Sharon Osbourne says she booted band off line-up at Black Sabbath's final concert
"I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager"
Sharon Osbourne has revealed she booted a band off the line-up at Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning concert due to a bust-up with their manager.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Sharon said: “I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath. And it was probably the worst way I’ve felt in years.
“I don’t care what this person says about me, thinks about it, because he doesn’t know me. And he’s now going around making up bulls--- lies because I threw his band off the bill.
“I don’t care what people say. Because do you know what? I don’t love them. I care about people who love me, what they say about me. You can’t care what an industry says, because you don’t love them, so how can it hurt you? It doesn’t.”
When the Metal Hammer interviewer mentioned her infamous fall-out with Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson at Ozzfest 2005, Sharon said: “I love Iron Maiden, it’s just the singer because he was so horribly disrespectful. But if you’re going to take Ozzy’s money, and play before him every night of a festival, and you’re bad-mouthing him to the crowd, you’ve got to pay. So I had him pelted with cans of baked beans that were open, and cut his sound.”
Asked if the mystery band is Iron Maiden, Sharon responded: “Oh god, no. Ozzy only has respect for the guys in Maiden. And he didn’t even know what Bruce was doing. I never told him, until the night that it happened when it was the last show, and he just looked at me and goes, ‘You’re terrible.’”
Since Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s Back to the Beginning concert was announced in February, no bands or artists have been removed from the bill. It’s therefore likely the mystery band was ousted before the line-up announcement.
When the pay-per-view livestream was announced last week, Tool and Rival Sons were erroneously missed off the poster, however they’ve since been reinstated.
Alongside Sabbath and Ozzy, the Back to the Beginning mega-concert will boast sets from Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Tool, Rival Sons, Anthrax and Mastodon.
The all-day event is hosted by Jason Momoa and it will also feature a supergroup of musicians including Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns N' Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E. Lee, KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token II (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) and Zakk Wylde.
You can buy tickets to the pay-per-view livestream here.
26 rock bands named after movies, including Black Sabbath:
Toto
Members of Toto have revealed in interviews that they took the band moniker from Dorothy's sidekick Toto the dog in The Wizard of Oz. Former bassist David Hungate said that it also reflected the Latin words "in toto" translated to "all-encompassing."
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Toto the Dog with Dorothy (Judy Garland) in 1939's The Wizard of Oz
Black Sabbath
Previously called Earth (and prior to that The Polka Tulk Blues Band), Black Sabbath named themselves after their own song 'Black Sabbath', which took its moniker from the 1963 horror anthology film of the same name starring the legendary Boris Karloff.
Black Sabbath (1963)
A poster for the 1963 Black Sabbath movie starring Boris Karloff.
Them
Northern Irish rockers Them, whose timeless anthem 'Gloria' launched Van Morrison's musical career, named themselves after the 1954 science fiction monster movie Them!
Them! (1954)
A poster for the 1954 horror movie Them!
White Zombie
In 1985, the then 20-year-old Rob Zombie – born Robert Cummings – named his band after the 1932 horror movie White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi. The highly influential movie is widely considered the first feature length zombie film, and it even inspired Cummings' stage name.
White Zombie (1932)
Bela Lugosi and a zombie in 1932's White Zombie.
Five Finger Death Punch
After watching Quentin Tarantino's 2004 martial arts classic Kill Bill: Volume 2, the Las Vegas metallers toyed with calling themselves Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique in homage to the character Pai Mei's fearsome killing technique. Although fascinated with the concept, former drummer Jeremy Spencer told Michigan Live in 2013: "That didn't sound cool. So, we changed it to Five Finger Death Punch."
Kill Bill 2 (2004)
Uma Thurman (The Bride / Beatrix Kiddo) and Gordon Liu (Pai Mei) in 2004's Kill Bill 2.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris came up with the band's name after watching the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask, which featured an iron maiden torture device.
The Man in the Iron Mask (1939)
A still from the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask.
Gojira
The French heavy metallers take their name from Gojira, the original Japanese name for Godzilla. The 1954 Japanese kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda is widely regarded as a classic of cinema.
Gojira (1954)
A poster for the 1954 movie Gojira – aka Godzilla.
My Bloody Valentine
It's widely reported that the influential Irish shoegaze band are named after the 1981 Canadian slasher film My Bloody Valentine. However, MBV vocalist and guitarist Kevin Shields claims that it was only a few years after they formed that they discovered they shared their moniker with a "really crap terrible Canadian film."
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
A still from the 1981 horror movie My Bloody Valentine.
Misfits
Glenn Danzig named his highly influential horror punk band after Marilyn Monroe's final movie, 1961's The Misfits.
