HEAVY METAL MONSTER DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER

I think I've made mention that, along with being a dyed-in-the-fur Monster Kid, I'm also a bit of a musician. A rock guitarist to be exact, with enough keyboard knowledge to work out a tune on the black keys. Being a Monster Kid you probably also have an idea of what type of music I like, too. Well, you'd be right if you said Classic Rock --although I'm also an avid jazz and classical listener as well.

But Rock is where my heart and soul is. That's why I was saddened to hear that one of my guitar heroes, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame, has just recently been diagnosed with early onset lymphoma. Now, no cancer is a cakewalk to shake, and lymphoma can be pretty tough. Nevertheless, Mr. Iommi has been reported as "upbeat".

There is more than a touch of irony here, because he has finally joined his bandmates for the first Black Sabbath studio album featuring the original line-up in 33 years. Ironic as well, that he was featured on the cover of RUE MORGUE #118.

I consider myself fortunate to have purchased the first Black Sabbath album (that's right, vinyl!) from the Tower Records store in Westwood the week it was released, and to have seen the original Black Sabbath tear the lid off the sky at the California Jam held at the Ontario Motor Speedway on April 6, 1974. And, while Ozzy pranced around in his purple fringe -- later shirtless -- my gaze was fixed mainly on Tony Iommi, pounding out the heavy metal madness on his tricked-out Gibson SG.

Get better and rock on, Tony Iommi!