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.
47 Responses
LYING F****** A******!!! That witch bitch wife of Ozzy wanted him to work for basically nothing.
F.U. you old hack singer, WE ALL KNOW YOU USE A GHOST SINGER TO BACK YOU UP LIVE, YOU LAME EXCUSE FOR A SINGER!!!!!!! RETIRE ALREADY AND GO MUMBLE OFF INTO THE SUNSET!!!!!!!!
If the guy can’t cut he can’t cut it, besides all the Black Sabbath stuff sounds the same, reunion is a word when people start to go broke. Being in physical condition nowadays is a must for all these old farts who don’t want to retire, I saw Ozzy in Vegas and he seemed ok with the running around and singing but his voice is going. The word dignity is the best thing in this case, there will never be another Black Sabbath so they should just learn to bow out with dignity fuck all this reunion crap. Besides Sharon is going to get all the $$$$$ money anyway.
Ozzy might or might not be right, but he might as well be right. I remember the health issues Bill had in 1999 when they were putting this thing together at that time. He’s been out of the loop where the others have been active. I can see it. I went ahead and got tix to the show because this might be it for these guys in any capacity. With Tony’s schedule, I think Ozzy can stay propped up long enough to get through the tour and be OK. Geezer and Clufetos will obviously be fine so I think it’s gonna work. Ozzy might have another studio album but he’s gotta bow out soon. Only so much you can do in your mid-60’s.
No Bill Ward = No reunion = me not interested = cd and concert ticket money safely secured in my wallet.
Ozzy Osbourne has been forgetting and mis-singing lyrics since the 70s, even with a teleprompter, and he is going to bust Bill Ward’s balls for using some sticky notes as cues? How about this, Osbourne: when I saw Sabbath in 05 on Ozzfest, you ruined the show for me with your inability to sing the material. Oh, except when you came back out after blowing notes really badly and storming off stage like a child, that was some fine lip-synching you did for the rest of the show. You were horrible, you couldn’t cut it, and yet you held your spot in the band. And that was at a time when you had fallen off the wagon big time. Hy-po-crite.
I saw the reunion tour in 1999. The first one I saw was amazing… Nassau Colliseum, 10th row on the floor, the band was firing on all cylinders. I told my friends and family how good the show was and brought about 10 people to the final show of the tour at Jones Beach. Godsmack opened and blew Sabbath off the stage. Ozzy’s voice was shot from note one of “War Pigs.” I was so embarrassed and disappointed that I sat in my seat through the entire show. Except when the teased “Supernaut;” I jumped up super excited until they stopped and went to the next song. If I wasn’t with the group I came to see the show with, I would have went home before they got to the guitar solo in “War Pigs.”