LARS ULRICH Explains Why DAVE MUSTAINE Is Not Part Of METALLICA's ROCK HALL Induction

Dave Mustaine, a member of the original METALLICA lineup, will not be inducted with the band when they their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony Saturday night (April 4) at Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium. After leaving METALLICA in 1983, Mustaine formed another heavy metal group, MEGADETH.

"You've got to kind of cap it somewhere," METALLICA drummer tells The Plain Dealer. "Dave Mustaine never played on any METALLICA records. No disrespect to him. But there [were] half a dozen other people that were in the lineup in the early days.

"We thought . . . the fair thing to do would be to include anybody that played on a METALLICA record.

"Dave Mustaine was in the band for 11 months, predominantly in 1982. . . . I'm not trying to play it down. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his accomplishments since."

METALLICA invited Mustaine to attend the inductions. He declined, citing European tour commitments, but issued a statement congratulating the band.

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As previously reported, former MEGADETH/ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough offered his opinion on METALLICA's decision to exclude Mustaine from the Rock Hall induction, stating, "Not inducting him in as one of the founding members is a travesty. There's so much material he wrote, even the solos they used. He deserves more credit than that. . . I have so much deep respect for both bands [MEGADETH and METALLICA] but tend to speak out when I see pure injustice like this. I feel I can, because I was in the band a short while and kinda feel obligated about certain things. I'm pretty sure I know how Dave feels, but again, can't speak for him either."