Hey ya,

Bill Ward checking in regarding all the updates on a possible Sabbath show in England.

I’m in for playing some of everyone’s old favorites. Loved playing them then, I’d love to play them one last time.

I’m not going to talk about my health publicly except to say, everyday I’m pretty good for 76 years old, I’m active musically every day, and I have a very busy and gratifying life.

Love you all, all the fucking time.
Bill

BLACK SABBATH

HAND OF DOOM 1970 – 1978

Collectible Picture Disc Debut Of 8-LP Boxed Set

Limited & Numbered To 4,000 Copies Available August 18

PRE-ORDER HERE

Exclusive To North America

LOS ANGELES – In 1968, Black Sabbath was formed by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. The quartet created a fierce sound that was beyond anything that had been heard before. Throughout the 1970s, the band produced an array of metal classics that set the standard for heavy music and inspired countless generations of fans.

Comprising some of Black Sabbath’s most powerful albums ever produced, HAND OF DOOM features the Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978 collection on picture disc for the first time. The highly collectible set contains the band’s self-titled debut (1970), as well as the multi-platinum Paranoid (1970), the platinum albums Master Of Reality (1971), Vol. 4 (1972), and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973), the gold-certified Sabotage (1975), alongside Technical Ecstasy (1976) and Never Say Die! (1978).

HAND OF DOOM 1970 – 1978 will be available August 18 for $249.98 and is limited to 4,000 copies in North America only. The set is exclusive to the Rhino and Warner Music Canada stores. Pre-orders are available now HERE.

The boxed set includes each album’s artwork printed on Side A. The self-titled debut, Vol. 4, Technical Ecstasy, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath feature the original back album artwork on Side B. Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Sabotage features an album-era photo of the band. The collection also includes a large color poster of the band taken in Los Angeles during the summer of 1972 whilst the band were recording Vol. 4.

HAND OF DOOM 1970 – 1978 comprises a range of Black Sabbath’s most iconic albums throughout the decade. Starting with their self-titled debut LP in the 1970s, which boasted hits like “Black Sabbath” and “N.I.B.” This was followed by the breakthrough album Paranoid in 1971, which featured the popular songs “War Pigs” and “Iron Man.” Fans were then treated to Master Of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Technical Ecstasy, and Never Say Die! – all of which are included in this comprehensive collection. Some of the standout tracks from these albums include “Snowblind,” “Supernaut,” “Symptom Of The Universe,” and “Hole In The Sky.”

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BLACK SABBATH EXPANDS SABOTAGE

Super Deluxe Edition Of The Band’s Sixth Album Features Newly Remastered Original Plus A Complete Live Show Recorded During 1975 Tour

Both 4-CD And 4-LP + 7-Inch Versions Will Be Available From BMG On June 11.

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Check out the newly remastered version of Changes

Available as part of the new Vol 4 Super Deluxe Editions

Featuring a newly remastered album & 20 unreleased studio and live recordings

The remastered version of Vol. 4 will also be available on download & streaming services

This will also be available tomorrow 2/12, Order your copy now: https://blacksabbathband.lnk.to/Vol4FA

BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR ICONIC ALBUM ‘PARANOID’ VINYL DELUXE EDITION OUT TODAY. Five-LP Collection Includes Album Plus Rare Quad Mix Along With The Vinyl Debut Of Two 1970 Concerts Also Available As A 4CD Set

ORDER HERE: https://blacksabbathband.lnk.to/BSParanoid50FA

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In 1969 and 1970 my musical experiences were exciting, adventurous, heady, and inspiring.  Days full of risk and being vigorously alive, Black Sabbath was a hardworking road band, getting tighter with each gig.

Deep in my heart and with the recording of Black Sabbath accomplished, I felt emboldened and awkwardly able to step out and play newer songs, like Hand of Doom, Iron Man, Electric Funeral, and War Pigs.  I knew those songs were different and I felt remarkably assured within myself that we were making music that upon first listening might not be popular.  However, those thoughts were outweighed by the overwhelming feeling I was part of a great band making great music.  I was twenty-two years old, and to know that about our band was not only satisfying, but at times overwhelming.  I didn’t know if we would have hit records, which we did, but I did know I was in a place of purity and euphoria about how we played and sounded. Night after night we pummeled and released our aggression and emotions onto our audiences.  We were whole, we were as one, time was in front of us and in our favour.  To be of those times is an honourable place to look back on, and my memory ignites with great experiences of that period, I wouldn’t change a thing, except that bass drum sound on Iron Man LO.L.

