With guitarist Tony Iommi’s health and a contract dispute with drummer Bill Ward, the planned Black Sabbath reunion is beginning to look less likely. The original tour plans have been canceled. The band will play at the UK Download Festival in June, as originally planned, but the rest of their European dates this summer will instead feature Ozzy and Friends, which will be Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde and other guests.
So will they be playing in the United States? According to Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne’s wife and manager, “They're gonna be doing one show in America this summer but I can't say yet because we can't announce it, the promoters have to, but they are doing one show in August here together.”
Earlier this month, drummer Bill Ward announced that he wouldn’t be joining the rest of the band in the reunion unless he was given a “signable” contract which “reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band.”
The rest of Black Sabbath responded on the band’s Facebook, writing that they were “saddened” by the news and that “we have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open.”
Last week, however, Ward issued another announcement, sounding more optimistic, saying that he remains “hopeful for a ‘signable’ contract and a positive outcome.”
The band will release a new album later this fall. They are currently recording it in England without Ward. Sharon Osbourne commented on the progress of the album, saying that "It's going good. They're doing really well in the studio. Gosh, they must've written 15 new songs already and it's going great.”
Sixty-four-year-old Iommi, who was diagnosed with lymphoma at the beginning of the year, is making “excellent progress” in his fight against the disease. Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler will perform a set of Black Sabbath songs during the tour in honor of the guitarist.
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