Black Sabbath Reunite – Official?

Are the original Black Sabbath line-up is reuniting for an album and tour?

Apparently talking to the Birmingham Mail, guitarist Tony Iommi confirmed he and Ozzy Osbourne have been writing songs for the planned album:

“We’re really looking forward to it and I think the stuff we’ve been writing is really good. It’s more back to the old original stuff.”

The four – also including bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward – are reported to have been in rehearsals. And, continues Iommi, the only concern is over Ward’s health.

‘‘He hasn’t been 100 per cent. He had an operation a few months ago, so we’ll see how he is.’’

However, I0ommi’s management have now strongly denied the authenticity of this story, claiming that the guitarist hasn’t spoken to the paper for two months!

UPDATE: Tony Iommi has now issued the following statement about the claims in the Birmingham Mail:

“I’m saddened that a Birmingham journalist whom I trusted has chosen this point in time to take a conversation we had back in June and make it sound like we spoke yesterday about a Black Sabbath reunion.

“At the time I was supporting the Home Of Metal exhibition was merely speculating shooting the breeze on something all of us get asked constantly, ‘Are you getting back together?’.

“Thanks to the Internet it’s now gone round the world as some sort of ‘official’ statement on my part; absolute nonsense. I hope he’s enjoyed his moment of glory, he won’t have another at my expense.

“To my old pals, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill, sorry about this, I should have known better.”