Geezer Butler recently shared his thoughts on the close relationship between Black Sabbath and Van Halen, reflecting fondly on Eddie Van Halen’s incredible talent and kind nature. In a recent interview with Lifeminute, Butler described Van Halen as not just a “fantastic” guitarist, but also “such a nice guy.”
Despite the fact that Black Sabbath and Van Halen came from completely different musical worlds, the two bands formed a deep bond after touring together in the late ’70s. Butler noted that even though Van Halen often stole the show while opening for Sabbath, the relationship between the two bands remained strong. The parties hosted by Van Halen were famously wild, and even though Sabbath was not accustomed to such scenes, they were always welcomed.
“You wouldn’t believe the parties they used to have every night,” Butler recalled. “Van Halen, at the time, were a huge MTV band, and they attracted tons of women. Half the audience would be girls, so you can imagine what those parties were like.”
Butler went on to praise Eddie’s musical abilities and character. “Fantastic,” he said of Eddie’s playing. “He was so humble as well. He used to come into our dressing room every night and say, ‘Thanks for having us on tour.’ He was such a nice guy.” Butler also highlighted the lasting friendship that developed between Eddie and Black Sabbath, especially with Tony Iommi. Eddie even visited the band’s rehearsals in England during a time when Van Halen was on tour there, helping to write a song for Black Sabbath’s 1994 album Cross Purposes. “He helped write one of the songs on the album, ‘Evil Eye,'” Butler explained. “But we couldn’t credit him as half the composer because of publishing commitments and stuff. So, yeah, he was a great guy.”
The connection between the two bands began on the 1978 “Never Say Die!” tour, which was pivotal in solidifying their friendship. However, as with any tour, tensions arose. Butler recalled how David Lee Roth’s antics sometimes upset Ozzy Osbourne. “Dave Lee Roth started copying Ozzy, becoming like an Ozzy clone,” he said. “It really upset Ozzy at the time because whatever Ozzy did one night, Dave would say the same thing the next night.” Additionally, Eddie’s extended solos during the tour led to a conversation with Tony Iommi. “Tony had to have a word with him about that,” Butler added.
Even with these minor issues, the bond between Black Sabbath and Van Halen was clearly one built on mutual respect and camaraderie, cementing a relationship that lasted well beyond their time together on tour.
