Ozzfest 2005-Ozzfest Ends, More Details On DVD Released

[Malcolm]

Ozzy Osbourne's wife/manager Sharon Osbourne confirmed in an interview with The Arizona Republic Friday (August 12) that this year's Ozzfest will be the last time Ozzy performs with the traveling festival.

"We're changing the format of the festival next year, and Ozzy will be going into arenas for a while. Because this outside business is just knocking the (expletive) out of him in the summer," she said.

On this year's Ozzfest tour, Osbourne has been plagued by health problems, causing him to cancel some appearances. On Thursday (August 11), he halted a song midway when his voice cracked.

"He's been having a lot of voice problems," Sharon Osbourne said. "Unfortunately for Ozzy, he suffers a lot from hay fever, and when we're on tour everything is outside. When the pollen count is high, he's just wiped out. And there's only so many things he can take for it.

"But he's struggling on."

Despite Osbourne's absence in future tours, his wife said Ozzfest will continue.

"We've proved the festival is solid as a rock, just other people will headline. And Ozzy will continue, but it is time for Ozzy to move on."

[Malcolm]

Jose Lambiet of PalmBeachPost.com has issued the following report:

When Ozzy Osbourne is on stage over the next couple of weeks, there's a good chance that Palm Beach Gardens resident Ron Anderson will be standing nearby. Earpiece in one ear, tiny microphone in one hand, he'll be talking Osbourne through his lyrics during the show.

No one in the audience will know, but Anderson will be an integral part of the show ? as he has been for hundreds of concerts and dozens of major celebs the past 25 years.

Anderson, you see, is a "voice doctor." He waits for calls from tour managers whose stars ? could be Shania Twain or the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS or Eddie Vedder or Kylie Minogue ? have a voice problem. And unlike the Maytag repairman, Anderson gets called out often.

"Ozzy has a problem later this month: four shows of his tour on consecutive nights," Anderson says. "At his age, he'll be exhausted and his voice will suffer."

That's where Anderson comes in. He'll spend several days with the bat-biting rocker, looking at what he eats (steaks and salads are good for the voice, he says) and drinks, making sure he rests his voice, placing humidifiers in the bedrooms and then talking into Ozzy's earpiece during the show.

Anderson, a retired opera singer, started giving voice advice to bands in the mid-'70s for free. Now, he charges [$5,000] a day.

[Malcolm]

 According to Billboard.com, BLACK SABBATH are plotting a Canadian tour in early 2006. No further information is currently available.

As previously reported, the BLACK SABBATH-headlined Ozzfest show in Somerset, Wisconsin that got rescheduled last week has now been cancelled. The tour was supposed to hit the Float Rite Park Amphitheatre on August 7, but after doctors ordered Ozzy Osbourne not to sing on consecutive days, the show was moved to September 10. Now, however, an official statement says that it's been scrapped altogether because "some of the artists set to perform at the August 7 date were ultimately unable to alter their previous commitments to accommodate the new routing. Ozzfest organizers felt it was best to cancel the show instead of mounting anything less than a spectacular event."

Ozzfest will now close September 4 in West Palm Beach, Fla. The tour's next show is tomorrow (Aug. 18) in Phoenix.

[Malcolm]

Ozzy Osbourne is looking for a guitar player to write his next studio album with. All interested parties should send a package showcasing their guitar skills to:

Ozzy Osbourne Guitar Player
P.O. Box 5249
Beverly Hills, CA 90209

[Malcolm]

BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne announced earlier in the week that he is searching for a guitar player to collaborate with on his next solo album.

Even though he's made records with guitar legends including Tony Iommi, the late Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Zakk Wylde, Osbourne told Launch Radio Networks that he doesn't go looking for the flashiest player he can find. "When I audition guitar players, I go, 'I don't want to know how fast you can play, I don't want to know if you can stand on your head and play it through your butt, or whatever ? just give me a riff that'll make a kid want to go out and buy a guitar,'" Ozzy said. "Simple, but effective ? how (much) more simple can you get than (the KINKS song) 'You Really Got Me'? Just go (sings opening guitar part)."

