Geezer Butler recalled the moment a Black Sabbath fan threw a large metal cross onto the stage and nearly blinded him.

The bassist couldn’t remember when the incident took place, but revealed that he’d kept the cross as a memento as he discussed the band’s legacy as presented in a new exhibition in their home city of Birmingham, England.

“I’ll never forget that,” Butler told Uncut (via Music-News.com). “I think it was in San Francisco. Somebody threw this massive bloody brass cross at us, about 18 inches. It hit me in the eye. Nearly blinded me. But I kept it.”

Discussing some of the band’s other collected items, he said: “There’s also a painting someone gave us in Russia, with us as Samurai warriors. Gloriously hideous. We look like four versions of [late English comedian] Ken Dodd. They found the jacket I wore on our Vol. 4 album sleeve. And my silver six-inch platform boots, with red crosses up the sides. God knows how I wore them.”

Meanwhile, Sharon Osbourne explained why Ozzy Osbourne hadn’t appeared alongside the rest of Black Sabbath when they were given a special Grammy award in May. Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward were present for the Grammy Salute to Music Legends event, but Sharon refused to allow frontman Ozzy to attend.

“I was just so pissed off at the Grammys this year because they gave them a Lifetime Achievement Award, but wouldn't give it to them on the TV show that we all know as the Grammy Awards,” Sharon said (via Blabbermouth). “They did it at a separate ceremony, which goes out on another network later on. I wouldn't let Ozzy go because I just thought it was shocking what they did to them … the other artists they were honoring had great careers and deserved to be honored, but they still didn't have the careers that Sabbath had. So not to put them on the proper show, it was, like, 'How dare you?' I was so angry. I just thought, ‘Fuck you. I am not going to give you the honor of having Ozzy at your shitty ceremony.’”

 

Black Sabbath Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide

More From KLTD-FM