EXPOSE’ breaks into Ozzfest: What went wrong with Security? by Sandy Kinny
Somewhere outside the city limits of Chicago on a sweltering hot day a pair of shiny black boots emerge from a white SUV. Inside those celebrated boots walks a tall curvaceous blonde clutching a camera under her miniskirt and a tape tucked in her cleavage. The gravel crunches under her boots as she heads towards an arranged meeting point. Cell phone to cell phone the connection is made. Eye contact occurs. Dust passes by as a silver tour bus pulls out. Through the heavy cloud of dust she squints and sees a figure emerging. She recognizes her contact.
Like true espionage she jumps into undercover mode. Extending her cheek for the Hollywood kiss, hefty security guards with headphones eye her and size her up as an eager groupie. Her cameraman/bodyguard trails 20ft. behind. Amongst flirtatious laughs she enters the tour bus. Everyone on the bus is a little nervous and excited at the same time. “It is the adrenaline rush similar to shoplifting at a white hen. You walk in no one knows you are about to do something and suddenly the surveillance camera blanks out and you proceed as planned”. This is just what happened July 30, 2005 at Ozzfest.
No video cameras were allowed. All interviews were cancelled, coverage was not an option. Susan Russell the host of Expose’ was not deterred. Everything was planned way in advance – to show up conduct interviews at designated times and then at the last minute the Kabash was put on the whole thing. Video cameras were BANNED. All the videographers were unwelcome. Interviews that took months to arrange, were
expected to fall off. Susan had spent the previous week soaking up sun in California. Hanging out with surfers, rollerblading on Mission beach, driving on
Pacific Hwy 1.“I was cool calm and collected. I had the advantage of being some place else for a while, clearing my head, and getting geared up for one of the hottest events of the year Ozzfest. Rumor had it – this was the last Ozzfest. Now that’s hot material. “
“I planned my trip around Ozzfest. I arrived at Midway after midnight, hours before Ozzfest would shine its light on the morning. I went on 3 hours sleep
going over 90 on the highway, and thought ”NO WAY” I’m not passing this opportunity up. I packed my equipment, put on my best Ozzfest black
attire-black studded miniskirt, black boots, black top and got in my white SUV. Headed south speeding past state troopers feeling the wind in my hair to the festival of OZ. I figured I’d come up with a plan on the way. Me and my compadre shot back and forth ideas- what to do if we got busted, what to do if we split up etc. Ten minutes away we hit a gas station drank some Red Bull and planned on storming the gates. Everything went as planned. My contact at Ozzfest described where he was; I described what I was wearing. “
The bands were lining up to talk to Expose’. Reputed for her candor the bands were eager to tell their stories to Susan. It was a treacherous 8 hours. The temperature was reaching heights well above the 90’s. The heat wave had hit Chicago and Ozzfest wasn’t excluded. On one of the tour buses the air conditioning was broken. The smells of late night activity mixed with smoke and booze permeated the cushions . The privilege of being in intimate quarters, with that adrenaline rushed atmosphere was intoxicating. It gave the whole experience an added charge. The tattooed and pierced members disrobed themselves of their rough exterior to expose a vulnerable innercore. Tales of hardships on the road, anxiety, anger, problems with girlfriends , lovers, rivalries between bands, inner band conflicts,and stunning revelations into the origins of bands names, - it all came out that day. And they seemed happy to share it. Maybe more so because it was forbidden. The other side of rock showed its face.
Leaning on the silver door of a tour bus a dark haired heavyset security guard walks towards Susan. She flashes him a seductive smile. His eyes soften. As he lights a cigarette she slips in the door. A classic Metallica album blares in the background. Coffee cups, chocolate wrappers, pipes and cigarette butts grace the counters. A small group of attendants-groupies girlfriends, roadies, masseuses and tour managers appear like tacks, magnetically attached to the small bus. The center of attention is showing a California tan, cleavage and showgirl legs.
