H! Everyone.

The Christmas Show airs on Saturday, December 6th. As usual, the songs are all brilliant and come from different types of bands and artists. It’s not a Metal show, although we’re featuring some of Metal’s best. The Christmas Show is realistic. I’ve always tried to keep it on the ground in a way that may help those in need, suffering and in hardship. We have uplifting songs ­ strong and hopeful.

Some of the bands/artists we’re playing are John Lennon, George Harrison, Traffic, Type-O Negative, Ministry, Korn, Cream, Slipknot and many, many more. Check us out if you can. Please note we’ll be back in January with our regular abnormal Metal show.

Stay strong. Stay safe.

–Bill Ward

H! Everyone.

This November 15th we’ll be playing our Armistice show on “Rock 50.” Check out the show if you have the time.

Like our 9/11 show, the Armistice show is not 100% Metal. We dedicate the Armistice show to all who have fallen in foreign and domestic wars since November 11, 1918 through and up to today’s wars. November 11th is the official Armistice Day throughout Europe, all over the world, and here in the U.S.A.

We’ve been doing this show for a number of years now, and hope to continue this tradition. Bands appearing: A Perfect Circle, Ozzy, Ministry, Anthrax, Billy Joel’s classic “Goodnight Saigon,” and much, much more.

Stay strong,
Bill Ward

Thanks to all of you who sent in questions for Bill’s year-end Hails & Horns column. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Nov-Feb double-issue when it hits the stands to see if he answered your question. In the meantime, you can check out Bill’s current column “The Royal Iris” in the Sept/Oct issue on newsstands now.

This past Saturday, Bill Ward hosted this month’s edition of Rock 50, his regular radio show. However, this month’s episode was a little different. It was Bill’s tribute to the >September 11th attacks from seven years ago now.

This show started off with a three minute or so speech by Bill Ward about the show. You can download an mp3 of that track here: https://www.billward.com/sounds/Bill_Ward_911_show_intro.mp3

You can view the track listing for the show here, and don’t forget, you can get all the latest (plus all the past track listings) at Bill’s Rock 50 page here:

http://rock50.billward.com

Calling out to all the inquisitive!

I’ve been reminded that I’m not answering the mail as we have in the past. So, for the next Hails & Horns column, send in your questions – any subject – except sex – I don’t go down that street. I know…”Boo, ya bastard.”

We will take questions between September 4 and September 24. Please send the questions to: bward@billward.com with “Hails & Horns Question” as the subject line.

OK. Rules:

No Stupid Questions, e.g. body part sizes; favourite food; vegan: Asian; times married (4). Why didn’t you play the first Reunion Tour in 1997? I wasn’t asked. What was it like to be sober again in’84? Terrifying! Personal questions about Ozzy, Geezer, Tony, and is that you singing on “Planet Caravan?” No, that’s Ozzy.

OK. Enough. I hope you know I love you all, and I’m fucking around. Send in music questions, drum questions, or send anything you want. Even “Hey, Bill, Fuck off,” will work!

Hey, stay strong. Stay safe.

–Bill Ward

Dear Everybody,

This July12th is our summer touring bands show, featuring some great newer bands and some of the older, established Hard Rock/Metal bands – Judas Priest, Metallica, and Testament. At The Gates and Children of Bodom are just a few of a host of Metal¹s Greatest on our playlist. Check out the show if you can. We’ve been around now for a while and deliver consistently good Metal shows each month.

Stay Strong.

Love Live Metal.

–Bill

If you’re a regular listener to Bill’s appearances on the Rock 50 show, then you know that the most recent episode (from early May) was a special one. It was a show where Bill celebrated his 60th birthday by playing basically whatever he wanted.

There was one unplanned moment though where instudio Bill was surprised with a birthday cake on the air. We’re bringing you a small two minute download where you can check out Bill’s surprise at the cake. He also tells a short story about how when on tour by himself or with the Sabs, how a Rainbow song is instrumental in his touring routine. Check out the audio file here:

https://www.billward.com/sounds/bills60thcelebration.mp3

Additionally, the Rock 50 page has been updated. The next show date has been posted, as well as the playlist archives for April and May now both being available.

Thanks for listening!

H! Everyone.

Our Metal show will be April 26, 2008. We¹re featuring In Flames, Slayer, Ministry, more Messhugga and At The Gates. For those of you who listen regularly, I hope I¹m bringing good stuff to you and hitting the spot.

Our May show will be May 10, 2008. I¹m making this show a bit different. It¹ll happen five days after my 60th birthday, so selfishly, I¹ll play my all-time favourite Metal bands, and that will include Sabbath, Priest, Ozzy, some surprise tracks, also Type O Negative, In Flames, Slipknot ­ all good stuff from past years up to now. It¹ll be my birthday Metal radio show, May 10th.

OK. Stay strong. Stay safe.

–Bill Ward

H! Everyone.

Thanks, Joe, for reminding us it’s been ten years since Cozy died. I think about him from time to time. I’ve always been grateful that our last phone conversation ended on a high note. I felt we were both sincere with each other, sharing mutual respect when touching on our individual histories in Hard Rock/Metal.

Over the years, death has sometimes come quickly to old friends, and I’ve felt the pain and dilemma of not returning a phone call as I would have liked to, but didn’t; not being able to say a proper good-bye in life; being upset, or undone, or unresolved from the last conversation, then feeling the loss of that end. With Cozy, I felt we had the perfect ending conversation. We talked from the heart. In hindsight, our conversation seems gift-like, fitting perfectly into the great order of things. Cozy died about ten days after he and I spoke, maybe sooner, I’m not sure.

OK. Drum students – listen to this man. Check out the band Rainbow. Listen to “Stargazer.” Cozy is a master. Listen to the top of the song – that’s Cozy Powell playing. Discover this giant of Rock drumming. He lives forever on records and in our hearts.

Thanks, Coze – nice work.

–Bill

H! Everyone.

Our radio show this month will air on February 23rd. I hope you will join us. We’ll be playing new releases in Hardcore Metal and some of the favorites from last year. I haven’t played any Pantera for a while, so I’m playing something this month. Disfear, I’m sure, will be back on the show from January, and right now, Korn kick off the top of the show.

We’ll make a brief tribute to Buddy, Ritchie and the Big Popper. It’s been 49 years since their fatal plane crash after playing the Surf Ballroom gig in Clear Lake, Iowa, February 3, 1959.

OK. We’ll be there February 23rd.

Stay safe. Stay strong.

–Bill Ward