“Like Watching Ali in the Ring”: Former Ozzy Bassist on Seeing Black Sabbath Live
For many musicians who came of age in the shadow of heavy metal’s giants, the experience of seeing Black Sabbath live was more than just a concert—it was a revelation. For one bassist, who later found himself in Ozzy Osbourne’s solo band, the memory of seeing Sabbath on stage remains etched in his mind like a defining life event. He compares it to watching Muhammad Ali in his prime: graceful, powerful, unpredictable, and entirely in a league of their own.
Growing Up in the Age of Sabbath
Black Sabbath are more than a band—they’re the origin story of heavy metal. When they exploded onto the scene in 1970 with their dark riffs, apocalyptic lyrics, and thunderous rhythm section, they changed the musical landscape forever. For a generation of aspiring musicians, Sabbath’s records were both a masterclass and a challenge: could anyone else come close to that weight, that sound, that presence?
The bassist recalls being a teenager when he first saw Sabbath live. “It wasn’t just a show,” he explained in a recent interview. “It was like being hit by a force of nature. The riffs shook the floor, the crowd was in a trance, and Ozzy had this hypnotic grip on everyone. Seeing them was like watching Ali fight—there was beauty and brutality in every move.”
From the Crowd to the Stage
The journey from fan to bandmate was one of the bassist’s greatest personal milestones. He grew up worshipping Sabbath’s music, learning Geezer Butler’s bass lines note for note, and studying how the band locked in together. Years later, fate brought him into Ozzy Osbourne’s solo project—a dream gig for someone who once stood in the crowd, wide-eyed, watching the metal pioneers in their element.
Playing behind Ozzy was intimidating at first, he admitted, not least because of the shadow Sabbath cast. “You know that you’re stepping into a world built by legends,” he said. “There’s a weight to it. You have to respect where it came from, while still bringing your own voice. But every time I was on stage with Ozzy, I thought back to seeing Sabbath—how they made me feel—and I tried to channel some of that energy.”
Sabbath and Ali: The Parallels
The comparison to Muhammad Ali is more than just a casual metaphor. For this bassist, Ali represented the perfect balance of strength, agility, and charisma. He wasn’t just a fighter; he was a performer, an artist, someone who turned the act of boxing into something transcendent. Black Sabbath, in their prime, had the same quality.
“Ali could knock you out with one punch, but he’d do it with style,” the bassist explained. “Sabbath was the same way. Tony Iommi would hit one riff, just one chord, and it was like a knockout. But it wasn’t just about heaviness. There was groove, swing, atmosphere. Bill Ward played drums with the feel of a jazz guy. Geezer was lyrical on bass. And Ozzy—he was the frontman nobody could take their eyes off. Together, they were untouchable.”
The Lasting Influence
Even after decades in the music business, the bassist says that the memory of seeing Sabbath continues to inspire him. It wasn’t just the power of the music—it was the way the band carried themselves. Like Ali, they exuded confidence, even when the world doubted them.
“They weren’t trying to fit in with anyone else,” he said. “They created their own lane. That’s the lesson that stuck with me: don’t follow trends, don’t play it safe. Be fearless. Be original. That’s what Sabbath taught me, and that’s what Ali embodied too.”
A Legacy That Lives On
Now, years removed from both his time in Ozzy’s band and the original Sabbath heyday, the bassist looks back with gratitude. He knows he was lucky enough not only to witness Sabbath in their prime but also to carry some of that energy forward in his own career.
“When I close my eyes and think back, I can still see them on stage, Ozzy with his arms out like he’s summoning something, Iommi lost in his riffs, Geezer’s bass rumbling through the ground. It was bigger than music—it was cultural, spiritual, physical. That’s why the Ali comparison fits. You weren’t just seeing a band. You were witnessing greatness at work.”
For younger fans who never got to experience Sabbath in the flesh, his advice is simple: go back to the records, watch the old live footage, and feel the fire that started it all. “Bands today owe everything to them. If metal is a tree, Sabbath is the roots.”
Eight years, twenty years, fifty years on—the impression remains the same. Watching Black Sabbath live was like watching Muhammad Ali at the peak of his powers: electrifying, inspiring, and utterly unforgettable.
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