The original Black Sabbath – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will perform together for the first time in 20 years when they take to the stage to headline the sold-out Back To The Beginning event on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.
In their first interview for two decades, the original lineup talked to The Guardian about their hopes and fears for rock’s ultimate gig. An excerpt from the feature follows…
First of all, it involved reconvening the four original members of Black Sabbath. The quartet formed in 1968. It’s almost impossible to overstate the impact of the music they made between then and Ozzy Osbourne’s initial departure from the band in 1979: there’s a chance metal, grunge and the rest might have come into existence without their cocktail of sludgy downtuned riffs, overpowering volume and bleak lyrics delivered in Osbourne’s despairing wail – the sound, as [Tom] Morello puts it, of “the no-hope working class driving a stake through the heart of the flower power generation” – but it’s very difficult to picture what it might have sounded like.
“The Beatles were my thing, they were everything to me,” Ozzy says when the subject of Sabbath’s influence comes up. “When I met Paul McCartney it was like seeing God. I was telling a guy about it one day. His kid was with him, and he said to me, ‘You know what you said to that guy about meeting Paul McCartney? That’s what I felt like when I met you.’ I was like, ‘You what?’ You never think about it.”
He describes the frequently turbulent relationship between the band’s four original members as “like a marriage: you have a row with the wife, but then you make up again”. Certainly, said marriage appears to have been going through a particularly rocky patch since the four last played together, 20 years ago. Ozzy says part of the appeal of a final reunion was the involvement of drummer Bill Ward, who had declined to take part in Black Sabbath’s last album, 2013’s 13, or the ensuing farewell tour. Depending on whose story you believe, Ward was either unfit to perform live, or unable to secure a proper contract: either way, a public slanging match ensued. Meanwhile, bassist Geezer Butler – who had been openly critical of what he calls “the politics behind the making” of 13 – says he “hadn’t spoken to Ozzy since the last Sabbath show in 2017, mainly because his wife and my wife had fallen out over God knows what”.
Sabbath’s enmities were apparently remedied with a series of phone calls and texts. Ward and Ozzy were already back in touch – the pair reconnected when Ozzy fell ill – while Ozzy thinks “religious” Aston Villa fan Butler might have been swayed by the fact the gig is taking place at Villa Park – “My first thought was: that’ll make Geezer fucking happier.”
Iommi says he was the member who took the most convincing. “I’m the one that said, ‘I don’t know if we should do it’, because we did a farewell tour and I didn’t want to get into that thing like all the other bands are doing, saying it’s the last tour and then reappearing again. But I’ve been convinced, because we’re doing it for a reason.” The gig will raise money for Parkinson’s and children’s charities: “No one’s getting paid or anything.”
But even with the other members of Sabbath on board, questions loomed – and still loom – over the state of Ozzy’s health. Certainly, none of the members of Black Sabbath seem to know what form their performance is going to take (“I think Ozzy might be on some kind of throne,” offers Iommi, “but I’m in the dark as much as anybody else”), and it’s hard to miss a certain trepidation on their part. “I’m already having palpitations,” says Butler. “In fact, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed everything went wrong on stage and we all turned to dust. It’s important that we leave a great impression, since it’s the final time that people will experience us live. So it has to be great on the night.”
Read more at The Guardian
In a previous interview with The Guardian, Sharon Osbourne revealed that Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, as well as members of Soundgarden, are the latest performers confirmed for Ozzy and Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning concert.
Speaking with Loudwire Nights, Sammy Hagar revealed that Ozzy Osbourne is “going to try and sing five songs” at the concert.
Hagar – who is set to perform at the concert – said, “When the word started leaking out, Tom Morello calls me and says, ‘Hey man, would you interested?’ I went, ‘Yes!’ He didn’t have to say what. Would you be interested? ‘Yes, Tom, I’m all in.’ I was so flattered that I was one of the early guys on.”
Hagar admitted that he’s an interesting pick to be part of the show because he doesn’t sing like Ozzy — but he’s been prepping every day to get ready.
