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Walking off stage after a gig where everything went as planned....


1983. Seal Beach, Ca. i lived in a duplex with this tiny garage we jammed in. we had heard stories that Bill Ward of Black Sabbath was staying (on occasion) with the couple that stayed in the apt. downstairs. we were all starstruck as Black Sabbath was a hugely influential band for all of us. turns out to be true and in the following weeks we would see him coming and going and say "hi Bill" like starstruck knuckleheads. one day we are jamming away when the door opens and there is Bill Ward in a wifebeater, tennis headband, a towel around his shoulders and drumsticks in his hands. he very politely asks if he could sit in for a song or two. we all mumbled yes nearly incoherently except for our drummer who practically falls off his set sayng what an honor it would be for Bill to play on his set. he sits down and hits a couple of bass and snare notes then looks at us one by one and in his thick cockney accent says "no guitar solos, no bass solos and no drum solos......lets just f&ckin jam!"
we jam and actually do a great job keeping up with him, playing miles above ourselves for a brief moment in time. he takes a moment and compliments us individually on our playing and thanks the drummer for letting him use his set. he then heads back out the door. leaving some very stoked teenagers asking themselves if that really just happened.![]()