Well I wasn’t at this show. I actually grew up in a little Iowa town called Storm Lake. It was roughly 100 miles from Des Moines. I had a cousin who was at the show but she didn’t know at the time if the bat was rubber or not. I ran into Rudy in LA later and he told me the story. After spending some time around Ozzie though I doubt that was the worse thing he ever had in his mouth. After all he would suck on a Viagara tab because he liked the blue coating taste. 😳🤷♂️
As you correctly say, this is all mythology now. We were all just a bunch of people living life. There was no roadmap for what was happening. The 80s were the dot com boom for music. There was a lot of everything to be had, and fortunately for me money was one of those things. Unlike most of the artists I worked for I had a brother in law in finance who I leaned on so when I finally left I was in pretty good shape. Also I didn’t have the bad habits of the people I worked with and for. Otherwise I couldn’t have lasted as long or been successful at it. I now live vicariously through your columns.
Yup, I remember my mom being pretty upset about this. But she never ever banned any music from the house - we had to share all of it with her dad. Mom ended up being an Ozzy fan. Dad was more into my New Wave.
The ultimate scare the shit out of your parents. I was not a huge Ozzy fan, so I didn’t immediately notice my tapes gotten confiscated by my Mom as I would have Slayer, Misfits, Mega Death, Venom (which all got left behind for me to keep listening to). But Ozzy made and stayed in the news. On her raid, what I did notice was my huge spiked bracelet. That really pisses me off.
Thanks for relaying an iconic anecdote from my youth. I am not a fan of bats but I do feel for the poor creature being smuggled in to face his grisly fate. We went to a Black Sabbath tribute show recently. A bit cheesy, but also fun and kind spirited and I was delighted to see a ton of young people in the audience. Geezer Butler's memoir is on my to read list. Great post Sonny, as always! xx
Thanks, Nadine! I’d always wondered about the bat story and figured I’d do a bit of digging. All my childhood questions were answered.
I love Sabbath (the Ozzy years, anyway) and can see why kids would groove to it still. It’s dark and rebellious and full of intrigue. Just like high school.
I didn’t know Geezer had a memoir! Will definitely check that out.
Thanks, Staci! It rocked my world when I was a kid lol.
Do you happen to have a link to that story you wrote? I'd love to read it, and I'm sure others would too.
There will never be another like the Ozzman, that’s for sure :) And thanks for the heads-up re: the anthology!
My senior year in high school epic record!!
Epic is definitely the word for it 🤘
Remember the story clearly but didn’t know if it was true at the time. I mean, who does that? 😄
I know, right? Remind me to never grow up in Des Moines! 😄
Ha!
That flyer 🤣
They really leaned into the crazy back then 😂
I love it! "Don't eat before you come to this show" 🤣
Well I wasn’t at this show. I actually grew up in a little Iowa town called Storm Lake. It was roughly 100 miles from Des Moines. I had a cousin who was at the show but she didn’t know at the time if the bat was rubber or not. I ran into Rudy in LA later and he told me the story. After spending some time around Ozzie though I doubt that was the worse thing he ever had in his mouth. After all he would suck on a Viagara tab because he liked the blue coating taste. 😳🤷♂️
If you were going to say you were at the show, I probably would’ve quit writing forever. 🤣
Seriously though, that’s pretty cool that you talked to Rudy! And I’m super jealous you spent time with Ozzy. I’ve loved him since I was a kid.
I had no idea about Ozzy and the Viagra, though I can’t say I’m surprised. That is one weird dude.
As you correctly say, this is all mythology now. We were all just a bunch of people living life. There was no roadmap for what was happening. The 80s were the dot com boom for music. There was a lot of everything to be had, and fortunately for me money was one of those things. Unlike most of the artists I worked for I had a brother in law in finance who I leaned on so when I finally left I was in pretty good shape. Also I didn’t have the bad habits of the people I worked with and for. Otherwise I couldn’t have lasted as long or been successful at it. I now live vicariously through your columns.
Yup, I remember my mom being pretty upset about this. But she never ever banned any music from the house - we had to share all of it with her dad. Mom ended up being an Ozzy fan. Dad was more into my New Wave.
Sounds like your house was rockin’!
The ultimate scare the shit out of your parents. I was not a huge Ozzy fan, so I didn’t immediately notice my tapes gotten confiscated by my Mom as I would have Slayer, Misfits, Mega Death, Venom (which all got left behind for me to keep listening to). But Ozzy made and stayed in the news. On her raid, what I did notice was my huge spiked bracelet. That really pisses me off.
Thanks for relaying an iconic anecdote from my youth. I am not a fan of bats but I do feel for the poor creature being smuggled in to face his grisly fate. We went to a Black Sabbath tribute show recently. A bit cheesy, but also fun and kind spirited and I was delighted to see a ton of young people in the audience. Geezer Butler's memoir is on my to read list. Great post Sonny, as always! xx
Thanks, Nadine! I’d always wondered about the bat story and figured I’d do a bit of digging. All my childhood questions were answered.
I love Sabbath (the Ozzy years, anyway) and can see why kids would groove to it still. It’s dark and rebellious and full of intrigue. Just like high school.
I didn’t know Geezer had a memoir! Will definitely check that out.