In the latest episode of The Metallica Report, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo opened up about his experience at Back To The Beginning, the event that marked the last-ever performance of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.
Reflecting on the night, Trujillo described it as a milestone for heavy music (via Blabbermouth): "It was definitely a true celebration. And it's safe to say that with Sabbath's music, they were the seed. And we've all became the creators of the music that we've created because of them, and they paved the way for us. Because that music, what they created, was so unique."
Trujillo also recalled a conversation with Sharon Osbourne, who described Black Sabbath’s sound in the late 1960s as something entirely new.
"I remember Sharon [Ozzy's wife and manager] saying it was alternative — it was an alternative form of music style [when Sabbath first came out in the late 1960s]. It was so different from anything that was happening back then. And there are a lot of reasons for that. Take [Sabbath drummer] Bill Ward, for instance, as a drummer. He's so unique in his style of playing and that swing that he has, it reminds me of big band music or in a big band style. There was a lot of that in him. Ozzy, with his very bluesy, soulful style of singing. Tony [Iommi, Sabbath guitarist], his chords were — [Metallica guitarist] Kirk [Hammett] calls 'em smart chords, which are basically jazz chords, and incorporating that into the riffs. Even just the fact that his fingers are different. He has that, which, believe it or not, will create a certain sound, will create a certain riff. So a lot of the stuff that was coming out of that band, it's just very unique, very soulful."
For Trujillo, one of the most unforgettable moments came two days before the show, when he witnessed Black Sabbath rehearse.
"They were soundchecking, and Ozzy wasn't on stage yet. And even just hearing them warm up on their instruments, this is a whole another level. This is like [watching] Muhammad Ali shadow box or hit the speed bag — it's that intense. It's crazy, because Sabbath is warming up to play, obviously, loud music in a stadium, and they're just warming up, man — drum fills, some tribal beats Bill was doing, and you hear Geezer [Butler, Sabbath bassist] kind of noodling a bit. And then Tony — I even remember him playing some kind of sort of little bit of jazz, some jazz chords here and there, and then they went into, yeah, 'Into The Void'. And it was really slow and super heavy, but they just went into it."
"And everybody that was watching — there were a few of us — just started headbanging, and we were all smiling. And some people were crying, some people were crying. It was so beautiful, and it was a powerful moment that anybody that witnessed it, that was something that they'll probably remember for the rest of their lives. But it was a special day. And to see the command that [those] songs and just the feel of that music has on all of us is really something special," Trujillo added.