No time frame has been announced for Osbourne to make a new album, and there's conflicting information about when it might happen. An official statement says that Osbourne and his wife and manager Sharon are either planning a BLACK SABBATH tour of Canada for early 2006, while the British tabloid The Sun quotes Sharon as saying the couple is getting ready for a two-year break from the music business, during which they'll spend some time in New Zealand.

[Malcolm]

 Despite Ozzy Osbourne's announcement last week that this will be his final stint as Ozzfest yearly headliner, Sharon Osbourne, wife and manager of Ozzy and the one person who may be the glue holding the entire operation together, was adamant about the future of Ozzfest.

"I can absolutely see this festival continuing on for the next 10 years," she told The Orange County Register. "It just comes down to giving the people what they want."

According to Sharon Osbourne, her husband had to cancel his performances because of chronic voice problems brought on by hay fever and allergies. She indicated that next year will bring a new format for the festival, with indoor arenas scheduled for some dates.

Sharon Osbourne said that despite the problems with canceled performances, she is confident that the tour is in great shape and remains one of the top money-making concert events in the country. And even as metal takes on new sounds with the upcoming bands, Sharon Osbourne thinks the genre is as strong as ever.

"There's no revitalization of metal," she said. "It's never gone away. That's why Ozzfest has been selling out for the past 10 years."

Regarding the festival's future, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman Zakk Wylde ? whose band has been a fixture on the tour since 1999 ? told The Orange County Register, "What can I say, it's been a blast all these years. We're talking about an event where you have bands like BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN playing. It's like being in metal heaven."

Wylde said that before Ozzfest, his band was touring Japan and Europe, but he makes sure that his schedule is clear for this time of the year. "It's becoming a tradition for this band. All the chapters of the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY bike clubs show up for the tour and we all have a (great) time."

Wylde also believes the tour allows the "underground" bands a time to reach people who might not have heard of them. "I'll walk down to the second stage and watch some of these bands. They're the future, but at the same time, are the link to the past."

Wylde told The Orange County Register he spoke to Ozzy Osbourne about his recent announcement of cutting back his Ozzfest appearances and told him that he was in an enviable position.

"I told him he can pick and choose the gigs he wants to play," Wylde said. "I said, 'Ozzy, you have to realize that this tour is bigger than you. It's an institution.'"

[Malcolm]

Ozzy Osbourne has issued the following statement via his official web site:

"After 10 years, I've decided that this year will be my last as the headlining act on Ozzfest. The Ozzfest is well-established now and I feel it's time for me to hand the reigns off to someone else. However, I will be performing at a few select Ozzfest shows next year.

"Despite the rumors, I don't have permanent throat problems. The truth is that after 11 straight summers on the road, I would just love to finally take a summer holiday with my wife.

"You haven't heard the last from me.

"God bless, Ozzy."

[Malcolm]

Classic Rock Revisited recently conducted an exclusive interview with BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Classic Rock Revisited: Let's talk about Ozzfest for a minute. How are things really going?

Tony: "It has been going good. We had to cancel a couple of shows because of Ozzy's [Osbourne] voice. It was very unfortunate and I hate doing that. Ozzy has had problems with his vocal chords. He had to take a few days off and fly back to Los Angeles to see his doctor. It is just one of those things that he seems to have problems with. I hate having to cancel shows. If it was up to Bill [Ward], Geezer [Butler] and myself then we would be doing four shows in a row but you just can't expect Ozzy to do it when he has a problem with his voice."

Classic Rock Revisited: After 35 years of playing, how do you still enjoy being together?

Tony: "Bill and I go out for walks every day. We talk about how the last show was. We are really into what we are doing ? more so even on this tour. We have really enjoyed playing. The real bummer of it all is when we have to cancel a show. That really pisses all of us off because you just really don't want to do that. We sort of lose a bit of momentum when we do that. You want to keep the machine going and you want to improve on what you are doing. When you have to cancel a show and then have three days off, it puts you back a bit."

