Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis has shared his recollections of touring alongside Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, reflecting on the bond between the 2 legendary bands and revealing how a Sabbath cowl recorded by Priest has taken on a brand new, poignant that means following Ozzy‘s dying.
Talking on Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern, Travis seemed again on Ozzfest 2004, when Priest toured the U.S. with the reunited unique lineup of Black Sabbath. “Rob [Halford] rejoined Priest and we have been on the Ozzfest tour [in] 2004… The 2 headliners [that year] have been Black Sabbath and Priest,” Travis stated.
“That was a complete summer season tour in America, so it was actually nice to have the ability to try this tour with unique Sabbath and, at that time, it was nonetheless with Okay.Okay. [Downing] and Glenn [Tipton] within the band. In order that was only a super-cool second, and, clearly, Rob rejoining Priest after being gone for 13 years — a very long time. In order that was very cool.”
Travis additionally addressed why Priest have been absent from Black Sabbath‘s historic last efficiency, which occurred on July 5, 2022 at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. “We knew concerning the Sabbath reunion or the Sabbath last present that was arising within the U.Okay., however as I am certain you are conscious, we had already contracted and agreed to do the Scorpions‘ 60th-anniversary present in Germany [on the same day]. So we could not do the Ozzy factor.”
As a substitute, Priest determined to honor Sabbath with a recorded tribute. “We thought it might be cool to document a Sabbath music as a tribute to Ozzy. And, after all, we obtained the blessing from [Ozzy‘s wife and manager] Sharon Osbourne. So we did our model of ‘Struggle Pigs’. However we did that nicely earlier than — not solely earlier than the Black Sabbath present however earlier than Ozzy handed. In order that was type of bizarre that we have been ready to try this.”
Travis went on to disclose that followers might finally hear a particular model of the music that pairs Rob Halford with Ozzy himself. “I believe there is a model popping out with Ozzy really singing on that model. In different phrases, Rob will sing a verse after which Ozzy sings a verse. I believe that is popping out.”
The drummer confirmed that information of Ozzy‘s dying broke whereas Priest have been nonetheless on the street. “We have been in the course of our tour [when we got the news that Ozzy had died], and it was devastating,” he stated.
From Ozzfest 2004 — a “super-cool” summer season that introduced collectively two of heavy steel’s most influential bands — to their “Struggle Pigs” tribute, Judas Priest‘s ties to Ozzy Osbourne run deep. For Scott Travis, these recollections are actually inseparable from the shock of his passing. As he summed up, what started as a deliberate salute to Sabbath has turn out to be an unintentional memorial to considered one of steel’s biggest icons.
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