Tom Morello Reflects on Back To The Beginning

Tom Morello was the musical director for Back To The Beginning, which saw Ozzy Osbourne and the original lineup of Black Sabbath deliver their final performances. It was a daunting task that Morello clearly took very seriously.

The Rage Against the Machine guitarist talked about his role in the epic all-star concert event in a recent conversation with Full Metal Jackie. Morello stressed how much he wanted to do everything he could to truly honor such influential heavy metal pioneers and create "the greatest and most important day in the history of heavy metal."

While helping plan and coordinate the event, Morello said he was able to communicate specifically with Ozzy and Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, which he called "really pretty mind-blowing."

A lot of moments from Back To The Beginning resonated with Morello, particularly Yungblud's performance of "Changes," but one moment for him on stage really stood out: Playing "Breaking The Law" with former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing.

"Playing 'Breaking The Law' with K.K. Downing, as well as with Adam Jones from Tool, my longtime friend from Libertyville, Illinois, and Billy Corgan, also a Chicago-area native, the three of us grew up on Judas Priest and Black Sabbath," said Morello. "And to be reunited in a stadium a long way from our hometown playing Sabbath and Judas Priest songs, where those songs were made, was pretty mind-blowing."