sniper007

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has confirmed to Birmingham Mail that the band's original lineup has reunited and is rehearsing for a tour and new studio album.

Iommi and singer Ozzy Osbourne wrote new material in June for a record that will be released next year.

"We're really looking forward to it and I think the stuff we've been writing is really good," said Iommi. "It's more back to the old original stuff."

He added that the reunion has been kept under wraps for some time.

"It's all been very hush-hush. Ozzy's been the worst at trying to hold it back. He's doing a lot of TV and he's being asked stuff about a reunion and he's going, 'Well, I never say never.' He told me, 'I don't know what to say."

Iommi told the Birmingham Mail that his only concern about a reunion of BLACK SABBATH's original lineup was the health of drummer Bill Ward who in 1998 suffered a heart attack.

"He hasn't been 100 percent. He had an operation a few months ago, so we'll see how he is."

Ozzy was asked by QMI Agency in a recent interview why the four members of SABBATH couldn't seem to agree on playing together again. Ozzy replied, "I haven't got a clue. If they want to call me, they can call me. I never say never. If it works, fine. If it don't, I'll move on. It ain't the end of the world. I ain't gonna get a box of Kleenex and cry my eyes out for the rest of my life."

Ozzy added, "I would love to do a great album with BLACK SABBATH. I would love to get the credit we so roundly deserve. At the same time, the pressure would be really intense. I could go tomorrow and make an album with them, but it wouldn't necessarily be something I would be proud of."

The original SABBATH lineup has not toured together since summer 2005, and last convened for their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in early 2006.

SABBATH did try to record a new album 12 years ago, their first since 1978, but abandoned the attempt after just a couple of songs.

Osbourne and Iommi last year amicably resolved their problems over the ownership of the BLACK SABBATH name and court proceedings in New York were discontinued.

Ozzy filed a lawsuit against Iommi in May 2009, claiming that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the band's name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Osbourne sued Iommi for a 50 percent interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from use of the name.

The Manhattan federal court suit also charged that Osbourne's "signature lead vocals" are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity plummeted during his absence from 1980 through 1996.

Lawyer Andrew DeVore argued that Osbourne signed away all his rights to the BLACK SABBATH trademark after he quit the band in 1979.

Osbourne's lawyer, Howard Shire, called that agreement a "red herring" that was "repudiated" when the singer rejoined in 1997 and took over "quality control" of the band's merchandise, tours and recordings.

islandclaws

Trying to decide if I care about this or not. Weren't they just at each other's throats recently? Let's see if they can survive the studio first. I have a feeling it'll be The Ozzy Show featuring 3 guys who aren't as stoked to be in the room.

cdollaz

I'm sure Sharon will somehow ensure that this does not go well.

cungar

How long has it been since you produced anything you could be proud of Oz?

The Infidel

Fixed.

islandclaws

Does he even know WTF he means by this? BS have gotten LOADS of credit from every heavy metal band since they disbanded. Trust me, Oz, your best albums are far behind you.

sniper007

Update: There was a official statement, hear is another official statement. BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has released the following statement regarding the reports of a reunion of the band's original lineup:

"I'm saddened that a Birmingham journalist whom I trusted has chosen this point in time to take a conversation we had back in June and make it sound like we spoke yesterday about a BLACK SABBATH reunion.

"At the time I was supporting the Home Of Metal exhibition was merely speculating shooting the breeze on something all of us get asked constantly, 'Are you getting back together?'

"Thanks to the Internet it's now gone round the world as some sort of 'official' statement on my part; absolute nonsense. I hope he's enjoyed his moment of glory, he won't have another at my expense.

"To my old pals, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill, sorry about this, I should have known better."

al_bundy

I just hope they use Autotune for the vocals

Ringmaster

Geezer Butler had said recently that there will never be a reunion with the original members and I believe him.

http://m.rollingstone.com/?redirurl=...mbers-20110217

JeffTheAlpaca

Glad I got to see the original lineup at Ozzfest 2004 at the Shoreline in Mountain View.

I liked Psycho Man and would have liked to see what new tunes they could come up with.

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nodeerforamonth

Still implies it's going to happen. Just hasn't "officially" been announced yet.

