BLACK SABBATH 10/98
Autograph signing to promote "REUNION"
Tower Records, Boston

GETTING TO TOWER

If it's one thing I know about Boston, it's the fact that there is never a place to f**kin' park! (Or should I say "fakken pahk?") Plus I knew that in light of this event at Tower Records, there wasn't going to be any less traffic and certainly no more places to park. So I took my preferred way of traveling to town: the commuter rail, then the T (which is the subway, for all you non-Bostonians).

When I was finally on the T, I was trying to remember which stop was directly underneath Tower Records. But I goofed and got out one stop early! No sweat; it was still a walkable distance.

While on the T, I saw a few guys (looked like they were in their mid to late teens) sitting across from me. One was wearing an Ozzy "Tribute" shirt. Sure enough, I found out that they were also going to the signing. They were from Salem, right next to my home town where I was coming from that day, and they were skipping school "to meet Ozzy"!

I led the way to Tower Records, talking a little with them here and there. Though within a few minutes, to make a long story short, I wanted them (at least the loudest one) to just shut the hell up. They seemed so amazed by all the stores on Newbury St. and kept on cracking cheap jokes at every store they saw, and almost every person who walked by. And when they weren't doing that, it was saying things like "I wonder if Ozzy would do this...", "What if Ozzy does this...", "If there's a line, I'm going to be pissed. I'll just push through everybody." Maybe I'm just a crabby sounding 23 year old, but got damn these kids were getting on my nerves.

I got to Tower Records (which I'll abbreviate as "TR" from now on) and bought the CD. They were conveniently selling it at the cash register right next to the front door. The cashier directed me outside and around the corner where the line began.

THE LAST IN LINE

The line. Oh, that line. This line made Disney World's Space Mountain line look and move like a supermarket's 10-items-or-less line. Getting to the end of the line was a journey all itself.

At the beginning of the line were some fans with chairs and blankets. I concluded that they probably had been there before the store opened at 9 AM. I stop to look and they inform me "You gotta get a ticket down there." So it looked like you _did_ need some sort of ticket after all.

[NOTE: at this time, there had been a debate going on for at least a week on alt.music.black-sabbath, on whether or not you needed a ticket to meet the band. Some fans said they called TR and they said "Yes", others said TR "No"...]

So I walk to the other end of the building where there's a break in the line. The break was to make sure nobody was standing in front of the T entrance or the little coffee shop at the corner. Then the line continued over the bridge that goes over the Mass Pike (a highway, which must be at least 4 lanes; maybe it was more at that point).

So I cross the bridge, make my next left at Boylston St, and look down. My jaw started to drop. I continue following this line until I get to the fire station. Whew. A long line, but I had reached the end of it. Or did I? A TR staff lady informed myself and one of those kids from the subway (who I still happened to be walking with) that the line continues around the corner, where we were to get our wristbands.

So we turn another corner, on to Huntington Ave. I walk half way to the next block, where the line finally ends. Along the way I'm stopped by somebody from the line, who recognizes me as the man who used to work at his local convenience store, and who also visited his high school math teacher. He was right. And he told me to keep on walking and get a wristband.

Another TR staff was giving out wrist bands. Some of the TR staff had shirts that said "Staff", some had electric megaphones, but all had these red VIP passes hanging from a string around their neck. So I get a numbered, disposable wristband and get in line. "884" were the last digits, which I think became important later.

The staff kept on telling the new comers their disclaimer: "Having a wristband does not guarantee that you'll meet the band."

This line must have been at least 1/2 mile by the time I got to the end of it. Maybe a little more. But I turned around after 10 minutes and already saw at least 50 people behind me, and I didn't feel so bad. I had got there 2 hours before the autographs would start.

Black Sabbath would only be signing autographs, as far as I knew, for 3 hours. But I tried not to think of the odds. Having met several of my other music idols before (Geezer Butler, Alice Cooper, RJ Dio...) I knew that this wouldn't be "impossible".

GETTING SETTLED IN LINE

	TOWER RECORDS IN-STORE POLICY
	Black Sabbath will only be signing "Reunion"
	Prior to getting in line, you may purchase "Reunion" at the 
		Ticketmaster Counter
	*1* Autograph per person (not per CD)
	Photos may be taken from the line only! [Not with the Artists]
	No video taping
	Tower Records, Epic Records & Sony Music distribution cannot guarantee
   	    that everyone will meet Black Sabbath regardless of any circumstance
	Thank You!!

A staff member with a walkie-talkie and megaphone reiterated what was on the sheet, and talked about the wristbands. The wristbands were used so that nobody cuts the line. He said that they were going to check the numbers, and if you were found to have cut the line, they would send you away! Fair idea, IMO. This enabled some to leave line and bring back some fast food, or even leave to buy a copy of Reunion (whether from TR or another record store)!

