Guitarist didn’t get credit for Black Sabbath song
Guitarist Jimi Bell has opened up about his complicated history with Black Sabbath’s “Master of Insanity”, revealing that while he contributed to the song’s creation, he never received songwriting credit or payment for it. Money played a big role in Black Sabbath until the very end.
In an interview with Guitar World, Bell recalled being contacted in 1991 by Geezer Butler’s wife, Gloria, who told him that Sabbath was reuniting with Ronnie James Dio and planned to use “Master of Insanity” on their new album. Bell said he was initially thrilled, until he learned he would not be credited. According to him, Tony Iommi did not want a Sabbath record to feature a song from another guitarist.
Bell explained that although Geezer Butler thanked him in the album’s liner notes and promised him payment after the tour, that money never came. Still, he described hearing Dio perform the song live as an unforgettable moment. Both Dio and Butler later acknowledged Bell’s contribution in their respective books, which helped him find peace with the situation.
Black Sabbath used song on reunion album
The track ultimately appeared on Sabbath’s 1992 reunion album Dehumanizer, recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales with producer Reinhold Mack. Featuring Dio, Iommi, Butler, and drummer Vinny Appice, who replaced the injured Cozy Powell, the record became one of the band’s heaviest and most celebrated later works.
“Master of Insanity” has its own layered history, too. The song first existed in the Geezer Butler Band before being re-recorded for Dehumanizer, where it was enhanced by Sabbath’s lineup and Geoff Nicholls on keyboards. Bell’s role in its origin highlights the often messy realities of credit and compensation in the music industry, even behind one of Black Sabbath’s standout ’90s tracks.
Jimi Bell’s story with “Master of Insanity” is far from an isolated case in rock history. The ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s are filled with similar tales of musicians who helped shape iconic songs yet never saw their names on the publishing line. In Sabbath’s case, the politics were especially complicated—Tony Iommi was fiercely protective of keeping the band’s identity centered on its core members, particularly when Dio rejoined after nearly a decade away. That decision, according to Bell, meant his riffs could make it to the album, but his name would not.
Despite the disappointment, Bell has been candid about the thrill of seeing Ronnie James Dio breathe fire into the song onstage during the Dehumanizer tour. He has also pointed out that Geezer Butler went out of his way to acknowledge him in print, something not every uncredited contributor receives. Bell’s experience adds another layer to the mythology surrounding Dehumanizer—an album now celebrated for its uncompromising heaviness and Dio’s commanding return. For fans, knowing Bell’s role only deepens the appreciation of “Master of Insanity,” reminding us that behind every classic riff lies a story of creativity, collaboration, and sometimes, controversy.