Mike86

I'd love to see this happen if there's any truth. I'd be down to catch them on tour for sure and a new album would be cool as well.

sniper007

Today on my Sirius radio (channel boneyard) heard about 3 sabbath song and after each song it was said by the dj that new album and touring are in the works, now I do not know what to think.

Josh-da-man

Iommi never came right and out and denied it. Sounds like something is/was in the works.

benedict

If Iommi says it was idle chatter/speculation and Butler says the original line-up won't ever tour record again, my take is that Iommi, Butler & Osbourne might do something together but Ward almost certainly won't. I think Bill Ward is the least healthy of the quartet and has some issues about them all getting together in a business arrangement; maybe because of past disappointments and the "bad place" he was in and wouldn't like to return to or to be reminded of.

For the longest time I've said that I'd love to see some kind of "Sabb-Fest" where all four front their solo projects over the course of an afternoon/evening, performing shortish sets, Ozzy & Bill watch the performances of other incarnations of "Sabbath" fronted by the likes of Gillan, Halford and Martin and, at some point in the proceedings, the original four [+ Geoff Nicholls on keyboards] perform a few deep cuts. The classics/greatest hits could be performed as "tributes"/covers by the solo or the non-Ozzy line-ups &/or as videos during the intervals. You heard it here first!

Josh-da-man

I think that ship sailed last year...

Ringmaster

Bill Ward is behind a reunion of the band getting back together. He said so on his recent appearance on "That Metal Show". I think Geezer is the hold out this time around. With complete speculation on my part, Geezer became extremely close with Ronnie James Dio over the last few years and since his passing, has dismissed the idea of "Black Sabbath" getting together again since he loved "Heaven & Hell" more. Of course this is my theory, but that's the impression I got every time I saw Geezer being interviewed.

benedict

I didn't include RJD in the list but, if they wanted to pay tribute to his work in the band, I'd've thought Tony Martin could step up to the plate and provide vocals for a few RJD-era deep cuts. Alternatively, this would be covered by the idea of showing "greatest hits" videos between bands. It's all pretty much a pipedream, anyway.I didn't know that. Good news!

sniper007

Here we go again. UPDATE Guitarist Tony Iommi has told U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine that the four original members of BLACK SABBATH recently got together in a rehearsal room for the first time in years, adding, "[We] played some of the old stuff and to be together again was great. We're all on good terms and we're at a stage where we can play together again. It would be good if we could and I suppose it's the closest it's been to be able to do that. It could happen!"

Singer Ozzy Osbourne told Billboard.com last week that a reunion of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup was a "very, very strong possibility." He added, "It's in the very early stages, so we haven't recorded anything yet. If it works out, it'll work out. If it doesn't, I'll keep doing my thing."

The Birmingham Mail reported in August that the original SABBATH lineup — Ozzy, Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — had begun rehearsing and writing music in secret for a new album. The Mail based its story around remarks made by Iommi, who later said the comments were off the record and taken out of context. Iommi's manager, however, did not deny that a reunion was underway.

Speculation about a reunion was fueled later that month when Ozzy skipped the Hollywood premiere of the documentary about his life, "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne". Both his son Jack and daughter Kelly hinted at the time that their dad was "doing something that is very, very exciting."

SABBATH did try to record a new album 12 years ago, the original lineup's first since 1978, but abandoned the attempt after just a couple of songs. The original lineup has not toured together since summer 2005 and last appeared together when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006.

scarredgod

if their output is going to be ANYTHING like this song, i welcome a new cd.

http://youtu.be/735w63a53nc

cactusoly

Black Sabbath died with Ronnie James Dio

jacob_b

I'd love to see this. The stuff with Ozzy was just sick and I'd love to see them have one last go around.

JAA

Wow! You must only be familiar with their catalog since 1980. You really do need to explore their genre-defining years beginning in 1970.

Jason

I could never really put my finger on why I dislike Ozzy's modern releases, but hearing his performance on this really drives home just how far he's drifted from his roots. If this is where they're going, sign me up!

covenant

Never heard that song. That's exactly how a new Sabbath album should sound.