So the news today has reported that Iran is replacing Western names with alternative names. Words like “pizza” are not to be used. “Elastic bread” ­ much more hip.

In a bigger picture, if this is the beginning of a new Iranian trend/principle to separate itself from Western ideas, culture and words, then perhaps Iran being so offended by the West wouldn¹t mind separating itself from the following also: the light bulb, cars, aircraft, TV, radio, the computer, Western technology, Western medicine, Coke and Pepsi, the refrigerator, Levi¹s, CD players, DVDs, CDs, the internet, missile technology, the microphone (for speeches), the amplifier and sound system, the bulldozer, cement, the gun, the machine gun, canned food, film (movies), and electricity. Or is it just the words that offend.

This letter is in no way intended to be a sarcasm or criticism towards the Iranian people as a whole. It is realized that, in all countries, there are healthy and sick individuals throughout.

–Bill Ward

Thank you, Syd for the brilliant lyrics, melodies and songs.

Like so many you touched, you reached me also and provoked much to contemplate.

Rest in peace, Syd. My condolences to your family.

Syd and Gerald forever.

–Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)

Comment:

It’s plain, if we look at history, that bombing “the enemy” (these days we can include missiles, also) will only unite a country or a city.

Bombing kills and maims and destroys material worth; it scars the hearts of those still alive (like many, my parents were bombed multiple times, I’ve heard their scars.) Eventually bombing/missile attacks will win nothing, in my opinion.

I think the only positive effect that comes from being attacked is the unification of those in peril. It’s well written historically how people of all nations have tightened their belts, dug in and fought for life itself, overcoming anything “the enemy” tried to destroy. From the London Blitz to Stalingrad, Berlin, Vietnam and Iraq, it’s so obvious that the missiles and bombs bring no real solution to anything.

–Bill

P.S. For those glued to CNN, I humbly suggest the following:

1. Educate yourself in the word objectification.
2. Stop using escalating words and statements, i.e. World War III.
3. Have an open mind and maybe don’t gather up all of the world’s trouble spots, potential, or otherwise (media-fanned), and amplified for dramatic effect, to hit yourself over the head with fear. Don’t do that. You’re worth more, way more, than that.
4. Pray President Bush will preside with an open mind and not be one-sided and judgmental to all those in conflict at this time. A humanitarian process to stop the guns and back off, I hope, will be forthcoming.

H! Everybody. It’s Bill.

I wanted to check in to make an announcement about a change in the upcoming Hardcore show’s format. As some of you know, Syd Barrett, one of the founding musicians of Pink Floyd, died recently. Towards the last 30 minutes of the show, we’ll be playing some of Syd’s most memorable songs, and possibly “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd.

Regular listeners to Rock 50’s Hardcore show know that we pretty much pound away two hours of very, very heavy metal tracks, however, Syd’s death has to be acknowledged, and a tribute to him is essential.

Other bands appearing on the show this month – new Shadows Fall, Devil Driver, As Hope Dies, Celtic Frost, Ice Pick and many more.

Check out the show if you can this Saturday, July 22nd at 11:00 AM Pacific Time.

Rock always,
Bill

In addition to the Summer Sale program, Bill is also starting a series of ebay auctions. The first item up for auction at Ebay is an authentic Black Sabbath drumhead autographed by Bill Ward.

This drumhead is a Remo Snare Drumhead played by Bill Ward from 08-06-05 in East Troy, WI and retired after the Cynthia Woods Pavilion concert in Houston, TX on 08-27-05. The drumhead was autographed by Bill Ward on 05-31-06. Here is a picture of the drumhead (click on it for a larger picture):

This auction starts this evening (Fri, June 30th) at 8PM Eastern Time (in the US). Here is a link to the Ebay auction page. Please note it will generate an error until the auction has actually started.

Finally, if you are the winner of this auction, Bill will personalize the drumhead for you!

As Bill mentioned in the latest audio diary a few weeks ago, he’s having a Summer Garage Sale. Several new items are now available to order, plus the items that were already in the merchandise page have had their prices dropped. Here’s a list of the details:

Existing Item Price Drops

• When the Bough Breaks CD, price dropped from $10 to $5.
• When the Bough Breaks Poster, price dropped from $7 to $4.
• Ward One Poster, price dropped from $7 to $4.
• Straws Charities minimum donation dropped from $35 to $10.

