BLACK SABBATH - UNION RULES RUIN BLACK SABBATH REUNION'S BIG SHOW

UNION RULES RUIN BLACK SABBATH REUNION'S BIG SHOW

A planned DVD taping of a show by the former members of BLACK SABBATH had to be cut short last week (30MAR07), due to New York City union bosses. The members of Sabbath offshoot HEAVEN + HELL had planned to rehearse a series of "special songs" at a soundcheck for their Radio City Music Hall concert on Friday night - and then play the tunes when the show was filmed later in the evening. But the project went sour when the group, fronted by RONNIE JAMES DIO, were told there wasn't enough time for them to fully rehearse the songs. Strict union rules meant hired crew members had to "clock off" in the middle of the rehearsal, prompting the frustrated rockers to axe the tunes. Dio says, "We didn't have enough time for a soundcheck because the union went, 'OK, time for a break.' We were like, 'But we've only done half a song... We've got 15 minutes left.' "But you know the way that goes. So, all in all, it was more difficult than it should have been, but it is a city show, and that's what you've gotta put up with." As a result, plans to add new track EAR IN THE WALL and two other numbers were axed from the setlist.