Conversation Between vhfanjack and unchainedguitars

Yeah, I have that dvd and he plays great. Either they're "worried" about his endurance, or just continuing on from their hazing of him in the old days. Either way, it's a damn shame.

I saw Bill on the recent "Classic albums/Paranoid" DVD, and he was stone cold sober AND a fantastic player.
He demonstrated some of his parts on the album, and he blew me away!
He sounded exactly like the record, but with more finesse.
My point is that he can still play.
Maybe they are more worried about his endurance to play an entire set?

Yeah, the contract they gave him for the Birmingham show and the Download had him playing only 3 songs. Ridiculous!
What's worse is that they announced it as a complete reunion, only going on to changing it. Way to fuck over the fans.
This could be Tony's last go-around, and they do this? Speaking of Tony, Bill said that the only person from the band to have contacted him recently was Tony who sent him a "nice birthday card".
The magic has definitely been taken away from the reunion, but that being said, the setlist for the Birmingham show was pretty sweet. Lots of deep cuts.

I feel so bad for Bill!
Was just reading on "Classic Rock," and Ward said they, initially, just wanted him to play only four songs, then
they'd use another drummer (probablly Vinnie Appice).
It seems to me that the others don't feel Bill is capable, but they don't have the nerve to tell him.
I find it sad because Ward is unique, and his presence is needed to make it Sabbath.
I think that them sort of pushing him out, makes this reunion much less special to the diehard fans.

It's also because times have changed, and everything else with it.
Recording techniques, studio equipment, quality of instruments, available budget, what the band listens to, the closeness of the guys, etc. have changed so much by now that they just can't go back and do it like they used.
Ozzy said that when Sabbath tried to record an album in 2001 that phones kept going off every 5 minutes and they got too distracted to write anything of quality.
I was looking forward to the new Sabbath album (atleast just for a handful of good riffs), it's a shame they had to freeze out Bill Ward like that.

Yeah, a lot of these bands just don't have it, anymore.
Look at Aerosmith, for example.
I'm sure they would love nothing more than to write a great, classic tune, but they simply can't.
But in the 70's, they were releasing an album a year, with things like Wings, toys & Rocks.
Every song was pretty much killer, too.

I just can't imagine classic bands like that putting out new songs, and them being great straight away. Now they might put out something decent, but it's not great.
These days maybe four or five new albums come out that I really care about, it would be strange having to keep up with a load more every year.

Back then, when i was around 10-13, it was such a "higher stakes" album orientated enviornment.
Today, it's all about the one hit, the goofy novelty tune of the week, ya know?
But, in those days, i was hearing these "new" albums: Back in Black, Moving Pictures, Diary of a Madman,
Fair Warning, Number of the Beast...
All of these bands were upping their game each time, and creating real albums loaded with real tunes.
I remember hearing "Hellion/Electric Eye" before 'Vengeance' came out, and thinking, "Wow, Priest
have a new killer song!"
Then i'd have my mom buy me Creem or Circus, so i could read about it.

You might be jealous of kids today with everything we have on the internet at our finger tips, but man, I am so jealous of you guys being around back then and living it! Hearing those tunes brand new, seeing bands live in their primes... It's something I can't really relate to.

"Red Barchetta" has always been my favorite Rush tune.
I love the way it fades in with those harmonics, and when he changes the harmonics, i like how the
band comes in.
I love the whole song, it really is brilliant.
The ending Bass solo is beautiful, just the way he plays off the line.
I remember when that song debuted, on radio, and thinking "These guys have written some
very special songs."
Before Moving Pictures came out, radio was previewing Limelight, Sawyer & Barchetta.
Can you imagine hearing those classic tunes, when they were brand new?