In a new interview with Australia’s “Everblack” podcast, former FEAR FACTORY singer Burton C. Bell was asked if he is planning to attend Ozzy Osbourne‘s final concert with BLACK SABBATH in July at the Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Unfortunately, no. I couldn’t afford to go. But I wish I could be there. It’s gonna be fantastic.
“I was on a magazine cover twice with Ozzy, and I’ve got both of ’em here [at my house],” Burton continued. “One of ’em is signed by Ozzy, which is killer. But I remember the first time, very first BLACK SABBATH reunion, FEAR FACTORY was the only opening band. It was ’99 in Birmingham at the NEC. And we were the only opening band. And I remember standing while BLACK SABBATH was playing. Henry Rollins was there, and I’m standing next to this tall dude. I’m, like, looking up. I’m, like, ‘It’s fucking [QUEEN‘s] Brian May. Holy fuck. I’m standing next to Brian May. Holy fuck.’
Bell added that opening for BLACK SABBATH “was a big moment” for him and his then-FEAR FACTORY bandmates. “FEAR FACTORY had been opening for Ozzy already on his ‘Retirement Sucks’ tour, which was, like, ’96,” he said. “And we did three months throughout the United States and Europe. And Europe was fucking tough, because we were the only opening band and all those people in Europe, they didn’t wanna see us. They just wanted to see Ozzy. So they were just literally standing there watching us. And I’m in the front singing, just [with my middle finger extended]. And after every one of our shows, they just threw shrapnel up — coins. And I collected enough coins to buy a beer. It was worth it. I got spat on a lot.”
Bell issued two solo singles in 2024 — “Anti-Droid” and “Technical Exorcism” — and a cover of RAMMSTEIN‘s “Du Hast” in 2023.
A new single from Burton called “Savages” is expected to be released later this spring.
Bell played the first concert with his solo band on June 13, 2024 at 1720 in Los Angeles, California.
Backing Bell at his recent gigs have been guitarist Henrik Linde (THE VITALS, DREN),drummer Ryan “Junior” Kittlitz (ALL HAIL THE YETI, THE ACID HELPS),bassist Tony Baumeister (ÆGES) and multi-instrumentalist Stewart Cararas.
Bell‘s discography includes multiple live and recorded collaborations with BLACK SABBATH icon Geezer Butler and JOURNEY‘s Deen Castronovo (as G/Z/R); industrial maverick Al Jourgensen and MINISTRY; and guest vocal appearances with PITCHSHIFTER, CONFLICT, SOIL, STATIC-X, SOULFLY and DELAIN, among others. He’s the vocalist of ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS and CITY OF FIRE and, of course, the co-creator of FEAR FACTORY and the only musician to appear on every FEAR FACTORY release from 1992 through 2024.
FEAR FACTORY created a sound that revolutionized extreme metal, defined in no small part by Bell‘s innovative scream/sing dichotomy and the influences he brought from post-punk and industrial. Songs like “Replica”, “Linchpin”, “Edgecrusher”, “Fear Campaign”, “Archetype”, “Cyber Waste” and “Zero Signal” are modern metal anthems. “Demanufacture” (1995) and the RIAA gold-certified “Obsolete” (1998) are genre-redefining works heralded by fans and critics as essential albums. Orwell, Bradbury, “Blade Runner”, and sophisticated sci-fi and fantasy works fed Bell‘s lyrics and concepts.
The band toured the world with METALLICA, SLIPKNOT, KORN, MEGADETH and OZZY OSBOURNE, taking bands like SYSTEM OF A DOWN and STATIC-X out as support acts in their early stages. After years of behind-the-scenes band member turmoil and legal issues, Bell left FEAR FACTORY in the fall of 2020.
The 56-year-old Bell had been largely inactive on the musical front since officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY in September 2020. At the time he said that he could not “align” himself with someone whom he did not trust or respect, an apparent reference to FEAR FACTORY founding guitarist Dino Cazares. Bell has since been replaced in the band by the Italian-born singer Milo Silvestro.
Source: blabbermouth.net
