BILL WARD PART TWO
Sabbath circa early 70s.
When I started this blog, I promised more from Black Sabbath’s Bill Ward. Bill has been the most popular part of this blog (no surprise). I got more comments and hits due to Bill Ward’s recipe and interview than anyone else thus far. Bill’s fans are rabid and loyal.
If Bill would talk about opening his mail on the blog, I’d get hits. If Bill would discuss his teeth brushing habits, we’d want to hear them. Bill is more than just a consummate drummer and musician: he’s pure magic.
I will add a Bill Ward Part Three down the line, so stay tuned. And the really big news is that Bill will be releasing not one but two collections of new music in 2010. He’s been in the studio mixing tracks recently so look for an announcement soon about the new music and hopefully, a tour.
When Bill last spoke to me he discussed his vegan lifestyle. Here’s more about what he eats and how he manages to stay healthy on the road.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Cook: When you’re on the road with Sabbath, do you have a caterer? Do you and Geezer get fed well?
BILL: “We do have one and he cooks for the entire backstage so it’s not always easy to get a vegan meal. Some of the good places along the road where we know for sure that we’re gonna get good vegan food can be few and far between. So when we know there is a vegan place we like where we’ll be arriving, it’s quite a happy day for me and Terry.
“Some of the promoters know what vegetarian food is but they don’t see the difference between not eating meat and being vegan.”
RNRC: Any tips for eating vegan or even vegetarian while on the road?
BILL: ” Carry a food bag with you at all times and keep something in reserve. You can’t depend on airlines if you’re vegetarian or vegan as very few airlines understand the concept. So you could go without food for up to 12 hours while in transit so you should carry snacks like energy bars or something that will sustain you for the flight. You can’t depend on the airline to feed you and it can be a major let down if you have to go too long without eating.
“We eat vegan bars in the US but I cant’ find them in England. You have to read the ingredients really carefully. The American bar is called Organic Food Bar. It comes in all kinds of flavors like cranberry, blueberry, active green which has a bunch of healthy stuff in it. They’re good if you need to keep your energy levels high and they will sustain you. Also, I’d recommend to have some fruit before you get on board. Having no food on flights is just a terrible situation. I’ve been caught out so many times like that and it’s not good.”
RNRC: Do you eat before a gig or after?
BILL: “I eat at about 2 in the afternoon on a gig day. If we get lucky, and there is vegan catering, Geezer and I will eat that. If not, I can usually get something made up. If the food quality on that particular gig is not very good, I always keep something in the fridge from Whole Foods. I can’t eat after 2 or 3 pm if we’re playing that night. I sleep from about 530 pm until 730 pm. Then we do the show. When I come off stage, the band often gets pizza or chicken but we can’t do that.”
Do you miss cheese pizza?
BILL: “I do. I mentioned I was 98% vegan and that other 2% is when I eat pizza, which is rare. I don’t like to do it but I’ll eat cheese when there is nothing else. After the gig, the promoters will load up the buses and bring on food. We usually try to get Indian food brought in or we eat out of our own kitchen on the bus. So I’ll have a sandwich after the show.”
RNRC:When you’re back in the UK do you eat the same as at home?
BILL: “I find it really difficult to eat in England now as I’m vegan. So the last time I was there I relied on my neice cooking me a meal. But I’d stick with basic food like beans on toast or chips when I was out. I’d ask the chefs in any restaurant as to what kind of vegetable oil they were using to make the chips. If it was vegetable oil, I’d make a chip (french fries) sandwich with some bread.
” It’s hard to find good food on a daily basis if you’re vegan. When we’re touring Stateside, I take all my food with me on the tour bus. But in England I carry tons of stuff in my bag like dried fruits, nuts, and the like. I try to eat bananas, apples, whatever fruit I can find, every day. I’d eat soup as long as the broth wasn’t made from animal stock.”
RNRC: Do you eat tofu slices and all the other vegan staples?
BILL: “We usually have some good bread on the bus. We usually have soy butter so I’ll make a tomato and cucumber sandwich with that on it. Or I’ll have soup, vegan soup. After the gig I like to sit shotgun on the bus. So the bus driver — Walter — will make me a big bowl of vegan soup and then we’ll take off. Walter takes care of everything on the road. He knows what to tell me and what not to tell me. And he knows when to let me eat my soup (laughs). Walter’s great.”
