Tony Iommi never officially left Black Sabbath in the traditional sense—he’s the only founding member who remained a constant presence throughout the band’s history. However, the band went through major lineup changes, particularly with Ozzy Osbourne.
Here's what happened: 🔸 Why Ozzy Left (Not Iommi): In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath due to substance abuse issues and growing tension within the band.
Tony Iommi, as the band’s leader and guitarist, played a key role in that decision. He felt the band wasn’t progressing and that Ozzy’s behavior was holding them back.
🔸 Life After Ozzy: Iommi continued Black Sabbath with new singers, including Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, and others.
While the band had creative successes (like Heaven and Hell), fans always saw the original lineup as iconic.
🔸 Reunion with Ozzy: Iommi and Ozzy reunited with the original lineup in 1997 for live performances.
In 2011, the classic lineup (minus drummer Bill Ward) reunited again to record the album 13, released in 2013.
Their final tour, “The End,” wrapped up in 2017, marking a proper closure to their legendary career.
✅ Why They Reunited: Fan demand: The original lineup was legendary, and fans longed to see them together again.
Maturity & reconciliation: Time healed old wounds; they were able to move past earlier conflicts.
Legacy: They wanted to give Black Sabbath a proper send-off with the original sound and spirit.
So, while Tony Iommi didn’t leave the band, he and Ozzy parted ways professionally for decades before reuniting for legacy projects that honored their place in rock history.
Tony Iommi never officially left Black Sabbath in the traditional sense—he’s the only founding member who remained a constant presence throughout the band’s history. However, the band went through major lineup changes, particularly with Ozzy Osbourne.
ReplyDeleteHere's what happened:
🔸 Why Ozzy Left (Not Iommi):
In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath due to substance abuse issues and growing tension within the band.
Tony Iommi, as the band’s leader and guitarist, played a key role in that decision. He felt the band wasn’t progressing and that Ozzy’s behavior was holding them back.
🔸 Life After Ozzy:
Iommi continued Black Sabbath with new singers, including Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, and others.
While the band had creative successes (like Heaven and Hell), fans always saw the original lineup as iconic.
🔸 Reunion with Ozzy:
Iommi and Ozzy reunited with the original lineup in 1997 for live performances.
In 2011, the classic lineup (minus drummer Bill Ward) reunited again to record the album 13, released in 2013.
Their final tour, “The End,” wrapped up in 2017, marking a proper closure to their legendary career.
✅ Why They Reunited:
Fan demand: The original lineup was legendary, and fans longed to see them together again.
Maturity & reconciliation: Time healed old wounds; they were able to move past earlier conflicts.
Legacy: They wanted to give Black Sabbath a proper send-off with the original sound and spirit.
So, while Tony Iommi didn’t leave the band, he and Ozzy parted ways professionally for decades before reuniting for legacy projects that honored their place in rock history.