If you've already watched our interview with Slayer guitarist Kerry King from Yankee Stadium, then this news will come as no surprise, but for those of you who haven't heard yet, Megadeth were all set to pull out of the Big Four show at Yankee Stadium this past week.
Those of you kept up with our live blog will know that Dave Mustaine showed up to his pre-show interview wearing a neck brace. Dave reportedly injured his neck/shoulder during the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, and had been told by doctors not to play the Big Four show.
"I was in a hospital yesterday morning, so I'm going to have to get surgery right after this," Mustaine told Rolling Stone. "If I move wrong tonight, I could be paralyzed." (You can watch his pre-show interview with Rolling Stone below.)
Fortunately for all involved, MegaDave showed up, played the show and is still intact. But what if Megadeth was unable to show? Talking to Kerry King before Slayer's set at Yankee Stadium, the guitarist revealed that Exodus "were working on flights" to make it to the show as a last-minute replacement.
"I just felt bad for Exodus, 'cause they were on the bill," said King, later adding, "I mean, Gary [Holt] is gonna be here anyway, but the band Exodus, I felt bad for them."
Gary Holt is of course still standing in for Jeff Hanneman, who did not make an appearance at the Yankee Stadium show.
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Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.
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