Caught Black Sabbath at Ozzfest yesterday,,the show was amazing(read Houston Chronicle review below). Tony IommI and Geezer Butler came out to autograph their new solo albums at about 5pm.
I was in a state of awe being face to face with the legend and the only thing I said to him was "thank you for doing the new release with Glenn".Which he replied with a smile "your welcome". 
Aug. 28, 2005, 1:33PM
Ozzy reserrects Black Sabbath's bygone era
BY MICHAEL D. CLARK
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Ozzy Osbourne has adapted an unlikely character trait: Lucidity. Perhaps it's due to a tumultuous summer of touring with veteran metal peers Iron Maiden, who left the tour last week. Or maybe Osbourne believes that Saturday's show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion would be his last in the Houston area with pioneering '70s Brit-metal band Black Sabbath.
Osbourne said that this year's Ozzfest will be his final one as a headliner. Though he's hinted at retirement before, the show was the first in years that suggested Osbourne's talk of departure could be called premature.
Over the past 10 years, disorientation and a hunched-over shuffle made it clear that 35 years of heavy metal living had taken a toll on its self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness.
After illness forced some Ozzfest dates to be canceled earlier in the summer, and a feud with Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson sent that band packing, it was easy to assume that Osbourne, 56, would again sound uninspired, a sad relic of a bygone era.
But for 80 minutes under threatening skies Osbourne — along with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — magnificently brought Sabbath's bygone era back to life.
Belting out Sabbath favorites like War Pigs and Fairies Wear Boots with vocal pipes that sounded clear and polished, Osbourne banged his head and frog-jumped on all fours like a rock star half his age. Iommi and Butler were equally tight, extending the mid-song electric storms of Iron Man and the song Black Sabbath to nearly 10 minutes each.
For those reliving past glories, it was a nostalgia trip well worth the day-long festival of Sabbath followers like Velvet Revolver, Mudvayne, Shadows Fall and Rob Zombie.
Those seeing Black Sabbath for the first (and possibly last) time got to see first-hand why the group is a vital cog in the progression of hard rock from the blues-based Cream to the angry release of metal followers like Scorpions and, yes, even Iron Maiden.
michael.d.clark@chron.com
Houston OZZFEST--Tony autographing "FUSED"
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I too was at the Houston show- First in line to see and get Tony to sign. Unfortunately, they were really hustling people through- I had all kinds of things to say and ask of the master of riffs but couldn't. I briefly spoke to Geezer as well while waiting- he was at the adjacent table. I did not purchase his new CD... so I could not get a signature. (Glenn I hope you never do this) I asked Geezer if he and Tony were still considering touring thier solo stuff together- and he didn't seem as it would be very likely- he ended his comment with... "We got to get through this tour first". As far as my conversation with Tony (if you would call it that) I basically conveyed how much I liked the album and that this was my 3rd one purchased. I said I had all of the bonus tracks and especially liked "The Innocense"- told him I loved Glenn's contributions and was a big fan of Glenn's for just about as long as I was of his. They hurried me through before I could ask anything else- so I headed out to meet my son to watch Zakk Wylde on the main stage. My son Jared met Zakk and the other "Chapters"- they were extremely cool with him, and talked quite a bit- he was in awe almost as much as I was with Tony! I set my son up with a question for Zakk... if "All for You" was inspired by Frank Marino... He said that he was a friend of his, and loved how he played, and was very much influenced by him.
I think it was mentioned before by someone... but, between Velvet Revolver (Maiden's replacement...there is another story...) and Black Sabbath- "Fused" was played. I think the first 4 or 5 songs made it out over the nearly sold out crowd- before we started hearing Ozzy on the other side of the Curtain- test out his mike "I can't hear you". On they went with a really great set.... both Larry and I heard in the first song or two a supporting-like vocal kicking in when Ozzy got a bit out of sync. Unlike Larry, I thought that the performance during the "Reunion Tour" was a little bit better, but all in all the show was really great!
M.
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