Love to Tony, Geezer, and Ozzy, and all our fans,

Rock forever and ever and ever,

Bill Ward

BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATE THE 50^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR ICONIC ALBUM ‘PARANOID’

VINYL DELUXE EDITION OUT OCTOBER 9^th VIA BMG

Five-LP Collection Includes Original Album Plus Rare Quad Mix

Along With The Vinyl Debut Of Two 1970 Concerts

Also Available As A 4CD Set

ORDER THE ‘PARANOID: SUPER DELUXE EDITION’ HERE:

Widely regarded as innovators of the musical genre which came to be known as Heavy Metal, legendary Birmingham-bred Black Sabbath celebrate the 50^thanniversary in 2020 of their multi-million selling album Paranoid with a 5-LP/4CD edition released on October 9^th, featuring the vinyl debut of two 1970 concerts. 

PARANOID:  SUPER DELUXE EDITION includes the original album, in addition to a rare 1974 Quad Mix of the album folded down to stereo, plus two concerts from 1970, from Montreux and Brussels, that are pressed on vinyl for the first time. The five-LP set comes with a hardbound book with extensive liner notes featuring interviews with all four band members, rare photos, and memorabilia, a poster, as well as a replica of the tour book sold during the Paranoid tour. 

After the success of the band’s self-titled debut in early 1970, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward returned that fall with Paranoid. The record became the band’s first album to top the U.K. charts and has sold more than 4 million copies in the U.S. alone. Today, songs like “War Pigs,” “Planet Caravan,” “Iron Man,” and of course, “Paranoid,” continue to inspire a new generation of musicians around the world.

PARANOID: SUPER DELUXE EDITION first two LPs feature the original album plus a Quadraphonic Mix of the album. Originally released on vinyl and 8-track cartridge in 1974, but subsequently long out of print, the Quad Mix has now been made available as a fold-down to stereo mix on vinyl for this set. 

The collection’s final three LPs mark the official vinyl debut of two 1970 live performances. The first was recorded on August 31 in Montreux, Switzerland shortly before the release of Paranoid. It captures the band, already a tight musical unit, thundering through new songs like “Hand Of Doom” and “Iron Man” while mixing in “N.I.B.” and “Behind The Wall Of Sleep” from their debut album. The second concert was recorded a few months later in Brussels during the band’s performance for Belgian television. Unofficial versions of this classic show have circulated in the past, but they’ve never sounded this good. 

Pre-order the ‘Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition’ HERE:

BLACK SABBATH 
Paranoid Super Deluxe 5-LP Boxed Set
Track Listings:

LP 1: Original Album
Side A
“War Pigs / Luke’s Wall”
“Paranoid”
“Planet Caravan”
“Iron Man”
Side B
“Electric Funeral”
“Hand Of Doom”
“Rat Salad”
“Jack The Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots”

LP 2: Quadradisc Mix in Stereo (WS4 1887) 1974
Side C
“War Pigs / Luke’s Wall”
“Paranoid”
“Planet Caravan”
“Iron Man”

Side D
“Electric Funeral”
“Hand Of Doom”
“Rat Salad”
“Jack The Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots”

LP 3: Live in Montreux 1970 (Part One)
Side E
“Intro”
“Paranoid”
“N.I.B.”
“Behind The Wall Of Sleep”

Side F
“Iron Man”
“War Pigs”

LP 4: Live in Montreux 1970 (Part Two)/Live in Brussels 1970 (Part One)
Side G
“Fairies Wear Boots”
“Hand Of Doom”

Side H
“Paranoid”
“Hand Of Doom”
“Rat Salad”
“Iron Man”

LP 5: Live in Brussels 1970 (Part Two)
Side J
“Black Sabbath”
“N.I.B.”

Side K
“Behind The Wall Of Sleep”
“War Pigs”
“Fairies Wear Boots”

Statement About Black Sabbath – Response to Tony Iommi

Hi Everyone,

I hope this day finds you all in good spirits and good health.

Again I feel in a position where I’m compelled to defend my actions in the period of 2011 up to, I suppose, today.  Tony Iommi’s comments and some of Ozzy’s, remain in a place of disparaging remarks, which bring fault to my character as a person and a musician. I completely disagree with their comments.  What they believe is quite opposite from my experience, especially in 2011 when no one spoke to me of being alarmed by my playing or my health.  If they kept the info, which they so readily share now, to themselves in 2011, then let that be their shortcoming.  How can I be judged that I could not do a tour when we were working on an album.  How can I be judged in 2011 on health issues when none existed that would endanger a long term tour.  They all know very clearly how well I prepare to tour.  I did not know I was being judged in 2011, if that is indeed their truth.

