Tony Iommi has admitted that he had doubts about Black Sabbath performing at last year’s historic Back To The Beginning show at Villa Park in Birmingham.
In an exclusive interview in the new issue of Classic Rock, Iommi reveals he was initially dubious when Sabbath were asked to reunite for the show, which saw Metallica, Pantera, Guns N’ Roses and Tool among those lining up to play a tribute to Sabbath, with proceeds going to several charities.
“I said to Ozzy: ‘I don’t think we should do it.’ I said: ‘We should just let the other bands play our stuff, and us come out at the end and say thank you.’ But it was for a good charitable cause, and eventually we said okay.”
Iommi had last seen Ozzy when the two of them performed Paranoid at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The singer had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, but only made his condition public in 2020 when his symptons worsened.
“I hadn’t seen Ozzy for a bit, and it was difficult seeing him like that,: Iommi says. “Fucking hell…”
Iommi didn’t want Ozzy to play a solo set before Sabbath’s closing performance either: “I was concerned he was going to blow himself out, and by the time we came on he’d be struggling.”
Elsewhere in our exclusive interview, Iommi talks about the making of his new solo album, From The Dark, and looks back over Black Sabbath’s long career.
The new issue of Classic Rock is on sale now. From The Dark will arrive on October 23 via BMG.