Toronto that year.
And, of course, Megadeth is currently in need of a new bassist having fired founder member David Ellefson last week. That decision to part ways with Ellefson followed accusations of sexual misconduct. Though in a statement, Mustaine also cited a "strained relationship". Ellefson, meanwhile, wished his former bandmates well and said that he is planning to launch legal action against the person who leaked sexually explicit videos of him online last month.
All of which means we are expecting some sort of announcement regarding a new Megadeth bassist, what with a co-headline tour with Lamb Of God less than two months away and a new album "almost complete". But, and please do write this down, it won't be Newsted.