Ron Smallwood's statement about the disaster show

[Wyvern]

Maiden are currently returning from America and preparing for UK festivals this weekend and don't wish to waste time giving Sharon Osbourne's statement the dignity of a reply. Considering the disgraceful nature of the events that occurred they feel it's a pretty dismal effort at self justification and they don't think Metal fans are at all gullible and that they will easily see through it. They want no more to do with this sorry incident and are very much looking forward to headlining Reading and Leeds Festivals this weekend.

I would however like to add my own comment on this.

In 30 years in this business and after attending hundreds of gigs l have never seen anything anywhere near as disgusting and unprofessional as what went on that night. I was standing on our sound desk out front as usual but ran to the stage as soon as the hail of missiles began and from then on watched from the front of the stage right next to Bruce's walkway. The scale, viciousness and concentration of the throwing made it obvious that this was a premeditated and co-ordinated attack. Assaulting musicians while performing by throwing bottle tops, lighters and eggs at them from just a few yards away is vile, dangerous, criminal and cowardly. It is incredible that Ozzfest security apparently did nothing about it - aren't they there to protect the bands too? Especially when the band is concentrating on a performance in front of 45,000 people and the missiles are coming out of the glare of the spotlights. And to spit at a band on stage is unforgivable.

Iron Maiden, like all the bands on Ozzfest, had to sign quite onerous legal documents part of which was promising not to throw anything into the audience, even wristbands!!! Ironic isn't it.

It is well documented on the web who was responsible for planning and participating in this attack and for musicians to join in this assault on other musicians is a shocking disgrace akin to treachery. You should all be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.

We know who authorised the making of the 'ozzy - ozzy' chant tape the day before and how it was played secretly through the PA at the very beginning and end of our set.

We also know who continually turned off the power interrupting our set at crucial moments. It is a good thing that the power was turned back on before there was a riot as you could sense on stage a lot of the huge audience were getting totally pissed off at this continual onslaught on the band.

The great majority of the Ozzfest crew throughout the tour were terrific and we thank them. Those who participated or stood idly by and watched as this all went down should also be ashamed of themselves and l would certainly hope they never come near a tour with which we are involved.

There is little point in my commenting on the chap with the flag or their trying to hold up Eddie or Sharon's speech as the audience made their feelings very clear on each occasion.

And in the end what was all this about?? If l had any sort of problem or misunderstanding with a band working on a tour we were involved in l would go and talk to them or their manager - not wait until the end of a tour and assault and ambush them. Or was that really it?

I find it staggering that this ambush would take place in front of any audience, let alone in San Bernardino, the biggest audience of the tour. Didn't that audience merit any consideration? They pay an awful lot to be there in terms of prices for tickets, parking, food, beer etc. Surely if they spend this sort of money they deserve to watch the bands they paid to see be able to put in a full unhindered performance. Free of danger and intimidation. If I had paid I would ask for my money back!

And this audience really were outstanding, giving the band incredible support and many voting with their feet in disgust after the set and the speech, which to many was the final insult.

I have to say l was immensely proud of Maiden who stood up to it all and showed great courage and just got better and better through the adversity. Their heads never dropped, instead they went on the offensive. It was a truly memorable moment when Bruce went to the very front of the stage during Trooper - something which he never normally does as he is usually on the ramps - waving the flag whilst avoiding the hail of missiles and yelling 'This is a fucking British flag, and these colours don't fucking run!'. The imperturbable attitude and ability of the band shone through and in the end made this a truly remarkable rock and roll event, even if for all the wrong reasons.

We will have no more to say on this matter except that l do think the band deserve an apology from a number of people, and you know who you are.

ROD SMALLWOOD
MANAGER, IRON MAIDEN
CHAIRMAN, SANCTUARY ARTIST MANAGEMENT

and now for the encore

OZZFEST Responds To IRON MAIDEN Controversy

Iron Maiden were chosen for the Ozzfest tour because the Ozzfest committee felt they were a good band, plus the fact that they had not done shows in the U.S. for some time. From day one, Bruce Dickinson started berating Ozzy and belittling the Ozzfest audience. He stated he"didn’t need a reality show to give him credibility"; "we're not just some f*cking reunion band"; and continuously complained about the sound system, saying that when he comes back to America he’ll have a better one. I understand he hasn’t toured in the U.S.in these size venues in a while and no longer understands the political structure of things. Out of 200-plus bands over the last 10 years, he has been the only person who hasn’t had the Ozzfest spirit. He thought he was at a battle of the bands, always making other comments about the other artists.