Susan Russell is known for her provocative appearance, She is often stopped on city streets for her autograph and is reputed to openly give advise to struggling musicians. Her appearance is a trademark that exemplifies her irreverence to the stereotype of the conventional talk show host. She has managed to reach the mainstream and break into the national Television market from conservative Salt Lake City to Sin City itself -Las Vegas. The fast paced energetic show owes its success to the perfect combination of the host’s sex kitten looks mixed with razor sharp adroit cleverness. She holds a couple of degrees under her belt and even is on board as faculty of Art at a Midwest college. Classically trained in ballet, violin, acting, and modeling she comes together to form a new breed of talk show host.
“Getting down and dirty with MASTODON, - tales of breaking their virginity , Sneaking cameras in with KILLSWITCHENGAGE, learning the real morals of AS I LAY DYING, finding out the real reason GIZMACHI is their name, joking around with TRIVIUM, meeting the true guys behind SOILWORK, sweating it out with IT DIES TODAY and more…” When asked if she was afraid of getting caught her response was exemplary.
“My endorphins were pumping at racing speeds adding an extra element of excitement. Video cameras were strictly forbidden at Ozzfest 2005. Basically If they didn’t want to talk to me I wouldn’t have any interviews. We were all consenting adults- That was the case, I swear no one was really forced, it was all voluntary. I let my fear work with me, not against me- to my favor. That made it more thrilling.” Bands from as far away as Sweden were asking to speak with Expose’. Expose’ is completely independent, and to some degrees can be classified as underground. The success of Expose’ is remarkable considering its exclusion from the big boys club. It is not associated with the likes of MTV, VH1, Uranium or Fuse. Expose’ stands alone. A beacon in the underground music community and an admirable post of the established household names like Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Tonny Iommi of Black Sabbath and Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon. These bands miss the authenticity and edginess that is lost on the broad shoulders of mainstream television. Expose’ is built upon the loins of the host. She dances with her bands, breaking the wall of host and artist. She sits right next to them on their micro-couches in their tour buses. She’ll party with them backstage, hop on their laps, and make them feel at ease, all in the name of
unity. She posts no walls of entry. She sees the artists eye to eye. Even though it may appear she pushes the envelope, she does drag her longtime husband to every shoot. The 6ft tall 250lb guy who played tackle in high school serves as her bodyguard. In this business with drunken patrons at most bars and clubs, she definitely needs it. Her fans love her out going “in your face” style. She has created her own sense of fashion, mixing 60’s go go boots and miniskirts with heavy metal 80’s big hair. Compared to Madonna and Pam Anderson she has been nicknamed the Barbie doll of Rock.
But Rock is not the only music Expose’ covers. The likes of hip hop artists like Wu Tang Clan, have graced her stage bridging the gap between the rivals and culture clashes. Susan even acted in a soon to be released indie Hip Hop film involving the band Public Enemy. Expose’ continues to branch out always seeking brand new, just around the corner, over the edge material. Growing up in the most cutting edge city of all-New York City, Susan was raised in the Bronx by a single mother, Susan learned to be cautious in the streets. Her mom was a victim of several muggings so she grew up with heavy metal bars and locks all over her apartment doors. She adapted a Super-heroine comic book image. It projected a superhuman strength-“high heels that could reach over skyscrapers and red nails that could burn through pavement”. Struggling in poverty as a child, she learned
to develop a backbone that would later help her get the nerve to sneak into venues at 15 and tour buses at 25.
“You can have the hottest clothes, and the coolest image but if you really want to rock the world you have to have a good soul.” Every episode of Expose’ features interviews and performance, making the artists appear tangible and human. When Susan broke the boundaries and filmed the Ozzfest lineup she was doing what came naturally to her. “I’m all about breaking the rules of the establishment while reaching higher standards than the expectations of the establishment. Its pretty crazy to think of Ozzfest as the establishment especially when most people view Ozzy as an icon of wildness, but the day did come when Sharon Ozbourne declared that her coveted bands were not allowed freedom of the press, were not allowed to talk with television at the event, were not allowed to promote themselves, speak about their hardships of the tour, were not allowed to tell it all. What was hidden under this cloak was a pandora’s box about to be opened.” Bands members bared it all, for a blonde from the Bronx on a cutting edge show called Expose’.
