FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEGADETH GUITARIST MARTY FRIEDMAN
LEAVES BAND AS TOUR CONTINUES

January 09, 2000 - Phoenix, Arizona
Megadeth Guitarist Marty Friedman, who has been with the band for over ten years, has chosen to leave the group to pursue other musical interests. Frontman, Dave Mustaine comments "Marty is an incredible player and has been a keystone in Megadeth. We are sorry to see him go but we wish him all the best." Guitar wiz, Al Pitrelli (Alice Cooper, Savatage) will fill in as the band winds up the first leg of their domestic RISK tour which runs through January 21. Megadeth will continue to tour domestically and internationally with stops in Japan and South America, returning to the US in the summer.