Tom Morello Dives Deep Into Back to the Beginning
“It’s really been a labor of love putting the show together — and it’s about to go down.”
Tom Morello joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday (July 1) to dive into Back to the Beginning and what it meant for him to be asked by Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne to curate the event.
Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.
“First of all, it was like, ‘Wait, say it slower,'” Morello told host Chuck Armstrong.
“‘This is the last Black Sabbath show? Got it. Last Ozzy show? And what do you want me to do?’ We basically sat down and talked about what that would mean and the goal; my initial goal was pretty clear, let’s make this the greatest day in the history of heavy metal.”
As he started his new job as Musical Director for Back to the Beginning, Morello pulled out his Rolodex and called up some friends like Metallica, Tool, Pantera, Guns N’ Roses and more.
“You know, when you call up and say, ‘Do you want to play Black Sabbath’s last show,’ people pick up the phone,” Morello said.
In addition to the untouchable lineup that was put together for Back to the Beginning, Morello seemed excited for a few other things that will happen in Birmingham on July 5.
“You don’t even know, there are some surprises on the bill — you have no idea and you’re going to lose your mind.”
What Tom Morello Hopes Is the Legacy of Back to the Beginning
While it may seem strange to talk about the legacy of one event — especially when that event is already tied to the legacies of Black Sabbath and Ozzy — Morello was clear in what he hopes Back to the Beginning accomplishes.
“It’s not just heavy metal that is in the music of Black Sabbath,” he said about the band’s influence.
“It’s in every country and western stage show. Every time a pop musician brings out a distorted guitar. It’s in hip-hop. It’s in the music of Run-D.M.C. It’s in the music of Rage Against the Machine. Every band from the ’90s era has at least one person who worships at the alter of Black Sabbath.”
Morello admitted that while it’s common for rock and metal fans to celebrate Sabbath and Ozzy, he’s excited for the entire world to see their significance at Back to the Beginning.
“Everyone who loves hard rock and metal knows who they are and knows what their importance is,” he said.
“But the world doesn’t get in the way that they’re going to after this day. This is not the greatest heavy metal band of all time. This is one of the greatest bands of all time and Ozzy Osbourne’s career is one of the most important, groundbreaking careers ever on a number of different fronts.”
What Else Did Tom Morello Discuss on Loudwire Nights?
- One reason why Ozzy is so important to him as a musician: “Ozzy Osbourne is responsible for bringing what I think is the greatest guitar player in the world, Randy Rhoads, to the forefront … [They] rejuvenated heavy metal and also legitimized it.”
- Why it hasn’t been hard to keep a lid on the surprises in store at Back to the Beginning: “People have such a reverence and a respect for Black Sabbath and for Ozzy, people have been really cool … We’re locked in. We’ve got to rock this.”
- What else fans can expect at Back to the Beginning besides the live performances: “There is a lot of really great footage that we’re showing, interstitial stuff. Jason Momoa is hosting and he’s metal to the core. Some of the video stuff that we’re showing between bands is never-before-seen footage, some of it we created for the event. It’s going to absolutely blow your mind.”
Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below
Tom Morello joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday, Juyl 1; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.
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