GEEZER BUTLER - "The '80's Were The Worst Period For Metal"

March 24, 2005, 19 years ago

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In a recent interview with Metal-exiles.com about his new G/Z/R solo album, Ohmwork, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler discussed his ongoing career with the legendary outfit. The following is a brief excerpt:

Metal Exiles: How does it feel to come out on stage with Sabbath touring with all of these bands and knowing that you are an originator and you started all of this and still doing it better in some cases?

Butler: "It is nice because when we first started people put us down, said we were not relevant, said our music was not real music, totally put us down. It is nice all these years later to be still playing it and be acclaimed for doing it. When you see all of these bands citing you as influences it makes you feel relevant."

Metal Exiles: Did you see yourself being here over 35 years later?

Butler: "Absolutely not. Back when we first started I was 18 we thought 25 year old people were old people and pop groups would last a few years and could not go on because they were to old. We grew up in an era when you just could not be old. It was like The Who song, 'I hope I die before I get old', but now it seems like the older bands are bigger than ever. Now we get a mixed crowd where you have kids and up to old blokes like me.

Metal Exiles: You and Black Sabbath have been there since basically day one of the evolution of metal, what is your opinion of the evolution of metal since then?

Butler: "I think the 80’s were the worst period because you had these horrible pop bands growing their hair and calling themselves metal. Bands like Poison and Warrant and all that, it was horrible, all of those horrible ballads and all of that sickly crap. It was not furthering anything as far as I am concerned. Then you have good bands like Anthrax and Metallica that took it back to where it should to be.

Metal Exiles: So your heart is in the heavier metal?

Butler: "Oh yeah, absolutely. If you are a pop band don’t say you’re a metal band. Poison and Warrant were about as metal as the Backstreet Boys."

Metal Exiles: Do you think G/Z/R fits into today’s climate?

Butler: "I don’t even think about it like that, I just have fun doing what I do. I am certainly not doing it for the money because there is certainly not any money in it. It is good that I can go out for the music again. I make all of my money from Sabbath so that lets me go out and do G/Z/R."

To read the entire interview go to this location.

As previously reported, Ohmwork will be released in the US and Canada on May 10th. It will be released in the UK and other territories on May 9th.



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