Geezer Butler joins campaign for Black Sabbath reunion
After Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne revealed they would love Black Sabbath to have one last farewell, Geezer Butler has now got behind the plans.
Despite three members of Black Sabbath expressing a willingness to reunite for another show, the only person whose opinion matters is drummer Bill Ward. He was absent from their previous farewell tour, which concluded in 2017, and Osbourne recently shared his regret over the matter, leading to talk of Black Sabbath reuniting.
Ward left the band in 2012 following a contract dispute, which prevented him from being with his bandmates as they commenced upon their lap of honour that concluded at Birmingham Arena.
He’s since spoken out about his dismay about not being involved, which could stop him from mending the bridges that have been burned with his bandmates. In 2023, Ward rejected claims made by Butler that he was invited to perform in Birmingham, and claimed his “management reached out to the Black Sabbath management to inquire as to whether or not they would like to discuss my participation in the tour” and was “told there was no interest”.
The drummer also said he “wouldn’t want to play only one gig when I am completely capable of touring” as this would “validate their untrue statements about my health by playing one only gig”.
Now, Butler has addressed the matter during an appearance on the SiriusXM radio programme, Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, he remarked: “Of course there’s an interest, but there’s a big but — you’d have to speak to Bill about it. Everybody wants to do it (but I don’t know if he is) capable.”
Butler also claimed that Osbourne is looking to perform one final concert next year at Villa Park in Birmingham, stating, “I’m definitely up for it, to finish the whole thing off.” Furthermore, after previously saying they’d fallen out of contact, Butler said they are now speaking “every day” and blamed “a lot of miscommunication” for the prior situation.
Talk of a Black Sabbath reunion was sparked when Osbourne said on his podcast, The Madhouse Chronicles, that the band’s story is “unfinished”. He added: “If they wanted to do one more gig with Bill, I would jump at the chance.”
Furthermore, also on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Iommi issued his support behind the idea. “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,” he said.
Whether a Black Sabbath reunion does happen is still uncertain, but if Osbourne’s health allows him to play Villa Park in 2025, then expect to see at least some members of the original line-up come together.
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