A few times during my wait, the WAAF bus drove by. WAAF is a local hard rock station, and their boasting slogan is "The only station in Boston that really rocks." I stopped listening to them a while ago. They hardly ever play a song from a band that's been around for more than 5 years! Even if they have new material! And now they're pretending to be the loyal supporter of Black Sabbath? Maybe you read the review on this newsgroup of the interview they gave Sabbath...which was horrible. Bill Ward at some point asked "Is this interview going anywhere?"

So some people cheered when WAAF drove by. Me? I flipped the bus the bird.

MY POSSESSIONS

The person in front of me and the person behind me both had books. I at least brought my discman, extra batteries, and several CDs. I brought Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Never Say Die, Heaven and Hell, and Headless Cross. I also brought Paranoid, which I don't listen to much (it seems like most die-hard fans of a band seldom listen to their most popular album. A strange phenomenon).

I listened to the new CD in my discman. I could write a separate review for it. To sum up my opinion of the live and new studio stuff: "Eh...not phenomenal, but not bad." Who knows, maybe it will grow on me.

I listened to all those CDs I brought, except Paranoid. There was enough of it playing in the stores later. I was also not in a mood to listen to the "hits" (more on that in the next section). Headless Cross, Sabotage, Heaven and Hell...it's all Black Sabbath to me. That's one of the great things about this band- fans will have a different idea of what "Black Sabbath" means to them. I've debated that at length many times on this newsgroup and with people in real life, always defending my opinion. I hear "Psycho Man" and "Selling My Soul" and realize that these are Iommi riffs that could just as well fit under the vocals of Tony Martin. "Psycho Man" sounds just like how I figured it would- Ozzy singing over an Iommi riff. I wasn't exactly expecting another "War Pigs".

While listening to the Heaven and Hell CD, I glanced up to see a tall tower coming from the old fire station. It looked out of place with the rest of the modern buildings. It was cylindrical, came to a point at the top, almost like an Arabian castle. Age and rain had turned the metal top to green. Some birds were flying around a hole near the vent. It was very out of place and rather...melancholy (is that an adjective? It sounds like a noun). A noteworthy sight, as I was waiting to see masters of evil music, Black Sabbath!

Also in my backpack was a folder containing what I wanted to have them sign: a B&W photograph of the band. I bought it in a store that sells posters and bootlegs, in the town of those screaming teenagers, Salem. (Yes, "Witch City USA") Contrary to what the flyer said, you could have the band sign any one item "except your skin" (as I was told later). You can frame a photograph. It's harder to frame an autographed CD that you may want to listen to!

I collected several flyers while standing in line. There were a few flyers for local bands (including Sam Black Church who was playing at the Palladium in Worcester, which is where I saw them last time, opening up for Dio). One flyer was a sticker that said "The 'On Tour Without a Band' guys agree...BLACK SABBATH they know what's up. For more info, PO Box..." Most people tore off the words and dorky punk band picture, leaving a simple "BLACK SABBATH" sticker. These were stuck in various places up the line. There was also a flyer announcing that Sabbath was coming by on tour in February.

Underneath my sweatshirt was a Cross Purposes T-shirt which, due to the cold, went unseen that day. I could have worn my Ozzfest tour Black Sabbath shirt. But I felt like wearing something that showed that I was first and foremost a BLACK SABBATH fan. I saw another person also wearing a CP shirt, as well as somebody in a Forbidden shirt. I also saw somebody wearing my fraternity letters, but by the time I jumped up from sitting and listening to my discman, ready to stop and talk to him, he was gone.

OZZY, OZZY, BLAH BLAH BLAH

And now I get to a subject for which I'm sure some people will flame me. But I'm sure others will understand.

Brendan, one of my fellow internet friends (who I've met several times back stage at Dio and Bruce Dickinson/Geezer shows), passed by. I got his attention and we stopped and chatted for a minute. In a lowered voice, I discussed this "Ozzy" issue with him.

I know that Ozzy has gained his own following through his solo work, and of course all of those people were waiting in line that day. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. But I'm a fan of BLACK SABBATH. I'd wait in line even if it was just Tony, Bill and Geezer signing autographs. Hell, I'd wait in line if it was ANY past member of Black Sabbath alone and signing autographs. I was there to see Tony, Geezer, and Bill, as well as Ozzy, and the sum which is greater than those 4 parts: BLACK SABBATH.

Many people were stopping buy and asking "What is everybody waiting in line for?" And some would reply "We're seeing Ozzy at tower records." Of course, they were only 25% right.

Sometimes people were singing Sabbath songs, sometimes they were chanting. At one point they were chanting "Geezer", and somebody in front of me asked his friend "What are they chanting?" then asked "Geezer? What's Geezer?"

"I'm not saying a word" I told myself.

