Sharon Osbourne has released a detailed response to Jim Simpson, the first manager of Black Sabbath, when it comes to his plan to release an album of recordings from the band’s earliest days before they became Black Sabbath.
Sharon Osbourne Responds to Jim Simpson Over Planned Release of Early Recordings
Sharon’s new statement comes one day after Simpson issued a press release addressing what he called “inaccurate and unfair criticisms” made by Sharon on the latest episode of The Osbournes podcast.
Simpson’s Claim About the 1969 Earth Recordings
Simpson, now in his late 80s, claims he paid for the recordings back in 1969 when Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward were still performing under the name Earth.
He says he has restored and remastered the tracks and intends to release them as an album titled Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. According to Simpson, the project has been delayed due to “Sharon’s threats to sue.”
Sharon Shares Her Emails and Disputes Simpson’s Statements
Earlier today, Sharon shared a statement on Facebook explaining that her emails to Simpson were not threatening and simply outlined Black Sabbath’s legal position.
She also shot down Simpson’s claim that Big Bear Records is “the longest-running independent record label in the UK,” pointing out that Topic Records, founded in 1939, holds that title. She added that Big Bear Records is not a limited company and does not publicly file financial accounts.
“In response to Jim Simpson’s press release of 14 November 2025, I am enclosing his original email to Tony Iommi and my subsequent emails to Mr. Simpson. As you can see, my emails to Mr. Simpson were not threatening. I was clearly stating the facts about Black Sabbath’s legal position.
Regarding his claim that Big Bear Records is the ‘longest-running independent record label in the UK’, this is a false claim. ‘Topic Records’ is a British folk music label. It began as an offshoot of the Workers’ Music Association in 1939, making it the oldest independent record label in the world. It still operates today. Big Bear is not even a Limited company and does not file open accounts in public.”
Concerns About Trapeze Music and Its Financial Troubles
Sharon also challenged Simpson’s comments about relaunching Big Bear Records through a distribution partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment Ltd. She questioned whether the major artists listed by Simpson or their estates would authorize U.S. distribution.
According to Sharon, Trapeze is an “out-of-copyright” UK label with heavy debt, and its entertainment division owes over £1 million. She noted that a previous company run by the same director, John Cooper, went into liquidation in 2018 with losses exceeding £1.4 million.
Sharon said Trapeze allegedly released Black Sabbath recordings digitally in the U.S. through distributor MVD despite previously agreeing not to do so without giving the band 14 days’ notice. The material was quickly removed once Simpson’s lawyers were informed the recordings were still under copyright.
“Simpson also states that he is ‘….in the process of relaunching Big Bear Records in a new distribution partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment Ltd (director being John Cooper),a well-established company with a huge catalogue including the likes of Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Marlene Dietrich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Digby Fairweather and hundreds of other artists. I seriously doubt that the artists he mentions, or their estates, would have authorized them to be sold in the USA.
“Let it be known that Trapeze Music is an ‘out-of-copyright’ UK based label that is in debt for £539,000 and the entertainment division is in debt for £1.442 million. A previous entity under the Trapeze banner, with the director, (being John Cooper),was Discovery Records Limited, which went into liquidation in 2018 with an estimated deficiency of £1,407,388. These artist recordings he mentions appear NOT to be out of copyright in the USA, but Trapeze sells through a us domestic import distributor called MVD who they claim inadvertently put the Black Sabbath recordings online digitally in the USA and then quickly withdraw them when Simpson’s lawyers were told the Black Sabbath material is not out of copyright, despite the fact they had agreed not to release them to the public without giving us 14 days prior notice. A full legal opinion from Kings Council was provided to their UK lawyer. Trapeze’s owner previously ran several companies that ended up in bankruptcy.”