Classic Rock Revisited: We just ran an article with Steve Harris of IRON MAIDEN where he explains Bruce Dickinson's outrage at the Ozzfest's fans for not being lively enough in concert. Is that disappointing when you are on a package tour and other bands are talking negative?

Tony: "It is hard for the fans to get up and jump around after they have been there all day. I know I certainly could not stand there all day, drinking in the heat and then jump around all night. As long as people enjoy themselves and they see what they have came to see then it is all great. That is what it is all about. Every band is going to try to get everyone to get involved with their show. After the kids have been jumping around for several bands then it is very hard to keep them going at nine o'clock at night."

Classic Rock Revisited: Is Iommi going to tour with Geezer Butler opening up? Is that really going to happen?

Tony: "Geezer started this idea and I think it is a good idea. When we get to the point where the Ozzfest is actually done he may go, 'I am not going back out so soon.' I am certainly going to go out and tour. It would be nice if we did it together."

Classic Rock Revisited: Was it tempting to do something on Ozzfest?

Tony: "I think we could have done something but I would not want to do that. I see this [solo career] and SABBATH as two separate things and if SABBATH was on the Ozzfest then I would have done it with Glenn [Hughes]. I don?t want to detract from BLACK SABBATH on the Ozzfest ? that would not be right."

[Malcolm]

BLABBERMOUTH.NET has received a number of e-mails regarding last night's (August 20) Ozzfest concert in Devore (near San Bernardino), California, which reportedly included an on-stage appearance following IRON MAIDEN's set by Sharon Osbourne during which she called MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson a "prick." The following report was submitted by David Priest, editor-in-chief of On Track Magazine:

"Last night's [August 20] headlining performance of IRON MAIDEN at Ozzfest in San Bernardino, CA rendered some interesting, if not disturbing, results. Although MAIDEN played one hell of a show, they were under attack from the moment they began their set. From the time they hit the stage, they suffered power loss on at least three occasions and they were continuously pelted with ice, bottle caps, and eggs among other things. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson was even spit on by one attendee. He seemed to believe these occurrences were not by accident and insinuated that they had been planned from the beginning of the night [Download MP3 files of Bruce's on-stage rants at last night's Ozzfest: Bruce#1, Bruce#2]. He also encouraged the other audience members to break the arm of anyone that they saw throwing things their way. Upon concluding their performance the emcee for the evening began to chant Ozzy, Ozzy while Bruce was still speaking. Bruce retaliated by chanting MAIDEN. After he left the stage Sharon Osbourne took over the mic and informed the crowd that they absolutely loved IRON MAIDEN and their crew and stated that they were all wonderful but that their singer Bruce Dickinson was a prick and had disrespected Ozzfest since they began their stint with the touring summer festival [Download MP3 file of Sharon's anti-Bruce rant at this location]. This of course came as a shock to those of us in attendance and the there was ample confusion and speculation from audience members there after. As previously announced last night's show marked the final performance of IRON MAIDEN on this year's Ozzfest. VELVET REVOLVER will be taking over their slot on the last remaining dates."

Here are a few more eyewitness accounts, as submitted by BLABBERMOUTH.NET readers:

-------------------------------------------------

"Tonight was the last show of IRON MAIDEN's leg of the Ozzfest. Unfortunately the rest of the tour will have that spot filled by VELVET REVOLVER. There has been some sniping and such going on during this tour between Ozzy's camp and Bruce Dickinson, but that had been kept for the most part away from the fans it appears. So, IRON MAIDEN is playing a 55-minute set (though they've played full shows on the nights SABBATH cancelled on this tour because Ozzy can't to back to back nights.)