Basically, it pissed me off that most (not all, but a great deal of them) of the people who were there in line (and of course, ahead of me) were there to simply see "Ozzy and his old band". They could have given less than a shit about Tony, Bill, or Geezer. For them, it could have been Ozzy and any of his solo bands, or Ozzy and Banannarama, or Ozzy with Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Chipmunk. It almost wanted to make me pull out the "Heaven and Hell" CD for everyone but Ozzy to sign! And maybe Ozzy would like a break, even if it was 10 seconds.

But of course I thought "Well, it would be silly to leave somebody out from my favorite band." I was also getting really cold and my legs were hurting from standing in line for so long, so I'm sure that had an influence on my semi-angry state.

But hey, if I learned in grad school to have patience working on a math problem for 6 hours, I could certainly have patience to wait in the cold and see my favorite band.

So again, there's certainly nothing wrong with being an Ozzy fan or even being more of an Ozzy fan than a Black Sabbath fan. It is one's opinion, and he/she is entitled to it. But to be in L-O-N-G line to see BLACK SABBATH, and letting blind idolatry to Ozzy cause one to view the other 3 guys (and it's sum, the BAND) as rather insignificant? The BAND, the THEY, not the HE, that changed history of modern music? Ozzy himself must feel a little confused when somebody waits in line to see Black Sabbath and has a "Bark at the Moon" album to sign.

ALMOST THERE

The sun was starting to set. It was about 6:00. I've been in line for at least 4.5 hours. But again, patience is IMO one of my good qualities.

The line had begun moving a while ago. I was now around the corner and in the sun. When it was shining, I was blinded. When a cloud passed by, I got even colder.

I overheard a TR staff member talking to somebody ahead of me in line. "Where's your wrist band? You didn't get one? Where did you get into line? You say at the fire station? Well that was your problem. You had to go around the corner to the REAL end of the line and get a wristband." I'm not sure what happened to the guy. They were strict on the wristbands.

A few TR employees came buy with brooms and trash bags. The line had made a LOT of trash in its path: cigarette buts, empty soda bottles, fast food wrappers, wrappers from the CD, the flyers that were handed to everybody...to use the old cliche`, cleaning "was a dirty job, but somebody had to do it".

OR AM I ALMOST THERE?

Several times I thought I wouldn't get the chance to go inside.

First, a woman kept on coming by to talk to the man behind me in line, giving little updates which I overheard. "The band is taking a break right now", "Ozzy's hand is shaking", etc. At times she made it sound like our chances of getting in (this far down the line) were slim.

But I think some of those people in front of me were cleared out, by enforcement of the numbered wristband rule.

I had finally turned the corner and reached the street that TR was on. Somebody way behind me in line tried screaming like Ozzy, and even sounded a bit like him. "C'mon! Everybody go Crazy!" I was cold, hungry, and in pain, and I just wanted to say "Yeah. Shut up, dork."

Two kids in front of me (looked about 12 or 13) were supplied a hot chocolate from their mom outside of the line, who happened to have a VIP pass. After overhearing them talk, let me just say this: I swear they would not be able to name all 4 guys who they were waiting in line to see.

I kept on being promoted to a new section of the line. I was finally in front of TR, near the front door! The line, I found out, continued around the corner to a side door.

I was the last one in my section of line. A few times a staff member said "Hold out your tickets". The people in front of me pulled out these little red tickets. What the hell were these?!?! I didn't have a red ticket! Did they forget to give me one when I bought the CD? Pardon the pun, but I got paranoid. I just held out my wristband and (as I learned how to do when meeting a band) kept cool and didn't argue. I said I didn't have a ticket, but they checked the wristband. Now I had heard about 1/2 way through the line that there was a screw-up with the wristband numbers passed out, but I thought it was fixed. A few staff members exchanged words and they motioned me to continue in line. WHEW!! I was still in!!

Then I got up to another staff member who had a pair of scissors. She was cutting the wristbands off. She told me to hold up my wristband, then she cut it off and put it in a bag. Then she turned around to talk to another employee, turned right back to be, looked at me and said "Can I see your wristband?"

Working that line must have made her clueless. Or perhaps she was born that way. I politely said "You just cut it off." "I did?" "Yes, a few seconds ago you cut it off and put it in that bag." I could have told her my number on that wristband, but I didn't need to. She said "OK, sorry." WHEW!! An even closer call!

I finally made it to the door, where everyone was told "Take out the thing you want signed. Have it ready NOW."

I DID IT! I'M THERE!

I passed by a window outside with an amazing display. It was the front cover of Reunion in 3D, with all these vines around. There were also some cool looking promo wooden signs hanging up in some of the windows.

My hands shook as I held the photograph and folder, going up a short stair case.

