The ESPN Action Sports and Music Awards will be the first ever event to bring together the most recognizable action sports athletes and cutting-edge musical artists in the unique forum of an awards show. ESPN will unite athletes, sport legends, musicians and Hollywood celebrities to present the most explosive evening in the history of action sports.
One of the great bassists of all-time, Geezer Butler, is a founding member of Black Sabbath and penned some of the band's best-known lyrics including "Paranoid" and "abbath Bloody Sabbath." Sailing from the industrial town of Birmingham, England, Butler, singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward formed Sabbath in 1968 and have since been responsible for charting the course of hard rock history, influencing everyone from Rage Against the Machine and Rob Zombie to Godsmack and Goatsnake. Along with his haunting lyrics, Butler's bass acrobatics are non-pareil among his peers. The man they call "Geezer" stands as one of the true legends of heavy metal.
In its sixth year, Ozzfest is the perennial blockbuster package tour that gathers the best of rock's titans and emerging artists. It is expected to sell out all 30 of its tour stops in advance, beginning June 8 in Chicago. In addition to Black Sabbath, The Ozzfest 2001 will also feature platinum-selling heavyweights Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, Disturbed and Crazytown.
Geezer chatted live on April 9. Here's what he had to say. For more on Ozzfest, check out the
official site.
Jensen from
[63.238.230.180], at 9:04pm ET
Hey whats up dude? I just want to know what was your insparation to play bass?
Geezer Butler at 9:06pm ET
The one bass player that influenced me was Jack Bruce from Cream. Before that, I played rhythm guitar. Then Ozzy joined the band I was in - we wanted to play full time and the other guys didn't. So, Ozzy and I left and he knew Tony Iommi. Bill Ward said he'd join the band if Tony came with us. That's how I began with the bass. I wanted to play it anyway because watching Jack Bruce opened my mind.
Alan Kausy from
[161.184.200.141], at 9:07pm ET
A lot of the other great bands have done it, so when is Black Sabbath going to release a Christmas album?
Geezer, you should find that funny.
Geezer Butler at 9:07pm ET
When the snow starts turning black! (Laughs). In the next left time when we're in hell!
larry from
[207.203.64.51], at 9:07pm ET
Do you skateboard?
Geezer Butler at 9:08pm ET
Well, Larry, I tried it once and almost broke my back. When I was younger, when it first came out, I tried it. I'm not very good. I can water ski, though.
Dimitri from
[206.102.161.11], at 9:09pm ET
Geezer,
As a fellow bassplayer, how come we never get the recognition we righfully deserve? Damn those guitar players! j/k
Keep rockin' man! You and Sabbath rule!
Geezer Butler at 9:10pm ET
I think good bass players blend in with the rhythm section rather than stand out. Bass is more of a feel rather than just being blown away, like a guitar. We got more of a rhythm job to do. I'm glad we don't get all the attention, personally. Ozzy gets mobbed everywhere he goes.
Roxann from
[64.12.106.34], at 9:11pm ET
What made you decide to get back together. Do you plan an album and/or tour?
Geezer Butler at 9:12pm ET
Mainly, Ozzy wanted to get us back together. It's been 20 years. We did a couple of songs during his "farewell" in 1992 and that got the ball rolling. We are starting the Ozzfest in England and we're going all over. We have new songs written, we got three more songs and we're looking to write eight more. We'd like to put it out.
clyde from
[152.163.206.182], at 9:13pm ET
Geezer - you are an inspiration. Who do you listen to now when you put in a CD?
Geezer Butler at 9:15pm ET
Lately, I've been listening to some jazz albums. I love the new Pat Metheny album. John Coltrane. As far as bands - Snake River Conspiracy's "Sonic Jihad" is my favorite album now. I still like good metal, though!
adam_sherban toronto,canada from
[207.236.102.211], at 9:16pm ET
Geezer, when on the road, which sports (or sports teams) do you follow?
Geezer Butler at 9:18pm ET
I LOVE soccer. That's all I ever watch. I watched it for eight hours today. I'll watch it all day if I can. I love it. But I'm too bloody old to play now.
Also, I've been to a St. Louis Rams game, though. When I'm in New York, I'll see the Knicks. But nothing comes close to soccer. My team is Astonville in England.
Chuck from
[24.148.51.52], at 9:19pm ET
Geezer,
Do you have an opinion on the Napster rulings? Should Sabbath fans be able to download your music for free?
Geezer Butler at 9:20pm ET
To me, I don't see how it's different from listening to the radio. It's a good way to hear new music.
brocc from
[64.12.105.158], at 9:21pm ET
Geezer, is Ozzy the craziest person you ever met? Sabbath rules on forever!
Geezer Butler at 9:22pm ET
Without a doubt, Ozzy is the craziest person I've ever met. Son of Sam is a close second.
I've seen him take a crap on some guy's car. For no reason. He's crazy. That was two days after I'd met him. And, he's not mellowed with age. He's just more subtle now ...
Freq-Z-cache from
[18.245.2.22], at 9:23pm ET
What was your high point with the band? What made it so?
Geezer Butler at 9:26pm ET
The high point was recording our first album. We had something concrete to say it was all worth it - because people said we were wasting our time. They said "go get real jobs." My parents threw me out. To have made the album we said, "hey, look, we did this." So, the first album was the high point.
You know, it took seven auditions to get a record contract with that album. So it was tough. We got turned down a lot. People said, "this isn't music." But we made music that the record companies hated and the kids loved.
Freq-Z-cache from
[18.245.2.22], at 9:27pm ET
Why the nickname Geezer?
Geezer Butler at 9:28pm ET
When I was a little kid, actually, I got it. I had three brothers in the army and, in that time, we called each other "Geezer" - it was the thing to do. I'd go around school calling people "Geezer." But, in the end, I got cursed with the nickname from my brothers calling me that so much.
motlo from
[200.64.134.41], at 9:28pm ET
Geezer, are there any left goals you haven't approached after 32 years of success?
Geezer Butler at 9:30pm ET
Probably just to do the Ozzfest again would be great. I'd like to finish with a final Sabbath album. It's been a long time since we did that. You always feel that it is still a challenge. Musically, we've gone back to the way it was in 1970. We sound a lot like that still.
Geezer Butler at 9:31pm ET
It's been nice talking to you all online. I hope to see you all at the Ozzfest!
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