"MAIDEN is about to come on and right before a voice on the PA starts chanting 'Ozzy, Ozzy.' MAIDEN comes on and starts getting pelted with eggs from one area of the pit. Some dude has three dozen eggs. Bruce calls this out quickly. Next, during 'The Trooper', where Bruce waves a large British flag, some big dude painted red walks out from backstage with an American flag and on his back painted 'Don't f(#$ with Ozzy).' Tackled, he appeared off stage again. Then after Bruce declared 'You'll never hear MAIDEN on U.S. radio, MTV and certainly never see them in a reality show,' he says they will play 60 minutes, not 55. So, during two of their most popular songs (note: they are only playing songs from the first four albums, so 40,000 metalheads and idiots are going nuts), their PA and power goes off. Unbelievable, they handled it fine as almost if they expected it. They then do an encore and Bruce says something about the 'We the People' and nobody is going to stop them, not eggs, a guy spitting on them (until Bruce had him tossed) or a PA hoax and they play two more songs. Then they finish and are bowing and saying goodnight and the Ozzy voice comes on to chant, Bruce tries to change it to MAIDEN chant and then says, 'Are you as sick of this BS 'cause we are.' And they walk off.

"THEN: Sharon [Osbourne] comes on stage and asks for everyone?s attention and half ass praises and thanks IRON MAIDEN but say the singer Bruce is a prick and has been slagging the tour. 40,000 are stunned and start to boo and throw stuff, but most were stunned by the surreal moment. SABBATH then came out and did a good set like last year's with a much improved, yet hoarse, Ozzy. They started doing medleys thought, not good. But the rest, eesh."

-------------------------------------------------

"ROB ZOMBIE was cool, SHADOWS FALL and MUDVAYNE are better live than on CD, SLIPKNOT aren't really my kind of band but they put on an entertaining stage show...lots of strange shit going on.

"MAIDEN hit the stage to thundering applause, despite the fact that they are the ONLY mainstage band NOT to be introduced by some guy that comes on stage...and despite the fact that the idiot is screaming 'Ozzy... Ozzy... Ozzy' as MAIDEN's intro tape ('Doctor Doctor') is playing.

"Some prick is throwing eggs up on the stage. It doesn't occur to me till later, but this person HAD to be planted in the audience, because there is NO WAY any fan could have snuck in 36 fucking eggs. They patted us down so good, I felt like asking for a cigarette afterwards.

"Bruce is in fine rant form (got 5 or so tonight...LOL), and mentions how MAIDEN will never be on the radio, or MTV...or reality TV shows. He also mentions that they're supposed to do a shortened 55-minute set tonight, but just like someone sang that they can't drive 55, they can't PLAY 55....they're going to play their full show.

"Maybe 30 seconds or so before 'Phantom of the Opera' is to end, the PA cuts out. A minute or two later, it's back on an they go into 'Run to the Hills'. This happens again 2-3 times the rest of the night. Once near the end of 'Hallowed be thy Name', and the crowd is so into it, we all decide to help MAIDEN finish the song anyway. We sang the rest of it for them, as we could just barely hear their stage monitors going.

"In spite of all the problems with the planted egg thrower, the 'Ozzy... Ozzy...' asshole, and someone pulling the fucking PA plug, the band are on FIRE, and are determined to give us the best show possible. There was no big Eddie during the song IRON MAIDEN, just the walk-on Eddie. Is this how it was at the other Ozzfest shows?

"MAIDEN come back out for their encore, and Bruce says that the band is back out there for one reason, and one reason only...after all the bullshit...it for us...the fans. They put on a fucking killer encore, and the crowd was fucking totally into it.

"MAIDEN are on stage still, and taking their bows...and this cocksucker starts the 'Ozzy... Ozzy... Ozzy...' shit through the PA system again. Well, almost IMMEDIATELY, seemingly the entire crowd starts chanting 'MAIDEN... MAIDEN... MAIDEN...' over the guy... over and over... and we drowned that motherfucker out! Bruce was up there like an orchestra conductor, waving his arms as we chanted 'MAIDEN... MAIDEN!'

"The band aren't off the stage 10 seconds, when that cunt Sharon Osbourne comes out and tells us she needs us quiet just for a moment. She proceeds to tell us how they love IRON MAIDEN and think they're cool...but then says that Bruce Dickinson is a real prick, and has been disrespecting Ozzfest from day one. That's all I heard out of the bitch, 'cause we all immediately went back into 'MAIDEN... MAIDEN... MAIDEN!" and she was completely drowned out after that.

