Think about Judas Priest frontman and heavy metallic’s best statesman Rob Halford grabbing a mic and belting out each Ozzy-era and Dio-era Black Sabbath with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Invoice Ward. If that appears like one of the best type of heavy metallic fever dream, then get up as a result of it really occurred — twice.
Whereas talking with SiriusXM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard host Mark Strigl (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), the “Metallic God” reminisced concerning the time he stood in for Ozzy in Costa Mesa, California again in 1992 and once more when he helped Black Sabbath in Camden, New Jersey in 2004 as Osbourne was coping with bronchitis.
“How that occurred was… You recognize, when Ronnie — God bless you, Ronnie — was working with Sabbath, and there was a chance for the band to do some little bit of a reunion at that present in Costa Mesa with Ozzy, Ronnie mentioned, ‘I’m simply gonna step apart for private causes.’ So he did. After which I get a name from Tony, ‘Are you able to come and assist us out?’ ‘Yeah, what would you like me to do?’ Blah blah blah. We talked concerning the setlist. We put a few songs in there that Sabbath hadn’t carried out ceaselessly, ’trigger they had been my favorites and I believed the followers would love ’em. After which the subsequent minute we’re doing two reveals. We’ve a little bit of a blast within the studio right here in Phoenix, bang out the set, and the subsequent day we’re taking part in two sold-out reveals in Costa Mesa. In order that was superb.
“And then you definately go ahead. And that is simply what we do for one another in bands. Ozzy wasn’t feeling too properly together with his throat, and I get a telephone name from Sharon [Ozzy’s wife and manager]… And the identical deal. ‘He’s acquired this bronchitis factor. Are you able to step in for the present? ‘Yeah, certain. Which one?’ ‘Tonight.’ I’m, like, ‘Tonight?’ ‘Yeah. Are you able to do the present tonight?’ So I did. I did the Priest set, had a bathe, acquired modified, ran out and did the Ozzy factor with Sabbath. In order that’s occurred two or thrice.
“That’s what we do, man. We love one another.
“Priest and Sabbath return ceaselessly. And so we nonetheless have this lovely friendship and relationship that’s endured inside and with out the music. Priest and Sabbath, we began all of it.”
It is sensible these two bands can be buddies for thus lengthy. They’re each British, they each have been round because the 60s, they usually’ve each gone via the insanely tough ordeal of changing their frontman — though Sabbath undoubtedly did that far more steadily than Priest.
Nonetheless, if solely we might return in time and see Halford’s performan — oh wait, we are able to. Try the movies under to see the “Metallic God” fill in for the “Prince of Darkness.”