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Re: Black Sabbath
Singer TONY MARTIN Says He Is Not Interested In Reuniting With BLACK SABBATH - Mar. 6, 2011
On February 25, reporter Jens Lundell of Swedish web magazine CriticalMass.se conducted an interview with former BLACK SABBATH vocalist Tony Martin when the singer took part in a workshop in Gothenburg, Sweden. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
CriticalMass.se: You made it quite clear that you are not interested in reuniting with BLACK SABBATH again.
Tony: Not the band. But I don't have any problems with the people, though. For example, I would work with Tony Iommi, maybe. It's just that I wouldn't like to do the same thing that I did before. Just singing Ozzy songs, Dio songs and all the rest of it and my music being pushed aside. That was my issue.
CriticalMass.se: You also made quite clear that the fans will unfortunately not see you on tour that much anymore.
Tony: No. It's just too hard. Every time we go out on the road, we lose money. They expect us to play for free or for less and less each time and we can't run an operation like that. It's just not possible. That's disappointing, 'cause I want to be out on the road! It's a natural place for a musician to be. Playing gigs is part of the fun. But you can't do it for nothing, and if you have to sell your house or your car or have to get a day job as an electrician or something to pay to go and play, then that's no fun and it's also damaging to your family and your life.
CriticalMass.se: How does your life look today? Are you a full-time musician?
Tony: Well, yes. Music is my job. I left school about 30-40 years ago with very little qualifications. Although I'm not a stupid person, I didn't get a lot of paperwork to give me a regular day job, so music is my career. But it's really hard to make your living out of music now. Even from my position, having been in BLACK SABBATH, which is a good place to start from, you would think. It's getting harder and harder to survive. It's not really comfortable at all.
CriticalMass.se: Many people consider "Headless Cross" (1989) to be the strongest album that you made with BLACK SABBATH. You said that you actually prefer "Tyr" (1990) and "Cross Purposes" (1994). For what reason do you do that?
Tony: "Cross Purposes" were slightly more intelligent lyrics. The stories were about different things. "Tyr" was more about the Scandinavian vikings although there was some Russian stuff as well. "Headless Cross" was more English folklore stories and I just liked the music and the harmonies of "Tyr" and "Cross Purposes" better. But I still love "Headless Cross"! I don't hate it at all. I think it's great, and I'm really proud of it.
CriticalMass.se: How strong do you consider those albums to be compared to the ones BLACK SABBATH did with Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio?
Tony: Very strong! For the fans who prefer the Tony Martin era, those albums are the best! It all depends on who you ask. If you ask an Ozzy fan then maybe he says "Master of Reality" (1971), or whatever. If you ask a Tony Martin fan, he says "Headless Cross". Personally, I think that they're all equally as good, and after all, they asked me to be a part of the band for a reason. They liked what I did and I was there for ten years. That must have been worth something; otherwise, why would they ask me to be in the band?
CriticalMass.se: What are your future plans as an artist?
Tony: I have no idea. It might be that I have to stop completely. That's very sad, but it's just not possible to make a living out of music as it is at the moment. The industry does not support musicians as musicians. You have to have another job these days. At this moment, I'm trying to make new things happen. I'd like to get into theatre or stage management, maybe. But I can't give you a definite answer. I have various Facebook sites and that kind of things and as I will find out what's gonna happen to me in the future, then I will let everybody know.
Read the entire interview from CriticalMass.se.
Re: Black Sabbath
What a fuckin drag- Iommi's cancer, but moreso Ward's bullshit end of the stick. For Christ's sake, how many more opportunities do these guys think they've got coming? Is no one learning anything from Dio's quick passing?
Pay the guy whatever he wants- split it four ways. Act like you grew up together and INVENTED FUCKING METAL for fuck's sake! Who's gonna die first, and then it's gone for good?
- Me_Wise_Magic
- Rep: 70
Re: Black Sabbath
Of course. Business and finances has always gotten in the way of things like this from happening. This better not be Sharon's doing or I'm going to be pissed. It's not her band to make these decisions. These are four legends and friends that have been through hell together and deserve to rise again as one of the founders of HEAVY FUCKING METAL!! I'm hoping Bill gets the right deal, he deserves it. Tony, God speed on the recovery. It's terrible for anyone going through something like that. Lawyers have been trying to fuck this band in terms of a reunion since the late 80s to today. 2012 is the year for Van Halen and Sabbath to return. Let's hoping everything works out.
Re: Black Sabbath
This reeks of Sharon. The whole attitude of Ozzy made Sabbath.
Ozzy is the fuckin' man, but Ozzy didn't even make Ozzy solo.
Split the damn thing four ways and move on. At their age, everybody should get an equal slice. With Dio now passed on, this is Sabbath's last run, and everyone knows it. Don't fuck it up.
Re: Black Sabbath
If they do that, it's bullshit and a sham. I can accept different lineups of Black Sabbath, and love a lot of them. But if this is (possibly) their last hurrah as a reunited band that produces new material, it HAS to be the only 4 that matter. The Brummies, and that's that.
- Me_Wise_Magic
- Rep: 70
Re: Black Sabbath
All I'm saying is they better not screw up this opportunity. Like the public and the fans have said before, It's now or never. Especially since Ozzy's voice has been pretty great these past few years that could sound amazing on a Sabbath record. I don't want to see Tommy or Mike Brodin stepping up on the drums or even Vinny Appice (even though he is a great drummer who has played on a Sabbath record and Dio of course). It has to be Bill Ward.
Re: Black Sabbath
http://www.noise11.com/news/black-sabba … dium=email
Black Sabbath Add Sole US Date
by VVN Music on February 27, 2012
What sounded like a one-off reunion of the original (or mostly original) Black Sabbath at this year’s Download Festival has expanded, to one additional show.
Sharon Osbourne told the VH1 Radio Network that there will also be one appearance in the U.S. “They’re gonna be doing one show in America this summer but I can’t say yet (where and when it is) because we can’t announce it, the promoters have to. But they are doing one show in August.”
As far as whether drummer Bill Ward will be included, she said “We don’t know yet, we really don’t know. It’s up to Bill. The door is open for him to join us, so it’s up to him.”
She also went on to say that they already have around fifteen songs ready to record for an album.
