Megadeth vs Peter Frampton is the 2024 beef no one saw coming

Dave Mustaine and Peter Frampton onstage

(Image credit: Dave Mustaine: Katja Ogrin/Redferns | Peter Frampton: Gary Miller/Getty Images)

Peter Frampton probably wasn't expecting to draw Megadeth's ire when he apologetically drew attention to something the thrash legends may or may not have been responsible for, but here we are.

The unexpected Frampton/Mustaine beef kicked off after both acts were obliged to cancel dates at Virginia Credit Union Live! at the Richmond Raceway of Richmond, Virginia. Megadeth took to social media to say that "unexpected and unpredictable circumstances" had caused their show to be pulled, and Frampton posted that "unforeseen circumstances" had curtailed his, but neither provided any further detail.

Two days after cancelling his performance, Frampton revealed more about what had happened.

"So, we had a show cancelled the other day because of the weather," he told the crowd at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "And also Megadeth did a soundcheck, I think a couple of days before our show, and after they finished their soundcheck, there was structural damage to the stage."

Frampton then reluctantly appeared to point the finger at Megadeth, saying, "I'm not blaming them – could have been another band – but it looks pretty like it. So, sorry, Megadeth. I had to rat on you."

Now Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine has responded to the slight, issuing an actual press release to clarify the situation and to take Frampton to task.

"Megadeth did not even get a chance to sound check at all in Richmond, Virginia contrary to what Peter Frampton reports," reads the statement. "Megadeth's rigger was in the venue's steel grid system above the stage getting ready to hang the lights when he noticed there was damage to the venue's grid. He pointed this out immediately to the promoters and the venue.

"It was determined that it was unsafe for Megadeth to hang their production or put the band on stage at the risk of in-house grid failure to support the weight of the touring lighting and sound which could fall on the band, crew members, or audience, as it could cause serious injury or death.

"Therefore, Megadeth, the local promoter, the venue, and booking agents had no other option than to cancel the show."

“It seems Frampton was misinformed about our show being cancelled,” adds Dave Mustaine. "The decision was purely based on safety. It's disappointing when someone you admire talks out their ass about you."

Quite where this leaves us is unclear. Perhaps Frampton will fire back. Perhaps he'll apologise. Maybe a series of peace talks could be instigated. And perhaps, given the current popularity of celebrity boxing, the pair should duke it out in the ring. We know which option we'd prefer.

Artists

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.