Will Black Sabbath Really Reunite? Tony Iommi Speaks Out

Word of the original Black Sabbath lineup reuniting for an album and tour spread quickly Tuesday, and a clarification from guitarist Tony Iommi about the context of his words — and when he said them — came almost as fast that same day.

According to Iommi, his conversation with a “trusted” journalist from England that resulted in the Sabbath reunion story actually took place in June.

“At the time I was … merely speculating, shooting the breeze,” Iommi wrote on his website. “Thanks to the Internet, it’s gone round the world as some sort of ‘official’ statement on my part, absolute nonsense.”

Iommi went on to apologize to singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. The previous reunion of this foursome lasted from about 1997 to the mid-2000s and included plenty of concert performances but not much in terms of new studio recordings.

[Ultimate Classic Rock]