System Of A Down vocalist/guitarist Daron Malakian has spoken with Rolling Stone concerning the July twenty second passing of heavy metallic godfather Ozzy Osbourne. The enduring musician’s passing was introduced by his household and adopted a prolonged battle with sickness.
Through the course of his dialogue with the above-mentioned publication, Malakian additionally went on to quote how showing on the annual ‘Ozzfest‘ festivals within the late 90s and early 2000s had been instrumental to their wildly profitable profession. The multi-platinum Armenian-American musician advised Rolling Stone of that have:
“‘Ozzfest‘ was like a heavy-metal summer season camp. We had been nonetheless touring in an RV on the primary one [1999], however these early Ozzfests for me had been among the finest instances of my fucking life. It was enormous for us, and it was an enormous deal for me.
After we performed our first ‘Ozzfest‘, we had been on the second stage, and we might typically play at 11 o’clock within the morning. It wasn’t like how festivals are actually. It was like a touring circus. It was a tour that went from metropolis to metropolis.
I used to be simply in awe of the people who had been round me. Motörhead was headlining the second stage. Lemmy [Kilmister] had this previous, turquoise Eagle tour bus. One time I noticed him sunbathing subsequent to the bus with turquoise Speedos on. That’s all he had on. I’ll always remember that. One other time, I talked with Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee, who used to play with King Diamond, and I advised him how a lot I appreciated these albums. He’s like, ‘Oh, wow. I haven’t even considered that for such a very long time.’ And then you definately would see Ozzy stroll by right here and there.
My desires had been coming true. I’m simply sitting right here having conversations with these people who I used to see in music movies or they had been on my wall after I was an adolescent. And there I’m with my band.
It was an honor to be a part of the roster of bands for these reveals. I’ve at all times had confidence in System Of A Down and myself, even from the membership days. We stood out from all of the membership bands. We turned the most important membership band on the Sundown Strip. Then as soon as we received signed, it was, “Now you’re on tour with Slayer.” Then, “Now you’re on the ‘Ozzfest‘. Now these are the massive boys. Now you’re going to write down some songs and also you’re going to carry out to the place you’re going to face out with the best.”
I felt like we belonged there. Did I stroll onstage at ‘Ozzfest‘ and say, “Hey, we’re fucking the shit”? No. We had one thing to show. Each day we received on that stage, and we proved it. And I feel individuals noticed that. Clearly, we’re nonetheless right here.
And ‘Ozzfest‘ was a celebration, too. We’d be finished early as a result of we had been taking part in at 11, 12 o’clock, so we had all fucking day on the ‘Ozzfest‘ day-after-day. I used to be 22, 23 years previous, so I’ll allow you to think about what that was like for me. So we had golf carts, and we’d go decide up chicks with the golf carts. It was simply partying.
On our second yr doing ‘Ozzfest‘, we opened the primary stage. We weren’t taking part in in entrance of packed amphitheaters, as a result of we had been the opening band. It wasn’t like all of the seats had been full but. However even when the amphitheater was lower than half empty, we received up there and we left all of it on the stage. As soon as once more, we had been finished very early. You’d watch the bands, otherwise you’d hang around with any person on their bus. You’d get stoned. Then Ozzy would come on at night time. I might at all times watch from the stage proper the place [Osbourne guitarist] Zakk [Wylde] could be taking part in.
Right here’s the shaggy dog story: In these days, on the finish of ‘Sugar‘, I might take off my pants. So, [singing] ‘In the long run, all of it goes away,’ and my pants had been down, and my ass was exhibiting. So in the future, we had been taking part in, and [drummer] John [Dolmayan] determined to hitch me. On the finish of the present, we received up in entrance of the viewers and we’re buck bare. We simply did issues. Don’t ask why.
Quickly after that, John and I received referred to as into the manufacturing workplace. And the woman that labored underneath Sharon [Osbourne] was fucking pissed. She checked out us and goes, ‘Who the fuck do you guys assume you might be? You assume you might stand up in entrance of individuals and simply be bare like that? You already know we will get sued for indecent publicity.’ In my head, I used to be like, ‘That is the ‘Ozzfest‘. I believed that will be OK right here.’ However she’s like, ‘This isn’t System of a Down Fest. When it’s the System of a Down Fest, you guys may do no matter you need, however that is the ‘Ozzfest‘.
Then a yr or two later, we headlined the ‘Ozzfest‘ and Ozzy wasn’t even taking part in that yr. Sharon was battling most cancers; Ozzy didn’t play each night time. There have been a number of reveals Ozzy performed, however we had been the headliners each night time. John and I had been like, ‘Wait a second, can we get on the market bare each night time now?’
We noticed headlining ‘Ozzfest‘ as an enormous accomplishment. And folks confirmed up, too. It wasn’t like, ‘It’s not ‘Ozzfest‘. What the fuck?” It was a packed home each night time.
So take into consideration that: We began the second stage, 11 o’clock. Moved up after which received to be the headliner. ‘Ozzfest‘ was enormous for us. It was such an enormous push for our band. I’m very grateful to Sharon, very grateful to Ozzy.
In between these Ozzfests, we noticed our viewers develop. I’m certain you might say the identical factor for Slipknot or different bands. Ozzfest was an ideal match for us as a result of it was metallic, and there was a metallic scene taking place at the moment. Loads of the bands that we performed with on the Sundown Strip in L.A. — Coal Chamber, Incubus, Static-X — had been on the ‘Ozzfest‘. It gave us publicity. Each day you had been in a distinct metropolis and received audiences which may haven’t seen you in any other case to see you, and also you had been there to transform them into followers. I couldn’t provide you with a share of the followers we transformed, but it surely was enormous. ‘Ozzfest‘ was an enormous deal for System of a Down.”
