Clash of Ego's sans preconceptions!

On my blogging colleagues, Carl Anderson’s own blog, Diary of an Englishman in Hell-A, it has been mentioned about the incident at Ozzfest between Sharon and Bruce. It may also appear I was defending Mrs Osbourne. I would like to set that straight. If you read my comment it merely was attempting to alleviate Carls own coloured opinions as a Maiden fan on the matter. Any good report needs to be balanced so this is how I see it from what I hope is exempt from personal emotions on the matter. However I will make comments that can be construed personally;

Bruce Dickinson has been long known for being egotistical and up front about his opinions. He is very committed to Maiden at the moment however has attempted a less than successful solo career. Maiden have also proved that without Bruce they don’t work. Without his voice, colourful background and ego he couldn’t be a frontman! Having read some of the comments they could have easily been read as barbed comments directly at the Osbournes and Ozzfest in general. Quite rude considering the honour Maiden were being given and the fact that Sharon is recognised as being more influential in rock than Satan and that’s going some. If rudeness is the epitome of British wit then we are further gone than I thought. So I disagree with any attempt at saying Sharon over reacted at the level of insult she heard an insult she reacted that’s it. Also even though everyone else had agreed to drop parts of their set to allow another band to play Bruce actually said he wouldn’t do it even though it would mean that Black Sabbath would have to cut their following set to conform to a curfew law. Read the rest before you lynch me Maiden fans.

Some may not be aware that Steve Harris apologised to Sharon about Bruce BEFORE they went on so he must also have been embarrassed by Bruce. Remember that folks it becomes important at summing up.

Sharon is a classic driven women. This is a person who embodies the raging against the dieing of the light. We in Britain could even affectionately call her a “Battleaxe”. She has fought to keep Ozzie alive and I think we can agree that somehow she has even if some of us aren’t particularly happy with the current wrapper! She supports a lot of up and comers and ploughs a lot back into Rock. Now these are facts not feelings. She can be hard to put up with true but so can any driven women. As far as selling her face on British TV at the moment goes, if someone offered you a wad of cash for a thirty second stint you might be tempted so don’t blame her blame the marketing geek who thinks she is the perfect family face! She is not scared to stake her claim and shout her will. That has to be admired to a degree.

However she freely admits she engineered the power fade outs, the egging and everything else plaguing Maidens set that night. Now if her beef was with Bruce she should have kept it with Bruce. Steve Harris apologised before all this but she still had to get revenge. She admits she took the comments as a personal attack on her family and that if anyone messes with her family she will mess back! Obviously a protective Mother to be sure but definitely questionable.

Because of this Sharon in my opinion is guilty of gross unprofessional behaviour. Her behaviour ultimately hurt her own organised event due to a diminished crowd for Sabbath, The Maiden Fans of which I have been a stolid fan for many a year, the whole genre of rock of which she is a figurehead like it or not and everyone who paid a ticket to see the show. An apology had been made which she chose to ignore. Now she has gone on record to say that her behaviour has made the show more memorable. Having been at Donington Monsters of Rock 1988 I can see her point. Two people died at that one during Guns and Roses and I myself was pulled unconscious from the crowd and even with that tragedy it was voted by Kerrang readers the 6th best ever concert EVER, with that fact in mind though it should never have happened. But I do end up agreeing that despite the egos of the two participants Sharon grossly mishandled the situation period there are other ways she could have handled it. There is a lot to respect about Sharon but nothing to be proud about here. Sharon should apologise and deal with it in an adult way and not like a she-tiger whose cubs have been threatened. Her lack of regret is questionable and frankly disrespectful. On the other foot Bruce maybe sometimes should save his voice for the stage! Much respect to Bruce for the defiance in the face of the odds to try and salvage the show for the fans.

Point made time out! Let the flames begin.