Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)

The interview was recorded as Iommi was preparing to tour with Heaven and Hell, the Sabbath lineup featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals. It captures a specific moment in time, before the final Ozzy-era Black Sabbath show and before Dio's death, when multiple versions of the band's legacy were still active. Iommi comes across exactly as those who have met him describe him: quiet, thoughtful, and unfailingly polite. There is no grandstanding here. He talks calmly about the band, the music, and the practical realities of keeping Sabbath moving forward. For someone so central to the creation of heavy metal, his manner is remarkably understated. Tom Russell introduces the interview and places it in its historical context before the archive recording is played in full. Afterward, Tom is joined by Scott McArthur and Andy Muir to reflect on what the interview reveals, not just about Iommi, but about Black Sabbath at that stage of their long and complicated history. The discussion ranges across the Dio-era Sabbath material, Iommi's role as the band's constant presence, and the contrast between the heaviness of the music and the ordinariness of the man who wrote the riffs. As ever, the conversation is informal, opinionated, and shaped by personal listening histories and memories.  It also gets a bit daft! A valuable snapshot of one of rock's most influential figures, captured without hype and allowed to speak for himself.

In this episode, we hear one of the many classic interviews Tom Russell recorded with AC/DC's Angus Young. A native of Glasgow and a regular visitor to Scotland, Angus reminisces about his experiences in Glasgow and beyond, sharing recording and road stories from life with one of the world's most successful rock bands. At the time, AC/DC were in the middle of a massive world tour promoting their self-produced Fly On The Wall album, and Angus and the lads were about to play the first of two nights at Edinburgh Playhouse. From this point on, the band would rarely perform in traditional theatres again as they moved on to conquer the world's biggest stadiums. This interview feels more like a chat between two old friends than a typical rock star Q&A — with Angus relaxed, funny, and sharp as ever, under the effortless guidance of Uncle Tom.

It's 1991 and Tom is in rural England enjoying tea and cake with one of rock musics most dynamic and influencial front men, none othr than Ozzy Osbourne. In this interview we hear of Ozzy's process for writing his latest album, 1991's "No More Tears".  Ozzy is in top form as he remembers writing with Lemmy of Motorhead fame and describes his life as the Lord of the Manor. A brilliantly funny interview that reveals Ozzy's true character and laser sharp wit.  Poor Tom hardly gets a word in!  

The year was 1995, and Van Halen were in the UK for a rare tour. We're back in London as Tom sits down with the legendary Van Halen brothers, right in the middle of their run promoting the band's new album with Sammy Hagar, "Balance". In this candid and often funny interview, Tom draws out insights into the band's creative process—from writing riffs to finding that signature Van Halen sound. It's a window into the studio and the stage that fans rarely get to peek through. And the stories don't stop when the mics are off. After the interview, Tom, Scott and Andy dive into some incredible backstage tales, from Van Halen to Rick Rubin to moments that shaped the sound of an era. Whether you're a lifelong fan or just love hearing how music gets made, this one's for you. Let's go backstage.   Tom, Andy and Scott   If you enjoyed this episode of AAA, then we would love you to subscribe to us permanently. So, hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from. Watch the video of the show on the AAA YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AAA-TheTomRussellTapes    

In this episode, we are backstage with, Derek Dick AKA Fish from 1989 just after he had left progressive rock band Marillion. Fish is clearly very comfortable to chat with legendary Scottish rock DJ, Tom Russell, about his time with Marillion, his new music and what is next for him in the turbulent music industry of the day.  This is a frank and personal conversation in which we hear the truth about how Fish felt about leaving Marillion at their commercial peak.