Ozzy Osbourne claimed lawyers ripped off Black Sabbath which led to band tension in a new Kerrang interview.
“I had no idea at all. I mean, before that, I’d no idea that Tony [Iommi] and Bill [Ward] would knock on my door when I placed that ‘Ozzy Zig Needs Gig’ ad in a shop, and I’d no idea that the three of us would end up making music with Geezer [Butler].
I don’t believe in many things, but I do believe in fate, and it was obviously meant to be. But there was certainly no plan involved. We just used to have fun in those days, have a laugh. We were on fucking fire for about five years, before all the business and lawyers and rip-offs dragged us down. I didn’t join a band to become an accountant or a lawyer.”
He also said he has regrets about Bill Ward not being part of the final Black Sabbath tour, and would consider one more show to get closure with Ward.
“I didn’t like the fact that [original Sabbath drummer] Bill Ward wasn’t there, for a start. People put that down to me, but it wasn’t me, honestly. We [Sabbath] didn’t have the fucking time to hang around, we had to get going, but I’m sorry it didn’t work out with Bill. Tommy [Clufetos, Ozzy’s drummer, who played with Sabbath on their farewell tour] did great, but the four of us started this, and it should have been the four of us ending it.
Those final gigs in Birmingham were bittersweet because you think of how far we came, and how much we did, and it would have been good to have shared that together. Maybe one day there’ll be one last gig, I don’t know.”
Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler finally reunited with drummer Bill Ward at the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Tony Iommi wrote on Instagram, “Another Grammy! Great performance from Rival Sons yesterday, thanks guys.”
Geezer Butler tweeted, “Last night at the #grammy #LifetimeAchievementAwards #TonyIommi #BillWard.”
Ward was not involved in Black Sabbath’s reunion or farewell tours in the mid 2010’s, as Rage Against The Machine drummer Brad Wilk ended up drumming on several 13 tracks. Ward had originally appeared at a 2011 press conference announcing the band’s reunion. Black Sabbath retired in 2017.
The ordeal had caused the drummer serious anguish in recent years. “I’ve gone through a lot of tears,” Ward told Rolling Stone in 2017. “I’ve grieved the loss of three of my best friends. I’ve grieved the loss of their company, their words, their laughter, their joy, and above all, their music. … I’ve grieved the loss of the fans, and I’ve grieved the pain of what all this has created.”
But now, he says, he’s come out the other side. “I can’t afford to have resentment,” he explains. “I can’t afford to be angry. I can’t afford these things spiritually or physically. So I knew I had to be rid of them.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxYCXrRlREA/
Last night at the #grammy #LifetimeAchievementAwards #TonyIommi #BillWard pic.twitter.com/RSIsJGbiAm
— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) May 12, 2019
