Marilyn Manson Clarifies Avril Lavigne Relationship Status from HeavyTO Stage

Partway into his set at Toronto's Heavy TO festival on August 11, Marilyn Manson apologized to all Canadians for a quip he made during a recent interview with the U.K. website Entertainment Wise. He also clarified his relationship status with the sk8er girl.

When asked to confirm rumors that he was dating singer Avril Lavigne, he denied any link to the Canadian pop-punk princess and pissed off her compatriots in the process.

"Fuck that, she's Canadian," he had said in the interview, insinuating he would never sleep with a lowly Canuck.

Last night, however, he apologized and explained his comments to thousands of metal fans.

"No offense," he said, from the stage. "It's just that I was fucking her and I didn't want anyone to know."

For many, Manson's set was the highlight of the first night of the second annual Heavy TO, a two-day heavy metal and hard rock festival held at Toronto's Downsview Park.

A persistent rain turned the festival grounds into a mudpit, but the hordes of dudes that escaped from their parent's basement to attend the show were treated to a fine day of heavy music.

Solid sets by French death metallers Gojira, mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, skate punk legends Suicidal Tendencies, and In Flames -- who filled in for Lamb of God when singer Randy Blythe was arrested for manslaughter in Prague -- made the foul weather bearable.

The night capped off with a creepy headline set from a newly reformed Slipknot. Those seven guys in dead-skin masks and matching orange jumpsuits provided the spectacle, but Manson reserved the night's magic moment.

Touring behind his 2012 release Born Villian, Manson and band were in fine form, Leaning on tried and true material, including classic interpretations of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" and the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," the scandal-seeking singer seemed downright dignified when compared to Slipknot.

Called back for an encore, when Manson returned to the stage with "Beautiful People," the song rang true like a standard from a bygone era, and the mud-caked masses sang along like scouts around a campfire. Clearly they had forgiven Manson for what he did (or didn't do? It's hard to say) with Lavigne.