Keyboardist DON AIREY Recalls His First Session With BLACK SABBATH: 'They Had A Terrible Reputation'

During an appearance on the Music Buzzz podcast, keyboardist Don Airey, who has played with countless hard rock greats, including BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST, DEEP PURPLE and WHITESNAKE, was asked how he goes about going into a session with a band that is "established and known". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Walking into the BLACK SABBATH sessions, they had a terrible reputation — [guitarist] Tony Iommi for hitting people, [singer] Ozzy [Osbourne for being] mad. And so I walked in with my keyboards and set them up and then they all came in. And the first thing Ozzy said, 'Would you like a cup of tea?' 'I'd love one, please, Ozzy.' So we sat down, had a cup of tea. It was like being in someone's front room with a family, which is what they were — they were a family… They were just wonderful. Same with JUDAS PRIEST. Same with all these bands. Same with PURPLE."

Regarding how the DEEP PURPLE job came about for him back in 2002, Don said: "Jon [Lord, former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] fell ill. And they had some sessions, they had some festivals [lined up] and [DEEP PURPLE bassist] Roger [Glover] phoned me up. He said, 'What are you doing tomorrow?' 'I'm conducting an orchestra at a Welsh festival.' He said, 'What are you doing the day after?' I said, 'Nothing much.' He said, 'Well, DEEP PURPLE needs you. We're doing the [a festival in] Skanderborg [Denmark]. Jon's ill. Can you stand in for him? Just three gigs.' I said, 'Okay.' Can you send me the setlist, Rog? 'He said, 'Oh, setlist?' He said, 'Whatever you fancy.' I had a run-through in the afternoon with [then-DEEP PURPLE guitarist] Steve Morse. He had a number called 'The Well-Dressed Guitar' that Jon would never learn. So with me coming in, he saw his chance to get it in the set. So he taught me 'The Well-Dressed Guitar'. So that was included in the set as well. So I went on stage and I just had to wing it, really. You either do or you don't… I stood in for Jon for 20 gigs and then thought nothing more of it except how wonderful it'd been. And then they phoned me up and said, 'Jon's left. We've got four names on the to-do list, all of 'em yours. Would you join?' I said, 'I'll have to sleep on it. Yes.'"

Don briefly joined BLACK SABBATH in the late 1970s, playing keys on the album "Never Say Die!", before answering Cozy Powell's call to fly to New York and join RAINBOW.

On a break in 1980, Don played on Ozzy's debut solo album, "Blizzard Of Ozz". At the conclusion of the RAINBOW tour, Don flew to Los Angeles and climbed aboard the Ozzy crazy train, staying for another three-year stint that saw the album "Bark At The Moon".

Airey released his latest studio album, "Pushed To The Edge", on March 28 via earMUSIC.

Joining Airey on "Pushed To The Edge" is an all-star lineup featuring Carl Sentance (NAZARETH) and Mitchell Emms ("The Voice UK") on vocals, DEEP PURPLE guitarist Simon McBride, drummer Jon Finnigan, and bassist Dave Marks.

Photo credit: Franz Schepers