System Of A Down vocalist/guitarist Daron Malakian has spoken with Rolling Stone concerning the July twenty second passing of heavy steel godfather Ozzy Osbourne. The long-lasting 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 have been instrumental to their wildly profitable profession. The multi-platinum Armenian-American musician instructed Rolling Stone of that have:
“‘Ozzfest‘ was like a heavy-metal summer season camp. We have been nonetheless touring in an RV on the primary one [1999], however these early Ozzfests for me have been a number of the greatest occasions of my fucking life. It was large for us, and it was an enormous deal for me.
Once we performed our first ‘Ozzfest‘, we have been on the second stage, and we might generally play at 11 o’clock within the morning. It wasn’t like how festivals at the moment are. 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 folks that have been round me. Motörhead was headlining the second stage. Lemmy [Kilmister] had this outdated, turquoise Eagle tour bus.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 instructed 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 goals have been coming true. I’m simply sitting right here having conversations with these folks that I used to see in music movies or they have been on my wall after I was a teen. 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 acquired signed, it was, “Now you’re on tour with Slayer.” Then, “Now you’re on the ‘Ozzfest‘. Now these are the large boys. Now you’re going to jot 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. Daily we acquired on that stage, and we proved it. And I believe folks noticed that. Clearly, we’re nonetheless right here.
And ‘Ozzfest‘ was a celebration, too. We might be accomplished early as a result of we have been taking part in at 11, 12 o’clock, so we had all fucking day on the ‘Ozzfest‘ every single day. I used to be 22, 23 years outdated, so I’ll allow you to think about what that was like for me. So we had golf carts, and we’d go choose 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 have been the opening band. It wasn’t like all of the seats have been full but. However even when the amphitheater was lower than half empty, we acquired up there and we left all of it on the stage. As soon as once more, we have been accomplished very early. You’d watch the bands, otherwise you’d hang around with any individual 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 joke: 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 have been down, and my ass was exhibiting. So in the future, we have been taking part in, and [drummer] John [Dolmayan] determined to hitch me. On the finish of the present, we acquired 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 acquired known 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 suppose you’re? You suppose you possibly can rise up in entrance of individuals and simply be bare like that? we will get sued for indecent publicity.’ In my head, I used to be like, ‘That is the ‘Ozzfest‘. I assumed that may 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 might 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 have been the headliners each night time. John and I have 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 other people 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 acquired to be the headliner. ‘Ozzfest‘ was large 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 positive you possibly can say the identical factor for Slipknot or different bands. Ozzfest was an ideal match for us as a result of it was steel, and there was a steel scene occurring at the moment. Quite a lot of the bands that we performed with on the Sundown Strip in L.A. — Coal Chamber, Incubus, Static-X — have been on the ‘Ozzfest‘. It gave us publicity. Daily you have been in a unique metropolis and acquired audiences which may haven’t seen you in any other case to see you, and also you have been there to transform them into followers. I couldn’t provide you with a share of the followers we transformed, however it was large. ‘Ozzfest‘ was an enormous deal for System of a Down.”