New Items for the Summer Sale

• Snakes & Ladders Radio Promo CD – $5
• When the Bough Breaks “Naked” CD – $5
• Snakes & Ladders T-Shirt (M, L, XL) – $10
• Animals T-Shirt (M, L, XL) – $10
• Hate T-Shirt (M, L, XL) – $10
• Tall Stories T-Shirt (M, L, XL) – $10

Pictures of all of these items are available right now on Bill’s Merchandise page, so go check ’em out, and help Bill clean out his garage! Please note however, that orders will not ship until July 10th, so if you place an order right now, that is when they will commence shipping.

Bill has sent in the the 14th edition of his Audio Diary series. This new edition, totaling 33:56 in length is available right now. It was recorded on Saturday June 3rd, but due to some technical problems was not placed online until June 13th. Here’s some of the highlights of what Bill has to say in this edition:

• Updates on his radio show on what’s coming, including some music from LunarMile; the band fronted by Toni-Marie Iommi
• Update on his column for Hails & Horns magazine
• Updates on Beyond Aston, including some track specifics. One is named “Where You Are Is Not Forever”. Bill does play drums on one song, that being “Poppies”.
• Working on creating Beyond Aston from a technical and drumming aspect as well as going into some heavy detail on drumming issues.
• Bill’s attempts at staying fit
• Talks about a summer garage sale he’s planning on selling some memorabilia off, and some special items that will be going on ebay. (Details on this will be posted in the next day or so).
• Talks briefly about Straws (which will is also on sale under the garage sale).

There’s plenty more to hear as well, so make sure to check it all out. Here’s the link to the audio diary:

https://www.billward.com/sounds/diary060306.m4a

(Right click and select “Save As” or “Save Link As” and save the file to your hard drive, don’t just click this)

You need one of any number of free audio players (Winamp, iTunes, or Musicmatch Jukebox) to play this file. Don’t forget about Bill’s Podcast for the diaries, you can get more info on that here.

You can discuss the audio diary in this thread on Bill’s forums here on billward.com. A short note, if you have Windows Media player, you may have to rename the file extension from m4a to mp4 to get the file to play right in that player.

Beginning this month, Bill will contribute a regular column, titled “Forte, Please” to new Metal magazine, Hails & Horns. The June 2006 issue is arriving in stores now and can be purchased at major music retail outlets, including Tower, Hot Topic, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Virgin, Newbury Comics, FYE, Strawberries, and Coconuts. Hails & Horns is a quarterly publication with the second issue due in September 2006.

Here is an excerpt from Bill’s first column:

From the childhood influences of Rock-n-Roll, Jazz and Blues, to Black Sabbath’s embryonic stirrings, past the mayhem of the 70’s to the Sgt. Pepper triumph of the 90’s, Metallica’s “Black Album”, and more recently, to the enlightening “Vol.3: The Subliminal Verses” by Slipknot, I have been immersed in music and, in saying that, I feel incredibly humbled and fortunate to still be a part of all of this momentum. My peers, and there are a lot of them, they too are still above ground, devouring the future with broad strokes of loud guitars, critical drumming and risking their very souls in the harshness and joys of life. I say again, I’m fortunate and delighted. I am a fan – a great place to be at 58 – and based on the above, I guess I qualify on some level as a person who could share something about Metal.

I’ll begin…

Saturday’s Rock 50 show marks a return to the Classics with the first special edition of Bill’s Rock 50 show. During the first hour, Bill will showcase songs by artists who were influential to him personally, and who, in his opinion, also set the course for this new direction in Rock. This set will include ground-breaking tracks such as “Shapes of Things” by The Yardbirds, The Doors’ “Break on Through,” Cream’s “White Room,” The Pretty Things’ “Defecting Grey” and “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane – songs that broadened the spectrum of Rock with dark, eerie sounds and rough edges. Also listen for key tracks by The Who, Led Zeppelin, and of course, Black Sabbath. In Part 2 of the show, Bill expands on the groundwork laid down in the 60’s with a hard-hitting line-up of artists, including Rainbow, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Motorhead.

You asked for it, and now the Classics are back. Tune in Saturday and remember to keep checking the Rock 50 page for the next Classic Metal edition.

On Rock 50 this Saturday, April 22, Bill will feature Part 3 in his interview series with In Flames. Also on deck are tracks from Zombie, Dillinger Escape Plan, Immortal, Mastodon, Exodus and 30-Round Clip, a brilliant new band out of LA. Other highlights: the phenomenal live version of “A Bid Farewell” by Killswitch Engage and Korn¹s ³Tearjerker.² Tune in this Saturday!