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Ozzy-less Sabbath Finds Heaven
Black Sabbath is getting back together. Sort of.
Ozzy Osbourne's bandmates—guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward—are reuniting for a trek early next year without the Prince of F--king Darkness and without their famous name, according to the band's publicist.
Instead, the threesome have recruited singer Ronnie James Dio—who replaced Osbourne as Sabbath's frontman during the '80s and '90s—and plan to tour under the moniker Heaven and Hell.
But Sabbath fans have no need to be paranoid—there is no ill will among the "War Pigs" purveyors. Instead, Osbourne gave his blessing to the enterprise and broke the news that the original headbanging lineup is still very much alive and thrashing, with its own CD and tour in the works.
"Tommy Iommi and Ronnie Dio are working on a project together that has nothing to do with Black Sabbath. There is only one Black Sabbath. Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill will be touring late next year along with a new Black Sabbath album," Osbourne's publicist said in a statement. "However, Ozzy wishes Tony and Ronnie much success in their project together."
Heaven and Hell takes its name from the title of Black Sabbath's popular 1980 album, the first to feature Dio, who helped revive the heavy metal icons' commercial fortunes in the wake of the Wizard of Ozz's expulsion.
"This lineup has toured before and recorded before," said the new band's publicist, Maureen O'Connor. "They have stayed in touch with each other, and it's something they've been thinking about doing for awhile. The fans wanted it, so they decided now was the right time."
After debuting with Heaven and Hell, the Dio-led Sabbath rereleased 1981's Mob Rules, the group's 10th studio album, and a live disc, 1982's Live Evil. But dissension in the ranks led the vocalist to abandon Sabbath and form his own outfit, Dio, which achieved a modicum of success over the past couple decades. During a break from his band in the early '90s, Dio rejoined Sabbath for 1992's Dehumanizer, widely considered a return to form for the metal gods.
No word yet on dates for the international jaunt, which is expected to include the United States. Dio and Iommi are said to be holed up in England working on new material for their joint album, though it's expected that Heaven and Hell will likely draw heavily on songs from the Dio era of Sabbath.
As for Osbourne and Black Sabbath, the original Satan-loving quartet reunited in '97 and have played together on and off ever since, most recently headlining Ozzfest in 2004 (which celebrated the band's 35th anniversary) and 2005. The foursome also appeared together last March for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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