"I looked at my brother and said 'Let's get the fuck outta here,' and he nodded too. All the way out, we chanted 'MAIDEN... MAIDEN' ...and 'Bruce... Bruce...' ...and the crowd all along, chanted right with us.

"Walking out the gates, we quickly noticed that we were FAR from alone...as a large mass of people were leaving right with us. Common statements made by others were, 'Fucking bitch, Sharon...fuck her.' I think she overestimated her popularity...LOL. All she ended up doing was thinning out the crowd of a large LARGE number of MAIDEN fans. Good fucking riddance, too!

"It was best that we left anyway....since no band should ever go on after MAIDEN. I will never....NEVER spend another fucking cent on ANYTHING Ozzy does, unless he ever decides to stop being led around by the nose, by that fucking bitch, Sharon.

"All that being said....I'll repeat that in SPITE of all that went on, MAIDEN put on a great fucking show, with what they had to deal with...and the crowd returned the love...and then some."

[Malcolm]

"* IRON MAIDEN got pummeled with eggs on the opening of 'Murders In The Rue Morgue'

* Second song 'The Trooper', someone (looked like that douche 'Big Dave') on stage and mocked Bruce with an American flag.....

* MAIDEN's PA and amps were shut off four or five times during songs......

* Ozzfest apparently tried to cut MAIDEN's set length.....

* Someone sounding alot like that Dave person who introduced BLACK LABEL SOCIETY was chanting 'Ozzy, Ozzy...' ( a pre-recorded loop, maybe?) while MAIDEN were still on stage... Needless to say, the crowd is getting pissed by now.....

"Bruce was a total hero ? a pro, said what he needed to say and MAIDEN still did their set and encore... Sharon then came out for what appeared to be damage control, thanking MAIDEN and the crew ? and then said, 'but their singer Bruce Dickinson is a prick, he has insulted Ozzfest since he got here...' or something to that affect. The statement she made seemed to be condoning the poor treatment of MAIDEN.....

"I as a fan have gained MUCHO respect for Bruce Dickinson and lost respect for the Ozz Inc. camp."

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"At the final night of their Ozzfest stint at Hyundai Pavillion in Devore, California, IRON MAIDEN were the victim of Sharon Osbourne's megalomania. Firstly, before they went on, Big Dave (or whatever they call the retarded streak of piss hanger-on who introduces Ozzy and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY for a living) tried to get an 'Ozzy' chant just before MAIDEN walked onstage. Then they had 35 eggs and bottles, which were 'planted' in the mosh pit just before showtime, which were then thrown at Bruce and the boys. Then when playing 'The Trooper' at the part when Bruce runs onstage dressed in military attire waving the British flag, 'Big Dave' ran on in a civil war outfit (kinda) and waving a huge U.S. flag. He had to be removed from the stage and then ran around the venue like a five-year-old schoolgirl. Next up was the fact that MAIDEN's sound was cut totally about five times mid-song and at crucial moments, complete power failure forcing them to abandon the songs.

"Bruce was noticeably pissed about this and made a comment about being a true rock band and not a reality show band. Then he let it be known that the power cuts were deliberate sabotage as were the eggs. As MAIDEN finished the set and were taking bows, 'Big Wad Dave' once again starts the 'Ozzy' chants, which the crowd drowned out with MAIDEN chants. Then to top it off, Sharon walks onstage and says, and I quote, 'Look, I really love IRON MAIDEN but I have to tell you their lead singer Bruce Dickinson is a prick.' The crowd went wild with booing and chants and Sharon continued, 'We have done so much for them, let me explain myself.' She was drowned out in a sea of boo's and left the stage.

"It was a debacle and embarrassing and the most unprofessional thing I have ever seen in my 20 years of going to rock shows. To actually of cut the power to the band and throw projectiles at the band in order to ruin their set was truly evil and dangerous and disrespectful to the thousands of fans who were there purely to MAIDEN. Sharon Osbourne is and evil cunt, I only hope she gets another batch of cancer after what she did tonight."

