As Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale prepares for the “strange honour” of being the only woman performing at Black Sabbath‘s massive farewell show on July 5, she is reflecting on a time when her passion for the metal pioneers made her feel like an outcast among her peers. In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Hale shared a pivotal story from her youth about a piece of fatherly advice that helped shape her entire identity as a rocker.
Hale explained that being a young female heavy metal fan in the 90s was a lonely experience. “There is something different about a woman who grew up on Black Sabbath versus a man who did, you know?” she suggested. “It was more accepted at the time to be a heavy metal fan if you were were a boy, versus being a girl.”
She recounted her struggle as a 14-year-old trying to share her new obsession with her friends. “I would be trying to convince my friends, who are all listening to Mariah Carey and Backstreet Boys, to listen to Black Sabbath. And they’re like, ‘No, that’s my dad’s music!'” she recalled. Frustrated, she confided in her father.
“I’m like, ‘Why, dad? No one’s ever gonna like me! I don’t have any friends because they don’t like my music,'” she remembered telling him. Her father’s response provided a lesson in artistic integrity that has stayed with her ever since. “He’s like, ‘No, you love Black Sabbath just because you love Black Sabbath, not because it’s popular on the radio right now, not because your friends are listening to it, because it’s a part of you. That’s an incredible thing.'”
While she may have dismissed the advice at the time (“‘Ah, whatever, dad!'”), Hale now sees it as a foundational moment in her life and career. “I know now for a fact that I wouldn’t be the singer I am today, I wouldn’t be the guitar player I am today, I wouldn’t be the rocker I am today without these men,” she said of Black Sabbath‘s influence.
Now, decades later, the teenage girl who felt ostracized for her musical taste is preparing to share the stage with her heroes for their final performance. For Hale, the concert is a true full-circle moment. “So I just can’t wait to come to celebrate them and honour them and wish them farewell,” she said.
Following their historic appearance at the Black Sabbath farewell show, Halestorm will embark on their own “nEVEREST” North American headlining tour this fall with support from Lindsey Stirling and Apocalyptica.
Halestorm “nEVEREST” North American Tour Dates:
- Sep 11: Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center
- Sep 12: Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- Sep 14: Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
- Sep 16: Syracuse, NY – Upstate Medical University Arena
- Sep 18: Laval, QC – Place Bell
- Sep 19: Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
- Sep 21: Madison, WI – Breese Stevens Field
- Sep 23: St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
- Sep 24: Cedar Rapids, IA – Alliant Energy Power House
- Sep 26: Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino
- Sep 27: Duluth, MN – AMSOIL Arena
- Sep 29: Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater
- Oct 1: Sioux City, IA – Tyson Events Center
- Oct 2: Grand Forks, ND – Alerus Center
- Oct 4: Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
- Oct 5: Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
- Oct 7: Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
- Oct 8: Penticton, BC – South Okanagan Events Centre
- Oct 10: Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
- Oct 11: Spokane, WA – Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