The Misfits (1961)
Marilyn Monroe in 1961's The Misfits.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Canadian purveyors of apocalyptic post-rock, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, are named after the 1976 Japanese documentary film God Speed You! Black Emperor, directed by Mitsuo Yanagimachi. The film follows a group of motorcyclists called the Black Emperors.
God Speed You! Black Emperor (1976)
God Speed You! Black Emperor the movie (1976)
The Searchers
The Merseybeat group took their name from the epic Western film The Searchers, starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford.
The Searchers (1956)
John Wayne in 1956's The Searchers.
Mogwai
Scottish post rockers Mogwai are named after the ultra-cute little furry creatures in classic 1984 movie Gremlins, who turn into monstrous gremlins if you feed them past midnight.
Gremlins (1984)
The cute lead Mogwai called Gizmo in Gremlins.
Mudhoney
The first of three consecutive acts named after Russ Meyer movies, Seattle grunge pioneers Mudhoney took their moniker from Meyer's 1965 movie Mudhoney.
Mudhoney (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer's 1965 movie Mudhoney
Faster Pussycat
In 1985, a good three years before Mudhoney formed, Los Angeles hard rockers derived their name from the Russ Meyer's movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! about three go-go dancers who embark on a kidnapping and murder spree in the California desert.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer's 1965 movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Motorpsycho
With Mudhoney and Faster Pussycat having already taking their monikers from Russ Meyer flicks, Norwegian psych-rockers Motorpyscho named themselves in homage to Meyer's ultra-violent 1965 film Motorpsycho.
Motorpsycho (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer's 1965 movie Motorpsycho
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
San Francisco alt-rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are named after Marlon Brando's motorcycle club in the 1953 film The Wild One.
The Wild One (1953)
Marlon Brando and his Black Rebels Motorcycle Club in The Wild One (1953)
Atreyu
American metalcore band are named after the character Atreyu in Michael Ende's fantasy book The NeverEnding Story and its 1984 movie adaptation.
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Atreyu in The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Bring Me The Horizon
Although not directly named after a movie or character, Bring Me The Horizon took their memorable moniker from a line spoken by Captain Jack Sparrow in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, says: "Now, bring me that horizon!"
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Billy Talent
Canadian rockers Billy Talent took inspiration for their band name from the character Billy Talent, played by Callum Keith Rennie, in the 1996 mockumentary Hard Core Logo.
Hard Core Logo (1996)
Callum Keith Rennie (Billy Talent) in Hard Core Logo.
They Might Be Giants
Brooklyn alt-rockers They Might Be Giants are named after the 1971 comedy mystery film of the same name starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward.
They Might Be Giants (1971)
The poster for 1971 movie They Might Be Giants.
Eppu Normaali
One of Finland's most popular rock bands, Eppu Normaali is a Finnish translation of "Abby Normal" from Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy horror movie Young Frankenstein.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
In Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy horror movie Young Frankenstein, the character Igor (pictured) confesses he took the monster's brain from someone called "Abby Normal."
The Damned
Although the gothic rockers haven't confirmed or denied it, it's reported that guitarist Brian James named the group after the 1969 historical drama movie The Damned.
The Damned movie (1969)
A still from 1969 movie The Damned.
Fine Young Cannibals
The Birmingham pop rockers, who scored chart hits with 'She Drives Me Crazy' and 'Suspicious Minds', are named after the 1960 film All the Fine Young Cannibals starring Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.
All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960)
Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood in All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960).
Duran Duran
Admittedly they're NOT rock (despite being 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees) but Duran Duran are named after Dr. Durand Durand, Irish actor Milo O'Shea's character from the 1968 sci-fi movie Barbarella.
Barbarella (1968)
Dr. Durand Durand in Barbarella (1968).
The Fratellis
Scottish indie-rockers The Fratellis, best known for their 2007 hit 'Chelsea Dagger', took their name from the villains in The Goonies, the criminal family Mama, Francis and Jake Fratelli.
The Goonies (1985)
Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) flanked by her sons Francis (Joe Pantoliano) and Jake (Robert Davi) in 1985 movie The Goonies.
Close Enemies
In the wake of Aerosmith retiring from touring, bassist Tom Hamilton unveiled his new band Close Enemies in September 2024. He revealed the band's moniker was inspired by a Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) quote in seminal 1974 movie The Godfather Part II. "Coming up with a name for a band is a comedy of creativity," Hamilton laughed. "Every time someone had a good idea, we went on Spotify or Google and found other people who had already used it. It went on and on like this for a while. Then one day, Peter and his wife, Lynn, were watching The Godfather (Part II) and there's a line that goes: 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' Lynn suggested using Close Enemies for a band name and we all went for it."
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Al Pacino as Mafia boss Michael Corleone in 1974's The Godfather: Part II.