The tension between Black Sabbath’s original drummer Bill Ward and his fellow founding band members has resurfaced. In his first public statements on the band’s failed attempts to reunite since 2012, Ward has said he would consider playing with the band again after receiving a public apology from frontman Ozzy Osbourne.
“I will not participate in any musical undertakings until a righting of the wrongs spoken against me has been achieved,” Ward wrote, in a statement on his Facebook page. With open scepticism about getting the apology, he continued: “I’m looking for an honest accountability of all of Ozzy’s statements that I felt were untrue. I would want Ozzy to amend his opinions and exaggerations. I would want him to be forthcoming about his unrealistic viewpoints. And because I was chastised publicly, I would want him to amend publicly in his words, and not through an Ozzy representative, the nature of the wrongs.”
Black Sabbath looked set to reunite in November 2011, announcing their plans for a new album and tour at a press conference in Hollywood. Months later, Ward expressed his dissatisfaction with the terms of his contract for the reunion. He published an open letter on his website stating that he considered the agreement “unsignable” and wanted a new contract – one that “reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band”.
Though Ward had not signed his contract, the rest of the band continued to meet without him. “We were saddened to hear via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current [plans],” they wrote in a statement in February 2012. “We have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open.” Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler and drummer Tommy Clufetos played Download festival in June 2012 as Black Sabbath.
Since then, Osbourne has publicly urged Ward to return to the band, citing concerns about Ward’s health as a possible reason behind his reluctance to play. For Ward, both the contract and apologies for statements – possibly those that Osbourne made about Ward’s weight in 2013 – rest at the centre of the dispute.
“Put simply, it’s up to [the rest of the band],” Ward wrote. “I have dearly missed playing with them and as people, I have been heartbroken over the loss of who I thought we were. And now you know where I stand.”
Last week, a gig at this year’s Ozzfest in Japan was downgraded from a possible Black Sabbath reunion to a performance by Ozzy Osbourne (and friends).
- This article was amended on 16 April 2015. An earlier version referred to Black Sabbath band member Tommy Iommi rather than Tony Iommi.
