HALFORD Manager On Cancelled Tour: 'We Are Moving On'

HALFORD manager John Baxter has issued a statement defending the band's decision to travel with three buses on the ill-fated The 2003 Metal Gods North American Tour and rejecting as baseless accusations that the group's allegedly over-inflated traveling costs ultimately contributed to the tour's cancellation.

Baxter's latest statement reads as follows:

"3 buses.

"1 for the crew that supported 7 acts without contribution from any band other than HALFORD. No contribution towards their salaries and no contribution toward their travel, lodging and daily stipend. Basically a perk provided by Rob, so each band could travel with the entourage and keep their costs down by carrying fewer crew. Anyone wants to bitch about that can look in the mirror.

"One bus for HALFORD band & management.

"Rob chose to cover his own bus out of his own pocket. He didn't want to fly into each city with his security and risk an airport shutting down on him / losing a show.

"The truth has been set out by me. Contracts were improperly negotiated and covertly revised. The agency involved, as well as the band's new agency, are aware of what happened, and we are all moving on.

"I have the fullest respect for each band, management and label that participated in the early part of the tour. However, we were all recruited by the same agent, the same agency, and each had an opportunity to work or not with them.

"We've moved on.

"My response to Universal Attractions' verbal patch (now circulating) re: dropping one band would have saved the bands' tour.

"They warned me when they presented that possibility — that every existing performance contract would under-go renegotiation if TESTAMENT and / or IMMORTAL were removed from the lineup. That was the seriousness of the created predicament by their agent.

"It was going to take an extreme move such as the denoted to salvage the tour. I was stunned. I couldn't understand how they allowed it to get to that point.

"Legal counsel and I discussed the matter, and realized we still wouldn't have enough $ to pay the remaining talent if all the deals were going to be reduced again by this agent. Even more gutting was the fact it wasn't going to be Rob's Metal Gods lineup.

"Rob will work with all the bands again in better circumstances, and I believe everyone involved knows that.

"Thanks for wanting to pick apart the facts. We're going to get back out there, and enjoy ourselves with the supportive promoters and fans. It's now about the music."