Original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward will be interviewed by Ian Camfield of U.K.s Xfm Radio on Saturday, April 4 between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
If you are in U.K., you can listen to the show by tuning in to 104.9 FM on digital radio, or you can stream the program via the Internet at www.xfm.co.uk.
39 years after its 1970 release, BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid" album is being re-released as a three-CD deluxe edition, featuring the original album, a quadraphonic mix and a disc full of instrumental and alternate versions.
Ward tells Shropshire Star: "There was some spare tape left, so we said, 'Let's see if we can get another song and we all went down the pub which is the best place to work — well, it was then — and when we got back Tony [Iommi, guitar] had got a really, really good riff. Tony and Geezer [Butler, bass] and myself just sat in and just started playing and it didn't take long at all to have the song with all its parts pretty much done. I think within the afternoon it was taken care of. Ozzy [Osbourne, vocals] had his jamming lyrics, almost rough stuff, as we jammed down the first things. It probably [was] pretty much in the ballpark, his melody's there. We did that with quite a lot of our songs and we would change that around until we reached the final album version."
Ward insists the door is not shut on the idea of a full-blown reunion of BLACK SABBATH's original lineup.
"I have an open mind when it comes to SABBATH," he tells Shropshire Star. "We just haven't done anything for the last three years. But the door's wide open as far as BLACK SABBATH is concerned.
"Playing, doing anything with the original band, that's where I would like to be."
He adds: "Ozzy and I have maintained our relationship, and I've maintained my relationship with the other fellas pretty much all the way through. Nobody's far from each other.
"I saw Oz on his birthday. We went to Vegas and that's the last time I saw him. But I actually spoke to him about three or four days ago. He's doing fantastic, he's doing really well."
Showing posts with label Bill Ward. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Ward. Show all posts
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday, April 24, 2008
BLACK SABBATH Drummer Previews This Weekend's 'Rock 50' Show
BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has issued the following update on this weekend's (April 26) edition of his "Rock 50" monthly radio show, which airs between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. PST on WPMD, a college radio station at Cerritos College in California:
"Our 'metal' show will be April 26. We're featuring IN FLAMES, SLAYER, MINISTRY, more MESHUGGAH and AT THE GATES. For those of you who listen regularly, I hope I'm bringing good stuff to you and hitting the spot.
"Our May show will be May 10. I'm making this show a bit different. It'll happen five days after my 60th birthday, so selfishly, I'll play my all-time favourite metal bands, and that will include SABBATH, PRIEST, OZZY, some surprise tracks, also TYPE O NEGATIVE, IN FLAMES, SLIPKNOT all good stuff from past years up to now. It'll be my birthday metal radio show, May 10th."
"Rock 50", featuring its regular host Mike Stark, is broadcast over the Internet every Saturday. You can listen to the show live online at this location.
For more information about Bill Ward's monthly "Rock 50" radio show, click here.
"Our 'metal' show will be April 26. We're featuring IN FLAMES, SLAYER, MINISTRY, more MESHUGGAH and AT THE GATES. For those of you who listen regularly, I hope I'm bringing good stuff to you and hitting the spot.
"Our May show will be May 10. I'm making this show a bit different. It'll happen five days after my 60th birthday, so selfishly, I'll play my all-time favourite metal bands, and that will include SABBATH, PRIEST, OZZY, some surprise tracks, also TYPE O NEGATIVE, IN FLAMES, SLIPKNOT all good stuff from past years up to now. It'll be my birthday metal radio show, May 10th."
"Rock 50", featuring its regular host Mike Stark, is broadcast over the Internet every Saturday. You can listen to the show live online at this location.
For more information about Bill Ward's monthly "Rock 50" radio show, click here.
Friday, April 18, 2008
BLACK SABBATH Drummer Pays Tribute To COZY POWELL
April 5, 2008 marked the tenth anniversary of the death of legendary drummer Cozy Powell. His resume reads like a classic rock bible: COZY POWELL'S HAMMER, THE JEFF BECK GROUP, RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, WHITESNAKE, EMERSON, LAKE & POWELL, BLACK SABBATH and many, many more.
