Iron Maiden egged at Ozzfest

[Gothic Sponge]

This sounds like a soap opera

NEW YORK (Billboard) -- Iron Maiden's manager has condemned Ozzfest fans who pelted the band with debris during its performance at the hard rock festival's weekend stop near Los Angeles.

The British metal veterans also endured periodic outages of the sound system, and Ozzfest organizer Sharon Osbourne came on stage afterwards to call Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson a "prick" for allegedly berating her husband, Ozzy Osbourne.

Sunday's dramatic show in San Bernardino, California, was Iron Maiden's last on the Ozzfest tour; Velvet Revolver has joined the lineup in its place.

"In 30 years in this business and after hundreds of gigs I have never seen anything anywhere near as disgusting and unprofessional as what went on that night," Ron Smallwood said on Maiden's Web site (http://www.ironmaiden.com).

"The scale, viciousness and concentration of the throwing made it obvious that this was a premeditated and coordinated attack. Assaulting musicians while performing by throwing bottle tops, lighters and eggs at them from just a few yards away is vile, dangerous, criminal and cowardly."

Without naming names, Smallwood says he knew who was responsible for attempting to sabotage Iron Maiden's set, audio and video clips of which have begun circulating online.

"Those who participated or stood idly by and watched as all this went down should also be ashamed of themselves and I would certainly hope they never come near a tour with which we are involved," Smallwood added.

"If l had any sort of problem or misunderstanding with a band working on a tour we were involved in I would go and talk to them or their manager -- not wait until the end of a tour and assault and ambush them," he continued.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/24/music.ozzfest.reut/index.html

[eyepaddle]

1. Wow, that's pretty sad.

Iron Maiden was my second favorite group when I was in high school. The link to Madien's website was chugging kind of slow, so I'll have to wait until I get home for more details. But if this was another band (Ozzy) this is kinda lame. Just kick them off the tour if they are beng dicks.

[StopTheMorans]

2. Ron Smallwood said on Maiden's Web site (http://www.ironmaiden.com ).

smallwood :rofl:

[kick-ass-bob]

3. At least you didn't mention the lead singer's name.

:yoiks:

[Gothic Sponge]

5. I need more cowbell.

;)

[northzax]

6. I hear now that Ozzfest is over

he's entering the seminary...

[northzax]

4. never before have I had such respect

for the fans at ozzfest!

ok, obviously throwing shit ain't right, but it's Iron Maiden, for the love of god, they should have been chased off stage by angry mobs 25 years ago. maybe 30.

[walldude]

7. I saw Maiden a couple years ago

With Rob Halford and Queensryche. Maiden was so over the top and Dickinson was ranting about the PMRC(15 years after the fact). When a giant cross rose from the stage with Dickinson "crucified" on it they had totally gone into Spinal Tap territory. We bailed.. we were really there to see Queensrych anyway

[XNASA]

8. Iron Maiden?

Eggcellent!!

[bbernardini]

9. It was Kelly Osbourne and her friends, plus at least one other band.

I've read countless eyewitness reports. Members of Black Label Society (and their crew) were also involved. I have a recording of the show, but I've only listened to parts. People seemed pretty pissed at Sharon.

[redqueen]

10. ahahahahahahaha

Assault and ambush?

Crybaby!

[Initech]

11. I was at that Ozzfest. The crowd was completely pissed off.

Every Maiden fan there (and I'd say about 1/2 of the some 45,000 people there were Maiden fans) wanted Sharon Osbourne's head off.