Might I say, the rest of the band are gentlemen and have a great professional attitude. The crew are absolutely great. But how sad it was, after 10 years, that this little man tried to ruin it for everyone. The bands of Ozzfest don’t even look at Ozzfest as touring, but as its heavy metal summer camp. Bruce is in fact a jealous prick and very envious. None of his tirades were directed at Sabbath, only Ozzy. Steve Harris [Iron Maiden's bassist] personally came to Ozzy in San Bernardino and apologized for Bruce’s behavior this summer, stating that he and the rest of the band were "embarrassed" by their own singer.
It also offended me every night how he took out the English flag in America. There are American boys going to war alongside the English boys every day. How dare he forget the American troops on their home turf. He has had no respect for the American audience he has been playing for, stating in an interview, "When you do the 'hits' tour here [in the U.S.], the audience is smug, and there's a sense of self-satisfaction, like, 'We got what we wanted…I'm looking at an audience that is self-satisfied and happy and fat, and getting what it wants and isn't prepared to get off its ass.."

Before there was Samson there was SABBATH!

Ozzfest 2005 continues on with our summer of fun with the addition of Velvet Revolver. This is where the fun begins…..

The bold is mine, and I wonder if Bruce behavior was so despicable why Sharon lower herself to the point of attacking physically the band? So who really cast the first stone?

 

[No-Mercy]

and now for the encore



The bold is mine, and I wonder if Bruce behavior was so despicable why Sharon lower herself to the point of attacking physically the band? So who really cast the first stone?

im confused....i read both these statements, but what do you mean "the bold is yours?" both of the bold parts are in the original statement, but the 2nd one is false, because bruce and maiden are right.

 

[kittybeast]

no-mercy..Wyvern is saying that he is the one who added the bold effects to these statements.

I wasn't there, I've read everything and for the facts I know nothing but....

it was a completely childish, immature and the most vulgar display of disrespect a promoter could have ever been involved with. The Ozzcamp has yet to say one apology to the fans, crew, bands and anyone for anything that happened, just more and more excuses.

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

This is sad. Maiden are kings and Ozzy knows it. The OZZ camp has had nothing to say at all besides the "old lady" saying Bruce is a prick. I have no disrespect to any woman but this is just a total disgrace. She needs medication or she needs to quit her medication. The bitch Shitron and her kids probably were to blame at some point. One of the biggest bands that Ozz-shit-fest has ever had and they treat them like this because the camp has no morals, or respect for themselves even, to discuss what the real problem was. Sad... real fucking sad.

Ozzy needs to start doing speedballs again and ditch his bitch fucking wife. He can't because she will take it all from him and leave him brain dead AND penniless... One word comes to mind and it starts with a C!

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

Ozzy's contribution to music is unforgettable and is sadly being smeared by Sharon. Can you say "Yoko"??

While I don't agree with all of Bruce's actions, he has every right as an artist to take pride in his performance and be upset when someone sabotages it.

...just my 2 cents

 

[Wyvern]

Ozzy's contribution to music is unforgettable and is sadly being smeared by Sharon. Can you say "Yoko"??

Yoko will always carry the stigma as being the one who fucked up The Beatles (true or not), it seems Sharon tries to do the same with Ozzy. And this also reminds me of Gloria Cavalera (Max wife) and the whole Sepultura affair.

On the other hand you have Wendy Dio and Geezer's wife (her name escape me now), who always tried to enhance their husbands career without compromising their image or friends, and thus their acts are seldom noticed, how unfair!

