When Sharon Osbourne approached Tom Morello about being Back to the Beginning’s musical director, his response was immediate: “If called, I will serve.” Now the Rage Against the Machine guitarist is helping to assemble what he calls “the greatest day in the history of heavy metal, in honor of the band that started it all.”
The July 5 event will feature an unprecedented lineup of heavy bands including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Guns N’ Roses and Tool. Morello will be directing segments featuring legendary individual musicians like Slash, Billy Corgan, Wolfgang Van Halen, Jake E. Lee, K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale, Duff McKagan, Rudy Sarzo and more in what he describes as revolving supergroups.
“You’re never going to know what’s going to happen next on this day, trust me,” he says.
How did you go about getting musicians on board for this event?
“People pick up the phone, dude! When you’re able to call up and say, you know, ‘Final Black Sabbath show, with all four original members. Final Ozzy Osbourne show. Happening in the birthplace of heavy metal – Birmingham, England. In the soccer stadium that these guys attended as kids. And we would love for you to come and play some songs…’ People tend to respond positively.”
So it was up to you to reach out?
“I called everybody! I looked at my heavy-metal Rolodex and just called up friends who Ozzy, Sharon and I had talked about wanting to have there. I take this job so seriously as a curator, and I’m looking at who’s gonna be the most impactful, the most meaningful, the most moving, the most fun, the most metal. [Laughs]”
What can fans expect at the show?
“With regards to the individual musicians, there’s going to be time during the day and evening for these revolving supergroups where some of the greatest drummers and guitarists and singers and bass players are going to play in different combinations, which is going to be exciting.”
Any collaborations you’re excited about?
One thing I’m looking forward to happening is it’s the first time that Billy Corgan, Adam Jones and myself will be playing together
“One thing I’m looking forward to happening is it’s the first time that Billy Corgan, [Tool guitarist] Adam Jones and myself will be playing together. Three dudes from northern Illinois! Adam and I went to high school together. Billy grew up a couple towns over. All of us were so influenced by Black Sabbath, but we’ve never played together. So that’s something I’m really psyched about.”
What is your personal history with Black Sabbath?
“I remember very clearly being scared shitless when I saw the Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album cover as a child… and then I fell in love with the music. Paranoid was the first record I got. Iron Man was the first hook that drew me in, and it began riff imprinting on me. It’s a cornerstone of every song I’ve ever been a part of.”
What sets Tony Iommi apart as a guitarist?
“Along with Jimmy Page, he’s the greatest riff writer of all time. The riffs are so heavy, and there’s also great grooves. I remember an early guitar lesson where I was learning, I don’t know, Sweet Leaf or something like that. And the teacher, who was a bit of a muso, was kind of denigrating Tony’s playing, saying, ‘These riffs are so simple.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, but he wrote them and they’re just awesome!’
“Like, simple doesn’t take it off the awesome scale. [Laughs] I’ve always tried to keep that in mind in my riff writing. Because the more you develop technically as a musician, sometimes you start to think that if it’s not complicated, it’s not good. So I’m constantly bringing myself back to the incredible catalog of Tony Iommi and his great riffs. He is a singular stylist.”
You’ve worked with Ozzy before. Any funny stories?
This is something meant to pay tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, and it’s going to be a really special day.
“There was one time where Ozzy nearly blew up me and Slash. We joined him and his band as guests at the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans [in 2015], and during a part of the show where we weren’t playing, the two of us were sitting behind the stage chatting. And there’s this crew guy at the side of the stage who’s apoplectic.
“He’s gesturing wildly to us, and finally he gets the courage to come over. And he says, ‘You guys are sitting on the pyro!’ So yeah, Ozzy nearly blew us up. Anyway, we survived that.”
Given your history with these guys, how does it feel to be given this responsibility?
“It’s a great honor and I take it really seriously. This is something meant to pay tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, and it’s going to be a really special day.
“Every day we kind of go through the run-of-show and the stuff that’s changing – who’s added, who’s subtracted and what other elements are going to be there that are going to make it even more spectacular. But it’s a labor of love. I can’t wait for July 5.”
- Black Sabbath's final performance will be livestreamed on July 5. See Back to the Beginning for details.
- This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
