Black Sabbath Drummer Bill Ward Responds To Hitler/Bush Comparison (Good Statement!)

Billward.com ^ | 7-20-04 | Bill Ward

[My Favorite Headache]

BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has issued a statement distancing himself from the video portrait comparing President Bush to Adolf Hitler that is being used as part of the band's stage act.

SABBATH are opening their Ozzfest 2004 gigs with the song "War Pigs", featuring a video of Bush and Hitler on the same screen, with the caption: "Same s*it different assh*le." Footage of bombs dropping and Hitler marching is also being shown as part of the montage. SABBATH also flash a picture of Bush with a clown nose, along with the caption "The White House Circus."

In a statement posted at BillWard.com, Ward writes: "When BLACK SABBATH open their show with 'War Pigs', it has been brought to my attention that the wide screen portrays President George W. Bush with a clown nose appearing with past war mongers, including Adolf Hitler. I wish to say this video structure does not represent my personal views towards President Bush. This video was made without my prior knowledge or consent."

[Chad Fairbanks]

He did, at first. He was the last holdout - it was only recently he decided to do the tour with the other guys.

I'm betting he's being truthful when he says this was done without his knowledge...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Welll... considering it was written at the height of the Viet Nam war, what do YOU think the song is "about"?

[Chad Fairbanks]

I'm looking forward to OZZFest on July 27... Gonna be a great show, regardless of Sharon Osbourne and her crap.

[pepperhead]

The question is as one of the members of the band can he get the video nixed...

Drummers can be replaced very easily and no one would care.

[Terabitten]

OC, in light of our earlier discussion, I thought you might be interested in this. :)

[Ron in Acreage]

He was a guest of Fox News' Greta Van Susteren. NOT the Bushs'.

[john_virtue]

$100 bucks says it's him.

[thegreatbeast]

The question is as one of the members of the band can he get the video nixed...one would think so..he should do so.

That may not be the case. Ozfest is entirely Osbourne's. Bands have to pay the Osbournes to get on the show. Like a licensing fee. Then I guess they get a % of the gate. But I do know they pay to join the lineup. What agreement Sharon has with Sabbath, I can only guess.

[cruiserman]

Ward is always the last holdout for Sabbath reunion concerts :).

[doesnt like kerry]

There was an article about it somewhere in our paper. It's just for the Ozzfest.

[Chad Fairbanks]

LOL... true

[StoneColdGOP]

Damn right.

[StoneColdGOP]

I don't trust the FEC that much! ;-)

[Mr.Atos]

...considering it was written at the height of the Viet Nam war, what do YOU think the song is "about"?"

Ozzy Osbourne War Pigs

-

Generals gathered in their masses

just like witches at black masses

evil minds that plot destruction

sorcerers of death's construction

in the fields the bodies burning

as the war machine keeps turning

death and hatred to mankind

poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!

-

Politicians hide themselves away

they only started the war

Why should they go out to fight?

They leave that role to the poor

-

Time will tell on their power minds

Making war just for fun

Treating people just like pawns in chess

Wait 'till their judgement day comes, yeah!

-

Now in darkness, world stops turning

ashes were the bodies burning

No more war pigs of the power

Hand of god has struck the hour

Day of judgement, god is calling

on their knees, the war pigs crawling

Begging mercy for their sins

Satan, laughing, spreads his wings

-

OH LORD YEAH!

-

Generals gathered in their masses

Just like Witches at Black Masses

In the fields their bodies burning

As the war machine keeps turning

-

Evil minds that plot destruction

Sorcerer of death's construction

It's the same wherever you go

To the War Pigs people know

-

OH LORD YEAH!

-

Politicians hide themselves away

They only started the war

Treating people just like pawns in chess

Wait till their judgement day comes ... Yeah!

-

People running like they're sheep in fields

People blowing out their minds

Say that you're dying here ... I know it now

Hey, you're the goner at the end ... Yeah!

-

On the scene a priest appears

Hell is falling at his knees

Satan sends out funeral pyre

Cast the priest into the fire

-

It's the place for all bad sinners

Watch them eating dead rat cinders

It's the same wherever you go

To Black Masses people go

-

OH LORD YEAH!

-----

Is it about the moral imperative of righteous self-defense?

Atos

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Why would he lie about this? If he agreed with it, he would be more popular with his peers if he just said so.

I find it suspicious though, because drummers usually aren't this smart. ; )

[beaversmom]

To Ozzy--just shut up.

[A CA Guy]

Agreed, I had a friend today say that eben Ozzy's remarks were staged by Sharon to show off for her Beverly Hills friends.

She and Ozzy are toast now as well.

[dueler88]

As you and I just talked about . . .

THIS is about the moral imperative of righteous self-defense:

-------
DON’T TREAD ON ME
by Metallica

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail
Once you provoke her, rattling of her tail
Never begins it, never, but once engaged...
Never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage

Don’t tread on me

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it
Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that you’ll hear evermore...

Don’t tread on me

Love it or live it, she with the deadly bite
Quick is the blue tongue, forked as lighting strike
Shining with brightness, always on surveillance
The eyes, they never close, emblem of vigilance

Don’t tread on me

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it
Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that you’ll hear evermore...

Don’t tread on me

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail
Once you provoke her, rattling on her tail

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it
Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that you’ll hear evermore...

Don’t tread on me

---

It may have been written as social commentary at the time, but I think it works well for motivation in a post 9/11 world.