Ozzy Osbourne spoke with Mojo magazine about original drummer Bill Ward’s decision not to participate in the band’s reunion.
The drum tracks on Black Sabbath’s first LP with Ozzy since 1978, 13, were recorded by Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilk while Osbourne’s touring drummer Tommy Clufetos filled the seat during Sabbath’s three shows last year and is currently on the road with the band in Australia.
According to blabbermouth.net, Ozzy explains Ward’s absence to Mojo, “I guess it’s to do with finances or something. But there was also another side to it. When Bill came along, we all had to ask, ‘Can he do an hour-and-a-half, two-hour gig? Can he cope?’ My suggestion was that we run through a set and see how he got on because he was so out of condition and the drummer is the most demanding job in the whole band. We looked at Bill, and he couldn’t remember what the fuck we were doing. But he didn’t come clean and say, ‘I can’t cut this gig, but can we work something out, guys, where I’ll come on but with another drummer backing me up?’ Or, ‘I’ll come and play a few songs.’ That would have been cool.”
He continued, “I get where he’s coming from, though. His pride was hurt and I get it. I really do get it. The guy will always be a dear, dear friend and a brother to me, but … He can’t be surprised that he didn’t get the gig. … You know them yellow fucking stick-on memo notes? He had them all over his fucking drums. I was like, ‘What the fuck’s that for, Bill?’ He said, ‘I can’t remember what I’m doing.’ I go, ‘How are you gonna remember out of those 500,000 bits of paper stuck all over your kit, which one you’re looking at, Bill?’ (He said) ‘I’ll know.’ Ah, OK great. I’m not gonna give Bill a hatchet job, but at the same time we haven’t got the patience to deal with it.”
Read more in latest edition of Mojo Magazine.
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Bill I hope you read this and get motivated. Release Beyond Aston and get back on that treadmill and get behind those drums again my friend. “I had no mercy for my drums,No mercy” _Bill Ward