HALFORD Manager Blames Booking Agent For Cancellation Of THE METAL GODS Tour

May 8, 2003

HALFORD manager John Baxter has made public a letter he sent to the U.S. promoters affected by the recent cancellation of the group's The 2003 Metal Gods North American Tour in an attempt to shed more light on the reasons for the tour's early termination. As previously reported, the multi-band package trek featuring HALFORD, co-headliners TESTAMENT, IMMORTAL, CARNAL FORGE, PRIMAL FEAR, PAINMUSEUM, and AMON AMARTH was called off last Friday (May 2) due to what at the time was being referred to as "contractual difficulties."

Baxter's letter reads as follows:

"Dear All,

"On April 29, 2003, [Jeff Allen], Senior Agent, of Universal Attractions and I learned that one of their agents, [Tomas Pasqual], renegotiated multiple contracts without consent or knowledge from his agency or myself as Organizer for The Metal Gods Tour.

"Mr. Allen concurred Mr. [Pasqual]'s actions detrimentally affected the financial stability of the The Metal Gods Tour.

"In simpler words, after the above agent's covert work, we did not have enough guaranteed money to pay the contracted talent scheduled to appear on The Metal Gods Tour.

"We approached each act with a request for reduction in their performance fee with hopes of salvaging the tour, but each act refused, for each had already committed to their own budgets prior to commencing work on the tour. As a result, I was forced to stop the tour beginning May 4, 2003.

"Presently, [edit] at ICM in Los Angeles is re-confirming some scheduled dates, as well as, confirming new dates for the following lineup:

HALFORD
TESTAMENT
Special Guest

"We are as devastated with the cancellation of tour dates as many of you may be, but we have made the necessary changes to ensure the above-type activity will not take place in the future.

"Please consider the above, and contact ICM if you'd like to schedule the above performance.

"Otherwise, please e-mail me your thoughts and comments regarding this matter and I will take them up individually with each affected promoter.

"Sincerely,

"John Baxter"

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