Tony Iommi responds to Ozzy Osbourne’s plea to play one final Black Sabbath show
Tony Iommi has responded to Ozzy Osbourne‘s recent plea to play one final Black Sabbath show.
Earlier this month, the frontman admitted he would “jump at the chance” to play a final Black Sabbath show with drummer Bill Ward. He dropped out of their planned reunion in 2012 citing an “unreasonable contract”. So far, Ward has not responded to Osbourne’s plea.
However, Iommi has weighed in on the potential reunion, speaking on SiriusXM radio programme Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk. The guitarist said although “everybody” would suggest the band would only reunite for the money, he claimed it “wouldn’t be” the case, adding: “That’d be a nice thing to actually do, but whether it happens will be another thing. But we’ll see. I mean, who knows?”
However, Iommi did clarify he wouldn’t commit to any lengthy tours, reasoning: “I have to look at it realistically at my age. I can’t go out and do a two-year tour like we were doing before. And to put something together like the original Sabbath or this or that or the other, you’ve gotta do it a long time because of the cost of everything.”
He concluded: “But it would be nice to do a one-off, if that ever happens.”
At the beginning of the year, Sharon Osbourne – Ozzy’s wife and manager – revealed that Osbourne was planning “two more shows to say goodbye” before he fully retires from performing live.
“He won’t tour again but we are planning on doing two more shows to say goodbye as he feels like, ‘I have never said goodbye to my fans and I want to say goodbye’,” she told journalist Jane Moore (via Music News).
Sharon continued: “His voice is still absolutely perfect. And all the time he has been off he still does his singing lessons. Even if you don’t like his music, you can’t not like Ozzy.”
The Prince of Darkness announced his retirement from touring last February, calling off his scheduled European and UK tour dates in the process. In November, he said he might have to “accept the fact” he may never perform again due to his ongoing health issues including Parkinson’s disease and a recovery from multiple surgeries.
“I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will,” he told Rolling Stone UK at the time. “But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life.
“At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I’ve just gone, ‘Well, maybe I’ve just got to accept that fact.’”
Meanwhile, Iommi recently teamed up with System of a Down’s Serj Tankian for a collaboration, with all proceeds going to Armenia Fund’s Artsakh Refugee Initiative.
Tankian, who is of Armenian heritage, said: “It’s a dream come true to have collaborated with my good friend, Cesar Gueikian, and Tony Iommi, who I have collaborated with before. I am happy that we are using our platform to donate the music, my art, and Gibson’s incredibly unique guitar for such a great charity. Music with the right intentions can inspire and also create positive change.”
In other news, Ozzy Osbourne has said he wants to win an Oscar.
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Alex Rigotti
NME