Tony’s comment (and I’m assuming it was in reference to me touring) was, “I don’t think he quite realizes how hard it would have been on him”   How can Tony say that.  I know what it takes to tour.  I’ve helped to set the physical and playing bar that was metal then and today.  What an undermining, self-centered thing for Tony to say.  What an inaccurate thing for Tony to say.  I had played all the Ozzfests and Sabbath tours after the reunion.  Keep in mind, they did one tour without me first, I think just to see if it could work without me.  I’m sorry and mean no malice in saying this, but it was their fear, their mistrust, and their rationale that put back-up drummers on the stage at the reunion and other tours.  I disliked that they did that, but understood they wanted to.  I got on with my work, playing drums in Sabbath.  Never once was a back-up drummer required, and no, I did not validate the fears of those who had fears.

I missed a European tour after my one and only heart attack in 1998.  I can appreciate that Black Sabbath’s interests needed to be protected for the sake of future commitments to the fans, promoters, and all involved.

Ozzy said the saddest thing is that he/Bill needed to own up to that.  Own up to what in 2011.  What was I supposed to own up to, when I felt exhilarated, confident, and strong.  Own up to, I’m not up to this, I’m sick and can’t play; those failings didn’t exist in me, they still don’t exist today.  I had nothing to own up to, nothing to confess.  The fact that Oz had reacted with sadness tells me he was already sold on his own judgement of me.  And that is very sad to know.

Tony commented, “and it’s silly really because it was over nothing.”  I have to confront that statement.  I can’t let that wash into my life and my family’s life, and the lives of all those affected by an original band failure.  It was something.  It meant everything to thousands of people including me.  It will always be something and it will always ring with truth, and actual correct accountability.  By saying it was nothing, dishonours the credibility of our fans, and insults the very heart of what we all clung to, Black Sabbath.

I will have my experience in the time period of 2011 and Tony and Ozzy will have theirs.  And, it’s plain to me, we’re as opposite and opposing  as ever.

I won’t forget Ozzy’s last phone call of January 23^rd or so 2012, asking when I would arrive in England to commence rehearsals.  Why would he say that if my performance level of 2011 had already been judged.

I regret the loss of Ozzy’s friendship.

I regret the loss of Tony’s friendship.

Finally, and I’ve defended this many times, I couldn’t play one gig or a couple of gigs here or there with a back-up drummer or no back-up drummer.  To do that one gig would put me in an elitist position, and I can’t do that for all the other fans who couldn’t see that one gig.

I’m honoured to have been a part of Black Sabbath, and to have played with Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Geezer Butler.

Long Live Black Sabbath.

Bill Ward

Ozzy has never reached out since January 26/27 2012 when he called to see when I would be arriving in the UK to join rehearsals for the 13 CD.  Since that last phone call, he has never reached out to me, and I have not reached out to him.

Ozzy I’m sad that Bill never came through.  Ozzy needs to look to those who stopped me from coming through.  The contract was impossible to sign; the group rhetoric of 2012, 2013 and throughout, was fault-finding, condemning and full of dishonest evaluations of me as a person, including my so-called health issues.  Had I signed the contract, I suspect I wouldn’t have been labeled as having poor health or having all the other judgmental character references.

As a reminder, in September 2015, we asked a Sabbath representative if there could be an opening to play with the band again.  Their representative answered “no.”   It’s hard to come through when you receive a “no.”

I love all our Sabbath fans throughout the world, and to toss around ideas that I might play the Birmingham shows is both emotionally heartbreaking for me and spiteful.  I think the Sabbath fans who have loved the original band have gone through enough in terms of disappointment and sadness.  For me to play Birmingham only, would, I feel, be discriminating and elitist towards our other fans all over the world.  I could never be discriminating or elitist to our fans.   It’s been heartbreaking enough not to record and tour and it’ll be heartbreaking not to play to the Birmingham fans.  Please know the prevailing circumstances are not by my design.  This is not what I would have wanted or what I have chosen.  Had any of you had to choose to sign a contract which undermined and devalued you, I think most of you with some dignity and self-respect would have walked away too.  My absence at the current shows and the future Birmingham shows reflects an undeniable and unseen misadventure that my accusers won’t bear.  It’s called selfishness and self-centeredness; dishonesty and disloyalty.  These are the culprits of Sabbath’s original line-up’s demise.

–Bill

We have seen it reported in the news that Bill will be playing with Black Sabbath on The End tour in the UK.  This is incorrect, and we wanted to make sure you heard it from us directly:  Bill is not playing with Black Sabbath in the UK or on any other dates of The End tour.

As always, we thank you for all your support and understanding.

Rock forever.

I must respond once again to inaccurate statements made by Geezer.  I never received an offer to play the final show of The End tour with Black Sabbath.  When the tour was confirmed, my 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.  We were told there was no interest. That is last conversation we had with them regarding the tour.

I will say that I wouldn’t want to play only one gig when I am completely capable of touring.  I would not validate their untrue statements about my health by playing only one gig.  Also, I wouldn’t want to show up for only some of our fans and not for all our fans when I could have played multiple shows.

— Bill