Black Sabbath are to record a final album together, Ozzy Osbourne has exclusively revealed to Metal Hammer.
The heavy metal legends will team up with producer Rick Rubin once again to record the follow-up to 2013’s hugely successful 13 album.
Speaking to Classic Rock at the end of 2013, Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler were hesitant about the possibility of making one final Sabbath album – “I don’t know if it would be the right thing to do,” Iommi admitted. “But who knows. The history of this band has taught me to never say never” – but frontman Ozzy now says that the band will begin work on the album next year.
“The whole Sabbath experience this time around was great,” says Ozzy. “We all made friends, we didn’t fuck around, we all knew that we had a job to do, and we did it. It was a lot of fun. So we’re going to do one more album, and a final tour. Once the dust settled after the last tour we started discussing the idea, because we were getting asked about it all the time. I said to Sharon ‘What’s going on? Because if there’s no more Sabbath I want to get on with my own thing again’ and she came back and said ‘Let me look into it.’ Three weeks later I asked her about it again, and she said ‘Oh, I still have to talk to so and so…’ and I said ‘Sharon, I ain’t fucking 21 any more, if we’re going to do I want to do it before I’m 70!’ Time isn’t on our side! So she made the call and came back and said ‘Yeah, the record company wants another album.’ I believe Rick Rubin is going to do it with us again.”
Although the trio have no new material written for what will be their fourteenth studio album, Osbourne anticipates that sessions will begin early in 2015.
“It’ll be sooner rather than later,” the singer insists. “Obviously a lot of it is coming down to Tony’s health, he’s obviously got his cancer treatment, but we’ll get onto it next year. I don’t know if we’ll be writing in England or LA, but I’ll fly to the fucking moon for it if I have to!”
source: metalhammer.teamrock.com
Was not a huge fan of 13. Had some goods don’t get me wrong just. But without Bill the final album would make 0 sense whats so ever!
Brian, are you kidding? 13 was the best album since Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. It was a triumph in so many ways. Take another listen or two. The fact that Bill wasn’t in shape to do the album is too bad but 13 is one of their very best.
I thought 13 was great. I hope they do one more.
Didn’t say I hated it just didn’t get into it that’s all not hating on the guys just wasn’t my cup of tea this time around.
Totally disagree…13 could’ve been done 30 years ago…it is quintessential Sabbath and although no Ward, still great. I don’t think Ward could tour though, maybe just cut the album…
13 is a great album. I wanted Bill to be involved, absolutely. But even without him they made a great album.
I wasn’t a fan of the 13 album either. I know I am going to get slammed but I didn’t think the songs were there. I would venture to guess it comes down to Tony Iommi’s health and assuming they can continue to get along. Speaking of Bill Ward, I used to love to listen to his first solo album, Along the Way.
Amazingly coherent for Ozzman. I wonder if Tony and Geezer feel are up for doing another album/tour. IF they do I sure hope Bill has a presence. \MM/
Word on the street is that they’re willing to let Bill work the concession stand, but they have to hash out the details first (He wants a % of the mustard), but Sharon thinks he should be relegated to soft drinks. JK, we love ya Bill 😉
As much as I would love to see Bill Ward play and record with Black Sabbath…it just wont happen. And that is a REAL damn shame!!!!
I love Bill Ward as much as the next guy (maybe more) but the last thing I want is him on the final record. “13” was really good, and I don’t see how the drama of having Bill back helps this in any way. The article above talks in great depth about how the relationships are important and how the fact that they all got along was the enabler to even have another album. Why rock the boat? Why introduce the uncertainty?
I have a friend from college that we call “Conflict Man”. It just seems whenever he’s around, there is conflict (my ex-wife is that way too). Not that Bill is exactly this, but certainly there is some dispute in terms of what “unsignable” means, and I for one don’t need the artifice of the “four originals” bad enough to want to chance breaking the magic up entirely.