Ozzfest: Long-Shelved Documentary Could Finally Be Released
A documentary about the 1999 Ozzfest tour could finally be released after being shelved for over 20 years.
The film is titled We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Penelope Spheeris directed it. Spheeris is best known for The Decline of Western Civilization I-III and the film adaptation of Wayne’s World.
Ozzfest 1999 had Black Sabbath headlining. Other main stage acts included Rob Zombie, Deftones, Slayer, Primus featuring Buckethead, System of a Down and Godsmack. The support stage on the tour also featured an up-and-coming Slipknot.
Despite never receiving a wide release, We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘N’ Roll was screened at a number of festivals in 2001 and 2002. Among them were Sundance, SXSW and the San Francisco Independent Film Festival. Back in August, the film was screened at the Academy Museum, which featured Spheeris in conversation following the screening.
Spheeris recently took part in a chat with The Metal Voice where she touched on the film. She refers to it as a “historical document,” considering how much time has passed. Spheeris said she worked on the film for three years. When it didn’t get a wide release, she said, “I used to wake up in the morning, lay in bed, cry for a half an hour before I get out of bed, because I never got the movie released.”
However, Spheeris noted that Sharon Osbourne is finally going to get the film a proper release. She added, “I am gonna get in touch [with Sharon] next week, though, and do whatever I can to help her get the movie out.”
So far, no further details are known as to when and how We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘N’ Roll will be released. Fans will likely flock to it when it (hopefully) happens.
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