Geezer Butler - Ashdown
Having worked with Geezer and his tech, Terry Welty, for over a decade now, we were beyond excited to hear about the upcoming event at Aston Villa on July 5th, 2025 the final show with the original lineup: Geezer, Tony, Bill, and Ozzy.
Geezer got in touch to see if we’d like to be involved by creating a special rig for the event, utilising his signature Heads of Doom alongside some very special, custom-built cabinets.
For the last tour, Geezer had to stick with his existing cabs due to the stage being pre-built. But this final show offered us the opportunity of a lifetime a chance to create something with that unmistakable Ashdown touch, proudly occupying stage right.
The brief was clear: he wanted something he could really hear and it had to involve both 15” and 12” speakers in the setup. So, we got to work.
We kicked things off with an initial concept. However, after reviewing the height of the rig, Terry expressed concern that it wouldn’t hit ear level on stage. And on a stage as loud as this one (everything plugged in, as it should be), that's critical.
Instead of going with a single cab housing both 2x12s and a 1x15, we decided to go all-in and build the monster rig you see below.
Needless to say this was the one. With the 12s stacked on top and the 15s thunderously placed below, the cabs were all based on our current ABM range, taking the ABM-810 as the starting point. Hand-built from premium Latvian birch plywood in Essex, finished in a custom purple tolex, and fitted with our Ashdown double-wing metal grilles with black piping — it’s a proper beast.
To complete the look, we added a custom black screen-printed Henry logo to the front grille. Subtle, but unmistakably sharp.
Geezer also asked if we could make the logos better suit the colour palette of the rig the standard red and cream Ashdown badge felt a little out of place. So, out came the black and purple enamel paint and a very steady hand. The result? Something rather special, if we do say so ourselves…
And it’s those little touches that really matter. Even the backplates of the cabs are dated with the show and feature Geezer’s logo proper details for a historic gig.
Over the weekend, we got the call “Fancy coming to rehearsals for a chat with Geezer and a close-up on the final rig with Terry?”
Of course we did.
We headed up on Monday, cameras and mics in hand. On arrival, we were warmly greeted by Gloria, Geezer’s wife, who’d waited to say hello before heading off for the day. Lovely to see her, and as always, made to feel completely at home.
Walking in, the atmosphere was electric. Relaxed. Confident. The kind of energy you only get when legends are preparing to do something unforgettable.
To say this has been an honour is a massive understatement. We can’t wait for the show on Saturday it’s going to be something truly special.
And after the event… we’ve got something very exciting to share with you. Watch this space.