Pioneering space-rock band HAWKWIND has released the following statement:

“Hello folks,

This is an announcement we hoped we would not have to make....

As no contract or deposit is forthcoming from Inertia Entertainment, the promoter of the proposed Toronto show, to confirm the booking, it is with great sadness that we have to concede defeat on this as we simply cannot afford to finance the show ourselves in advance, with no deposit or guarantee of any payment when we arrive.

We have exhausted every avenue of negotiation to try and persuade Inertia Entertainment, who is holding ticket money, to release some payment so that the show can go ahead.

We have suggested that Inertia Entertainment place the guarantee, which they originally offered to the band but are now refusing to pay, into an escrow account with a North American accountant, lawyer or escrow agency, (an escrow account is a holding account set up by an independent third party, usually a lawyer or accountant. The money remains intact in the account until the contract is completed. In the case of non-completion, the money is returned, so no risk whatsoever to Inertia Entertainment).

Unfortunately Inertia Entertainment will not agree to this, preferring to hold the ticket money in their own account.

We have already spent money arranging to play the Toronto show, dealing with the US and Canadian visa and tax systems. This money has now been lost.

Our needs are not unreasonable; all we ask is to have a firm contract and a reasonable deposit, standard practice throughout the world. We have never come across a situation such as this in all the 45 years we have been touring. (However, Noel Peters from Inertia Entertainment admits to having been contacted with unfounded rumors that Hawkwind are not coming, not surprisingly this has shaken his confidence and may go a little way to explaining the situation. The stories put about that Dave has not been granted a visa have been very damaging, but short of publishing on-line a copy of Dave's visa, which to do so we believe is illegal, it has been difficult to stem this speculation, however, anyone who wishes to inspect Dave's visa may do so at either Minehead or Seaton and put paid to this damaging gossip.)

Inertia Entertainment's response to all our efforts to make this show happen, has been to cancel the show....After all of the work we have done to come to Canada, this is heartbreaking for us.

We send huge apologies to our Canadian fans....and a massive thanks to all the folk who have had faith in us and stood by us, we hope it will still be possible for the Montreal show to go ahead.”

Hawkwind will release their 29th studio album, Space Hawks, on February 4th via Four Worlds Media. Hawkwind return to once again prove they are the masters of the universe... Space Hawks is a collection of sixteen songs ranging from the re-imagining of classic hits like 'Sunship' and 'Season', to brand new, previously unheard tracks like 'Lonely Moon' and others.

Space Hawks tracklisting:

'Seasons'

'Assault & Battery'

'Sonic Attack'

'Masters Of The Universe'

'Sacrosanct'

'Sentinel'

'It's All Lies'

'Touch'

'Where Are They Now'

'Lonely Moon'

'Golden Void'

'Sunship'

'We Took The Wrong Step'

'We Two Are One'

'The Chumps Are Jumping'

'Demented Man'

Band leader Dave Brock (recovering from illness) is the recent receipient of Progressive Music's coveted Lifetime Achievement Award, firmly cementing him and Hawkwind as two of Britain's great musical export.

Hawkwind lineup:

Dave Brock - vocals/guitar

Tim Blake - keyboards

Richard Chadwick - drums

Niall Hone - bass guitar

Mr. Dibs - bass/cello

Dead Fred - keyboards