History and media are harsh mistresses

 

[sixxswine]

Yoko, that's great. I'm not a huge Maiden fans these days, but the entire band didn't deserve Sharon's wrath. She needed to hash it out with Bruce or maybe ask they leave the tour. That would have been more professional than what she did... Or did you think that you man's band Sabbath can't carry the festival, Sharon? You know that guy cancels every other gig these days.
I'm sick of this frankly, why someone would think she was in the right is beyond me... I'd like to be a fly on the wall of Iommi's & Butler's dressing rooms. These guys are probably thinking , "just what the fuck did we get ourselves into here?"
They could have been touring behind stronger records than Ozzy has released in the last Decade...

 

[No-Mercy]

hey guys ive got these 7 clips from the show. 1 with intro/MITRM (you cans ee some eggs being thrown). trooper and NOTB excerpt. 2 bruce rants, really powerful and full of emotion. and sharons "prick" statement.

they took forever to DL off the internet, and i sent them to my friend and it took a 4th of the time...so IM me if youd like me to send them

 

[Wyvern]

Yoko, that's great. I'm not a huge Maiden fans these days, but the entire band didn't deserve Sharon's wrath. She needed to hash it out with Bruce or maybe ask they leave the tour.

That is the whole point in the end. If Bruce really offended Ozzy and/or the USA audiences the promoters (aka Sharon) was entitled to ask for an apology or to ask the artist to retire from the tour, or charge for damages or whatever.

Many bands on stage curse, insult politicians, religious leaders, other artists. Not that I condone that, but is not unusual in live presentations.

She lower herself down, down, down when she had all the aces to became a winner, she drop the ball and become a loser.

P.S. But we should be thankful the she gave us a good thread to rant

 

[KMADD]

Man you folks are right about sharon being the Yoko of metal and hell that bitch that
Max married is the Sharon of the US hell even Soulfly cant keep bandmembers now
because of that cunt. Mindly I dont care for that band but I still hate her for ruining
Sepultura. I do feel sorry for Ozzy he should not have toured this year after that
horrible accident.

 

[Psychonaut]

It's all riduculous. I don't think Sharon has any respect for anyone but the person cutting her the checks. Her jewels should be returned to her... stuffed right up her ass.

 

[Wheezer]

The waving of the British flag as a tool for Sharon's angst really is weak. If my great-great-great-great grandpappy had been killed in the War of 1812 or add another coupla greats in there for the Revolutionary War then I still wouldn't be offended by that. I mean, that was a while ago. Besides, most of my ancestors were still in Europe then. It's a stage show for crying out loud. I guess I should have been offended when I saw Les Miserables and they waved the French flag.

 

[Wyvern]

The waving of the British flag as a tool for Sharon's angst really is weak. If my great-great-great-great grandpappy had been killed in the War of 1812 or add another coupla greats in there for the Revolutionary War then I still wouldn't be offended by that. I mean, that was a while ago. Besides, most of my ancestors were still in Europe then. It's a stage show for crying out loud. I guess I should have been offended when I saw Les Miserables and they waved the French flag.

Moreover, the waving of the Union jack has been a trademark of Iron Maiden for years, especially when playing 'The Trooper'.

And for the coup-de-grace I ask everyone here to go and check (if possible) footage of Black Sabbath live concert with Ozzy during the "Never Say Die" tour. In the back they have a figure like the ones on the cover of the album, only the mask is made out of the Union Jack.

I guess that the UJ was alright for BS but not for IM :Smug:

 

[rvdsm]

The waving of the British flag as a tool for Sharon's angst really is weak. If my great-great-great-great grandpappy had been killed in the War of 1812 or add another coupla greats in there for the Revolutionary War then I still wouldn't be offended by that. I mean, that was a while ago. Besides, most of my ancestors were still in Europe then. It's a stage show for crying out loud. I guess I should have been offended when I saw Les Miserables and they waved the French flag.

That bullshit statement about the british flag disgracing our troops offends me. Not because it's true, it's because of Sharon's lack of respect for our troops. Ozzfest has nothing to do with the conflict in Iraq or our troops. Sharon trying to dredge up sympathy for dying soldiers in an attempt to point the manic finger of rash judgement at a group who disgraced HER is bullshit. I think she has proven to everyone 2 things; If you are doing a show with Ozzy, beware the wrath of Sharon and secondly, Women like her shouldn't be allowed to hold any position of authoritive power ever.