Powell died on April 5, 1998 following a car crash, driving his Saab 9000 in bad weather on the M4 motorway near Bristol, while talking to his girlfriend on his mobile phone. He was living at Lambourn in Berkshire at the time and had returned to the studio shortly before his death to record with FLEETWOOD MAC co-founder Peter Green. By that time, he had been the drummer on at least 66 albums with minor contributions on many other recordings. It was generally felt that Powell's death was a great loss to the world of popular music. Countless rock-based drummers have cited Cozy Powell as an influence.
BLACK SABBATH fan site Black-Sabbath.com has posted the following letter from SABBATH drummer Bill Ward regarding the anniversary of Powell's passing:
"Thanks for reminding us it's been ten years since Cozy died. I think about him from time to time. I've always been grateful that our last phone conversation ended on a high note. I felt we were both sincere with each other, sharing mutual respect when touching on our individual histories in hard rock/metal.
"Over the years, death has sometimes come quickly to old friends, and I've felt the pain and dilemma of not returning a phone call as I would have liked to, but didn't; not being able to say a proper good-bye in life; being upset, or undone, or unresolved from the last conversation, then feeling the loss of that end. With Cozy, I felt we had the perfect ending conversation. We talked from the heart. In hindsight, our conversation seems gift-like, fitting perfectly into the great order of things. Cozy died about ten days after he and I spoke, maybe sooner, I'm not sure.
"OK. Drum students — listen to this man. Check out the band RAINBOW. Listen to 'Stargazer'. Cozy is a master. Listen to the top of the song — that's Cozy Powell playing. Discover this giant of rock drumming. He lives forever on records and in our hearts.
"Thanks, Coze — nice work."
Powell died on April 5, 1998 following a car crash, driving his Saab 9000 in bad weather on the M4 motorway near Bristol, while talking to his girlfriend on his mobile phone. He was living at Lambourn in Berkshire at the time and had returned to the studio shortly before his death to record with FLEETWOOD MAC co-founder Peter Green. By that time, he had been the drummer on at least 66 albums with minor contributions on many other recordings. It was generally felt that Powell's death was a great loss to the world of popular music. Countless rock-based drummers have cited Cozy Powell as an influence.
BLACK SABBATH fan site Black-Sabbath.com has posted the following letter from SABBATH drummer Bill Ward regarding the anniversary of Powell's passing:
"Thanks for reminding us it's been ten years since Cozy died. I think about him from time to time. I've always been grateful that our last phone conversation ended on a high note. I felt we were both sincere with each other, sharing mutual respect when touching on our individual histories in hard rock/metal.
"Over the years, death has sometimes come quickly to old friends, and I've felt the pain and dilemma of not returning a phone call as I would have liked to, but didn't; not being able to say a proper good-bye in life; being upset, or undone, or unresolved from the last conversation, then feeling the loss of that end. With Cozy, I felt we had the perfect ending conversation. We talked from the heart. In hindsight, our conversation seems gift-like, fitting perfectly into the great order of things. Cozy died about ten days after he and I spoke, maybe sooner, I'm not sure.
"OK. Drum students — listen to this man. Check out the band RAINBOW. Listen to 'Stargazer'. Cozy is a master. Listen to the top of the song — that's Cozy Powell playing. Discover this giant of rock drumming. He lives forever on records and in our hearts.
"Thanks, Coze — nice work."
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
BILL WARD, TED NUGENT To Weigh In On 'California Jam' On WPMD.org's "Rock 50"
California Jam II was held at the Ontario Motor Speedway on March 18, 1978.
Musical acts featured at the festival included TED NUGENT, AEROSMITH, SANTANA, DAVE MASON, FOREIGNER, HEART, BOB WELCH (with special guests Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood), FRANK MARINO & MAHOGANY RUSH and RUBICON. California Jam I had been held four years earlier (April 6, 1974) and featured BLACK SABBATH, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, EAGLES, DEEP PURPLE, EMERSON LAKE & PALMER, EARTH WIND & FIRE, RARE EARTH and SEALS & CROFT.