“I’ve been studying,” he said. “Everybody asks, ‘What do you listen to?’ Him. I’m listening to Ozzy until the 5th. I got to learn his phrasing. His melodic structures are so unique, he’s such a unique singer. I’m so honored.”
While others involved in Back To The Beginning have been relatively quiet about what they’re planning to do, Hagar was excited to share some details around his involvement.
“I chose to do ‘No More Tears’ and Tom goes, ‘Oh, that would be great,’ Hagar said. “And then he comes back and says, ‘Guess what? Ozzy’s going to try and sing five songs and he wants to sing ‘No More Tears.’ I said, okay, ‘Flying High Again,’ and he goes, ‘You got it.’ So right now, I’m singing ‘Flying High Again.’ If Ozzy changes his mind, I’ll sing ‘Flying High Again’ and ‘No More Tears.'”
Read more, and listen to the Loudwire Nights interview, at Loudwire.
The all-star Back To The Beginning event will celebrate the true creators of heavy metal and will see Ozzy – who is battling Parkinson’s Disease – play his own short set before joining with Black Sabbath for his final bow. All profits will go to the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
Back To The Beginning will feature sets from Slayer, Metallica, Pantera, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon.
The all-day event will also feature a supergroup of musicians. Artists include members of Soundgarden, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token II (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen, Zakk Wylde, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe), and Andrew Watt.
Did you know BraveWords has an active Facebook Group where you can start your own metal discussion or take part in many other discussions. The BraveWords Facebook Group is the evolution of the old BraveWords message board from years ago.
Bands… feel free to promote your shows and albums.
Podcasts… feel free to promote your new episodes.
Radio Shows… feel free to promote your latest show.
Record Labels… feel free to promote your latest releases
Click to join and start discussing: https://m.facebook.com/groups/bravewordsmetal/
The post GEEZER BUTLER On Final BLACK SABBATH Concert – “It’s Important That We Leave A Great Impression, Since It’s The Final Time That People Will Experience Us Live” appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
Continue reading...
In their first interview for two decades, the original lineup talked to The Guardian about their hopes and fears for rock’s ultimate gig. An excerpt from the feature follows…
First of all, it involved reconvening the four original members of Black Sabbath. The quartet formed in 1968. It’s almost impossible to overstate the impact of the music they made between then and Ozzy Osbourne’s initial departure from the band in 1979: there’s a chance metal, grunge and the rest might have come into existence without their cocktail of sludgy downtuned riffs, overpowering volume and bleak lyrics delivered in Osbourne’s despairing wail – the sound, as [Tom] Morello puts it, of “the no-hope working class driving a stake through the heart of the flower power generation” – but it’s very difficult to picture what it might have sounded like.
“The Beatles were my thing, they were everything to me,” Ozzy says when the subject of Sabbath’s influence comes up. “When I met Paul McCartney it was like seeing God. I was telling a guy about it one day. His kid was with him, and he said to me, ‘You know what you said to that guy about meeting Paul McCartney? That’s what I felt like when I met you.’ I was like, ‘You what?’ You never think about it.”
He describes the frequently turbulent relationship between the band’s four original members as “like a marriage: you have a row with the wife, but then you make up again”. Certainly, said marriage appears to have been going through a particularly rocky patch since the four last played together, 20 years ago. Ozzy says part of the appeal of a final reunion was the involvement of drummer Bill Ward, who had declined to take part in Black Sabbath’s last album, 2013’s 13, or the ensuing farewell tour. Depending on whose story you believe, Ward was either unfit to perform live, or unable to secure a proper contract: either way, a public slanging match ensued. Meanwhile, bassist Geezer Butler – who had been openly critical of what he calls “the politics behind the making” of 13 – says he “hadn’t spoken to Ozzy since the last Sabbath show in 2017, mainly because his wife and my wife had fallen out over God knows what”.