Black Sabbath songs played in the room. The room was draped in black, and behind the band was "Black Sabbath" in big letters, decorated with skulls and crosses. The art department did one hell of a job!

Sitting at the table, at the wall away from the stairs and door that led to the street, were (left to right) Bill, Geezer, Tony, and Ozzy. The line went up to Bill's end, where somebody would take whatever it was you wanted signed, and passed it to Bill, who then passed it to Geezer, etc. until a staff member took it from Ozzy and handed it back to you. Bill had the biggest autograph, so it made sense in that way! I could see that this was done to get things done the quickest. (The screaming Ozzy fans would at least be at the far end of the table) Fortunately I had a chance to shake some hands and exchange a few words as I went down the table.

HOLY SHIT, I'M REALLY THERE!!

After meeting other musical idols, I've learned how to remember what the hell I wanted to say when I finally meet them.

Bill's head was shaved. He looked somewhat healthy (well, for Bill Ward). I said "Bill, how's your heart?" He said "Good. The heart's good. Thanks for asking." I told him "I love your solo work. I love 'When the Bough Breaks'. It was really [I put my fist over my heart, trying to think of the word in the state I was in] emotional." Bill said "Oh, thank you very much. I really do appreciate that." I shook his hand and went on to the man who put the "Black" in "Black Sabbath", Geezer Butler.

What was this? A Black Sabbath fan showing appreciation for the solo efforts other than Ozzy, let alone acknowledging these 3 guys? How preposterous! :)

Now I had met Geezer about a year ago for about 10 seconds, at one of his solo band's shows. I could have told him what I've told him before (that he was the reason I picked up bass, how his lyrics have influenced so many, etc.), but instead I asked "Geezer, what's Pedro Howse up to?" He looked up, a little confused and shyly said "Uh, he's eh, on holiday." I already knew that he was a very soft-spoken guy. I held out my hand, and he put his pen down to smile and shake my hand. Once again, I got to shake that hand, the same hand that pounded out those evil bass riffs and penned those taboo lyrics, that would later influence countless bands. The TRUE hand of doom.

Then I got to Tony. I kind of lost it and rattled off the usual I'm-not-worthy stuff. "Tony Iommi, the man who carried the torch! You're the best! I love you, man!" He put his pen down, smiled, shook my hand and said "Thank You. Thank you very much." Tony has the neatest signature of the 4, by far.

So then I get to Ozzy. I saw Ozzy with his head down, hair down, his sunglasses on, his arms donned with tattoos and bracelets. He was a pile of features. He doesn't look like that big of a guy. Maybe it was because he was sitting next to Tony. I was being nudged ahead by the staff people, and Ozzy still had his head down into whatever it was he was signing. I thought "You know, I probably won't have this chance again, but poor Ozzy has been bombarded by crazed fans, some of who probably never stopped to talk to his other 3 comrades of Sabbath. Not to mention that he's been signing stuff almost non-stop for hours. I'm going to give him the most amazing thing a Black Sabbath fan could give him. A break."

So a staff member handed me my photograph, asking if it was mine. I carefully took it and was guided out of the room into the main part of the store.

AFTER FOREVER

I looked around the store for a little while, then went outside. It looked like some people were still in line. Was anybody without a bracelet turned away that day, I wonder?

I asked staff members what they were doing with the VIP passes after the event. I was looking to buy one. You know how some people collect back-stage passes and the like. One guy asked "How much would you want it for?" I said "I don't know, maybe ten, twenty bucks." He said "Well I had this guy offer me $500..." I was thinking to myself "Well duh, that was when he knew it could get him to the front of the line. I'm asking after the event is over!" I sort of explained that to him and he was like "Well, er, this pass is a pretty rare one, so..." Now I saw about 20 people wearing those, maybe there were more. It looked about as common as any other VIP pass. Screw it.

I walked around that area of Boston for a little bit, got pizza at Little Steve's (which I highly suggest if you're in the area) [Note from Bill: I take this suggestion back since having written this!], got some stuff at the Store 24, where there's always some homeless guy asking for change. I also heard him say he was looking for a quilt. I mentioned that I saw an abandoned sleeping bag that was out on the sidewalk while I was in line. I saw it next to that chained up bicycle with the front wheel that was bent beyond belief (probably from the Sabbath line).

I called my friend living in Cambridge and left yet another message. This time it was to say "I couldn't reach you, I'm cold and tired and heading home!" I got on the T and came to the commuter rail just in time to catch the next train.

My car at the local train station was not ticketed nor towed!

Yes, this was a great day!

Not only have I met the original line-up. Now I can say that I have met the H&H and Mob Rules line-up. I have a magazine cut-out in my wallet of the MR/Dehuminizer line-up. Every once in a while I would look at it and say "I have 3 of these 4 guys. I shall meet the fourth, and all will be complete!"

Oh yes. Now all is complete.