To celebrate the 30th (and 34th) anniversary of these festivals, on Saturday, March 15, WPMD.org's "Rock 50" with Mike Stark will feature music, interviews and reflections from these, nearly forgotten, concerts that brought in over 200,000 people to the Speedway for each event. In studio will be co-producer and stage announcer for both events, Don Branker. Don also hosted the groundbreaking ABC late night series "In Concert", one of the first TV shows to feature musical artists in a concert environment rather than in a television studio setting. Along with Don, some of the musicians that played at these festivals will weigh in on what the event meant to them. BLACK SABBATH's Bill Ward, RUBICON's Jack Blades (NIGHT RANGER, DAMN YANKEES) and Ted Nugent all have vivid memories of these events — Nugent sharing an incredible story of his problems getting to the show and then the drama that occurred backstage at the show.
"Rock 50" with Mike Stark airs "live" every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Pacific time) at WPMD.org.
Musical acts featured at the festival included TED NUGENT, AEROSMITH, SANTANA, DAVE MASON, FOREIGNER, HEART, BOB WELCH (with special guests Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood), FRANK MARINO & MAHOGANY RUSH and RUBICON. California Jam I had been held four years earlier (April 6, 1974) and featured BLACK SABBATH, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, EAGLES, DEEP PURPLE, EMERSON LAKE & PALMER, EARTH WIND & FIRE, RARE EARTH and SEALS & CROFT.
To celebrate the 30th (and 34th) anniversary of these festivals, on Saturday, March 15, WPMD.org's "Rock 50" with Mike Stark will feature music, interviews and reflections from these, nearly forgotten, concerts that brought in over 200,000 people to the Speedway for each event. In studio will be co-producer and stage announcer for both events, Don Branker. Don also hosted the groundbreaking ABC late night series "In Concert", one of the first TV shows to feature musical artists in a concert environment rather than in a television studio setting. Along with Don, some of the musicians that played at these festivals will weigh in on what the event meant to them. BLACK SABBATH's Bill Ward, RUBICON's Jack Blades (NIGHT RANGER, DAMN YANKEES) and Ted Nugent all have vivid memories of these events — Nugent sharing an incredible story of his problems getting to the show and then the drama that occurred backstage at the show.
"Rock 50" with Mike Stark airs "live" every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Pacific time) at WPMD.org.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
BLACK SABBATH Drummer Previews This Weekend's "Rock 50" Show
BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has issued the following update on this weekend's (February 23) edition of his "Rock 50" monthly radio show, which airs between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. PST on WPMD, a college radio station at Cerritos College in California:
"Our radio show this month will air on February 23. I hope you will join us. We'll be playing new releases in hardcore metal and some of the favorites from last year. I haven't played any PANTERA for a while, so I'm playing something this month. DISFEAR, I'm sure, will be back on the show from January, and right now, KORN kick off the top of the show.
"We'll make a brief tribute to Buddy, Ritchie and the Big Popper. It's been 49 years since their fatal plane crash after playing the Surf Ballroom gig in Clear Lake, Iowa, February 3rd, 1959."
"Rock 50", featuring its regular host Mike Stark, is broadcast over the Internet every Saturday. You can listen to the show live online at this location.
For more information about Bill Ward's monthly "Rock 50" radio show, click here.
"Our radio show this month will air on February 23. I hope you will join us. We'll be playing new releases in hardcore metal and some of the favorites from last year. I haven't played any PANTERA for a while, so I'm playing something this month. DISFEAR, I'm sure, will be back on the show from January, and right now, KORN kick off the top of the show.
"We'll make a brief tribute to Buddy, Ritchie and the Big Popper. It's been 49 years since their fatal plane crash after playing the Surf Ballroom gig in Clear Lake, Iowa, February 3rd, 1959."
"Rock 50", featuring its regular host Mike Stark, is broadcast over the Internet every Saturday. You can listen to the show live online at this location.
For more information about Bill Ward's monthly "Rock 50" radio show, click here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
