Ozzy Says “No Thanks” to Hall of Fame
Most rockers would be honored to be nominated for the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame, but Ozzy Osbourne isn’t most rockers. He has
attempted to take Black Sabbath’s name off the Hall of Fame’s 1999
nomination list, deeming the institution’s nod “meaningless.”
On Oct. 4, the singer fired off a letter to the Hall of Fame,
saying: “Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget
about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it’s not voted on
by the fans. It’s voted on by the supposed elite for the industry
and the Media, who’ve never bought an album or concert ticket in
their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me.” He says, “Let’s
face it, Black Sabbath has never been media darlings. We’re a
people’s band and that suits us just fine.”
But according to a source at the Hall of Fame Foundation, Oz can’t
be taken off the nomination list. The best the old bat-biter can do
is to refuse the nomination if Black Sabbath are voted into the
Hall of Fame this year. “He can pull a George C. Scott, if he wants
to [referring to the 1970 incident when Scott refused the best
actor award for his performance in Patton], but he can’t
take his name off the list.”
Suzan Evans, spokesperson for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had
no comment, but explained that they hadn’t even issued a list of
nominees, or a press release. “This stuff gets out because it’s the
writers that vote, and they publish the names.” Black Sabbath are
on a list with fifteen other stars including Eric Clapton, Lovin’
Spoonful, Richie Valens and Queen. The inductees will be announced
in November and ushered into the Hall of Fame in January.
Black Sabbath have been eligible for induction for the past three
years. But the band has yet to receive enough votes to be inducted
into the Hall, despite the fact that their catalog still sells very
well and that they were able to generate renewed interest last year
when they mounted the first Ozzfest reunion tour. This year’s
Ozzfest, meanwhile, has included more than sixty shows, and will
wrap up with two shows in their hometown of Birmingham, England, on
Dec. 21 and 22.