Sabbath’s enmities were apparently remedied with a series of phone calls and texts. Ward and Ozzy were already back in touch – the pair reconnected when Ozzy fell ill – while Ozzy thinks “religious” Aston Villa fan Butler might have been swayed by the fact the gig is taking place at Villa Park – “My first thought was: that’ll make Geezer fucking happier.”
Iommi says he was the member who took the most convincing. “I’m the one that said, ‘I don’t know if we should do it’, because we did a farewell tour and I didn’t want to get into that thing like all the other bands are doing, saying it’s the last tour and then reappearing again. But I’ve been convinced, because we’re doing it for a reason.” The gig will raise money for Parkinson’s and children’s charities: “No one’s getting paid or anything.”
But even with the other members of Sabbath on board, questions loomed – and still loom – over the state of Ozzy’s health. Certainly, none of the members of Black Sabbath seem to know what form their performance is going to take (“I think Ozzy might be on some kind of throne,” offers Iommi, “but I’m in the dark as much as anybody else”), and it’s hard to miss a certain trepidation on their part. “I’m already having palpitations,” says Butler. “In fact, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed everything went wrong on stage and we all turned to dust. It’s important that we leave a great impression, since it’s the final time that people will experience us live. So it has to be great on the night.”
Read more at The Guardian
In a previous interview with The Guardian, Sharon Osbourne revealed that Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, as well as members of Soundgarden, are the latest performers confirmed for Ozzy and Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning concert.
Speaking with Loudwire Nights, Sammy Hagar revealed that Ozzy Osbourne is “going to try and sing five songs” at the concert.
Hagar – who is set to perform at the concert – said, “When the word started leaking out, Tom Morello calls me and says, ‘Hey man, would you interested?’ I went, ‘Yes!’ He didn’t have to say what. Would you be interested? ‘Yes, Tom, I’m all in.’ I was so flattered that I was one of the early guys on.”
Hagar admitted that he’s an interesting pick to be part of the show because he doesn’t sing like Ozzy — but he’s been prepping every day to get ready.
“I’ve been studying,” he said. “Everybody asks, ‘What do you listen to?’ Him. I’m listening to Ozzy until the 5th. I got to learn his phrasing. His melodic structures are so unique, he’s such a unique singer. I’m so honored.”
While others involved in Back To The Beginning have been relatively quiet about what they’re planning to do, Hagar was excited to share some details around his involvement.
“I chose to do ‘No More Tears’ and Tom goes, ‘Oh, that would be great,’ Hagar said. “And then he comes back and says, ‘Guess what? Ozzy’s going to try and sing five songs and he wants to sing ‘No More Tears.’ I said, okay, ‘Flying High Again,’ and he goes, ‘You got it.’ So right now, I’m singing ‘Flying High Again.’ If Ozzy changes his mind, I’ll sing ‘Flying High Again’ and ‘No More Tears.'”
Read more, and listen to the Loudwire Nights interview, at Loudwire.
The all-star Back To The Beginning event will celebrate the true creators of heavy metal and will see Ozzy – who is battling Parkinson’s Disease – play his own short set before joining with Black Sabbath for his final bow. All profits will go to the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
Back To The Beginning will feature sets from Slayer, Metallica, Pantera, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax and Mastodon.
The all-day event will also feature a supergroup of musicians. Artists include members of Soundgarden, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token II (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen, Zakk Wylde, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe), and Andrew Watt.
Did you know BraveWords has an active Facebook Group where you can start your own metal discussion or take part in many other discussions. The BraveWords Facebook Group is the evolution of the old BraveWords message board from years ago.
Bands… feel free to promote your shows and albums.
Podcasts… feel free to promote your new episodes.
Radio Shows… feel free to promote your latest show.
Record Labels… feel free to promote your latest releases
Click to join and start discussing: https://m.facebook.com/groups/bravewordsmetal/
The post GEEZER BUTLER On Final BLACK SABBATH Concert – “It’s Important That We Leave A Great Impression, Since It’s The Final Time That People Will Experience Us Live” appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
Continue reading...