FADE TO PART 2 THE SUPPORTING CAST

Back to the Beginning performers Jake E. Lee, Zakk Wylde, Jerry Cantrell, Adam Jones, K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale, Scott Ian and more talk Sabbath, Iommi and what it's like getting random texts from musical director Tom Morello

- Richard Bienstock

WHEN SHARON OSBOURNE approached Tom Morello about being Back to the Beginning’s musical director, his response was immediate: “If called, I will serve.” Now the Rage Against the Machine guitarist is helping to assemble what he calls “the greatest day in the history of heavy metal, in honor of the band that started it all.” The July 5 event will feature an unprecedented lineup of heavy bands including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Guns N’ Roses and Tool. Morello will be directing segments featuring legendary individual musicians like Slash, Billy Corgan, Wolfgang Van Halen, Jake E. Lee, K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale, Duff McKagan, Rudy Sarzo and more in what he describes as revolving supergroups. “You're never going to know what's going to happen next on this day, trust me,” he says.

How did you go about getting musicians on board for this event?

People pick up the phone, dude! When you're able to call up and say, you know, "Final Black Sabbath show, with all four original members. Final Ozzy Osbourne show. Happening in the birthplace of heavy metal — Birmingham, England. In the soccer stadium that these guys attended as kids. And we would love for you to come and play some songs...” People tend to respond positively.

So it was up to you to reach out?

I called everybody! I looked at my heavy-metal Rolodex and just called up friends who Ozzy, Sharon and I had talked about wanting to have there. I take this job so seriously as a curator, and I’m looking at who's gonna be the most impactful, the most meaningful, the most moving, the most fun, the most metal. [Laughs].

What can fans expect at the show?