[Rob]

This is a fucking disgrace.  Maiden has fucking carried Ozzfest this year, if it wasn't for them this entire thing would have been a disaster and how are they repayed?  By being disgraced by that stupid cunt Sharon Osbourne and the rest of senile Ozzy's camp.  Fuck her, fuck Ozzy, and fuck whoever else that was behind that debacle.  Bruce and Iron Maiden should be commended for still putting on a great show and not putting that slutty bitch Sharon on her ass afterwards.  I am so pissed after reading that.  If I don't hear some sort of apology out of Ozzy soon then fuck him.  I've had enough of his shit.  He can't perform live anymore, he's totally compromised his musical integrity with his shitty latest album, Down To Earth, and he's totally whipped by that stupid cunt.  Maiden are fucking legends.  They deserve so much better. 

[Timothy]

WHat the fuck ?

That is bullshit.

 Maiden carried fuckin show this year, from what I have heard. thats how they get repayed ?

I was planning to go to the September 2 date but fuck that.

[Izzy]

This is a fucking disgrace.? Maiden has fucking carried Ozzfest this year, if it wasn't for them this entire thing would have been a disaster and how are they repayed?? By being disgraced by that stupid cunt Sharon Osbourne and the rest of senile Ozzy's camp.? Fuck her, fuck Ozzy, and fuck whoever else that was behind that debacle.? Bruce and Iron Maiden should be commended for still putting on a great show and not putting that slutty bitch Sharon on her ass afterwards.? I am so pissed after reading that.? If I don't hear some sort of apology out of Ozzy soon then fuck him.? I've had enough of his shit.? He can't perform live anymore, he's totally compromised his musical integrity with his shitty latest album, Down To Earth, and he's totally whipped by that stupid cunt.? Maiden are fucking legends.? They deserve so much better.?

Indeed

Maiden don't need Ozzfest and the greedy bastards that run it

[*Izzy*]

I think what happened is actually bad publicity for the festival and good publicity for Maiden

  Izzy? ? ? ?

[Malcolm]

 Two photos of IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson have apparently been deleted from the official Ozzfest web site, Ozzfest.com ? presumably because the Ozzfest organizers believe that Dickinson has "disrespected" the festival (based on comments made by Sharon Osbourne during last night's Ozzfest in San Bernardino, California).

[mrlee]

Pathetic, she has not right to wreck a groups performance, ever since x factor shes become way above herself.

She didnt even think about all the fans there of maiden, she didnt care about wrecking there show, silly bitch.

[ClintroN]

Fuck sharon and ozzy, fuck mtv, fuck reality shows and everythinb the osbournes stand for.

That slut thinks she is gods gift.

[Walk]

Ozzy Osbourne has been worthless since he coked his brain out in the late 70's. Dio's Sabbath albums are much, much better than the last 2 Ozzy albums. Hell, it was IOMMI who cooked up Sabbath's riffs, and Ward and Geezer did their part too. Ozzy is a lucky idiot with an idiot wife. He is a bigger sellout than all of Metallica. 

Ozzfest already has a terrible reputation as a mallcore cesspool. I hope it goes under, since that trend seems to be dying or dead now. UP THE IRONS!!!!!!!! 

[Bridge]

I did some reading on this and it appears maiden has been taking public shots at Ozzy throughout the tour.  insulting him and the osbourne show on stage and whatnot.  so sharon finally had enough.

but I agree that Sharon had no right to wreck Maiden's performance though.  that isn't just taking a shot at Maiden, it's wrecking the show for the fans, and that isn't fair to them as much as they pay for the ticket.

if there were problems between the 2 factions, it shouldve been handled behind the scenes, and not ruining the show for the fans.

[Rob]

None of the members of Maiden have been "taking shots" at anybody in the Ozzy camp publicly.  That's BS.  I read just about every interview the guys from maiden give, and there hasn't been anyything I would deem as "taking shots".  Maiden saved this year's Ozzfest, and cunt Sharon and Ozzy repay them by sabatoging (no pun intended) their set and talking shit afterwards.  Maiden are classy professional dudes.  They let their music do the talking, as opposed to Ozzy...who lets his wife do the talking.