The ultimate metal and hard rock extravaganza – i.e. Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final show, Back to the Beginning – is fast approaching. The July 5th mega-show will pit together some of the world’s most influential names in heavy music at the Church of Sabbath.
Tool’s Adam Jones is one such disciple set to be involved. However, as he reveals in the new issue of Guitar Worldthe band was quite late signing on to the festivities – and he was initially not going to sign on at all.
Like all the other artists involved, Jones and the gang were initially approached by Tom Morello, who’s doubling as the show’s musical director.
“The four of us [in Tool] were on the phone, or texting – I can’t remember – and someone went, ‘I don’t think I can do it.’ Someone else went, ‘Okay, yeah, I think I’m gonna do this other thing,’” Jones says when asked about his involvement. “I think I even went, ‘Yeah, let’s not do it.’ But it was really an honor that they asked us.”
So what led to his change of heart? It seems like it all boiled down to Morello’s persistence (the chance to join an iconic lineup for a historic event didn’t hurt either).
“Months later, Tom contacted me and said, ‘Would you be down to play something with me?’ I was like, ‘Hmmm, that could be fun. Yeah!’ He goes, ‘It’ll just be me, you and Billy Corgan.’ He was thinking we could play a tune, so I said, ‘Yeah, that’s fine. But if plans change, I won’t feel bad if you decide that you don’t want me to do it – but let’s do it.’
He continues, “I was again talking to Tom, and I went, ‘Yeah, I’m sorry we all couldn’t do it.’ He goes, ‘Well, you know Dan [Carey, Tool’s drummer] is playing with these guys, and Maynard [James Keenan, Tool’s singer] is playing with these people…’
“I went, ‘I didn’t know that…’ It hit me, and I said, ‘If the three of us are there – and I know Justin [Chancellor, bass] will want to do it…’ I went back to our people and went, ‘Why don’t we just do it? We’re all going to be there.’ That’s how it happened – and why it was announced later.”
As for Morello, he cites teaming up with Jones and Corgan – who he dubs “three dudes from Northern Illinois” – as one of the highlights of the event.
“Adam and I went to high school together,” he told Guitar World. “Billy grew up a couple towns over. All of us were so influenced by Black Sabbath, but we’ve never played together. So that’s something I’m really psyched about.”
And, if you missed out on tickets for the actual show (they sold out in 16 minutes), it was recently announced that a pay-per-view livestream will be available, with tickets – priced at $29.99 – up for grabs from the official Back to the Beginning site.
For more from Adam Jones, plus new interviews with Tom Morello and Jake E. Lee, pick up issue 593 of Guitar World at Magazines Direct.
