Ozzy’s Plea To Iommi: ‘Please Do The Right Thing’
Further details have emerged over the weekend concerning Ozzy Osbourne’s legal battle with Tony Iommi over the Black Sabbath name.
Ozzy is suing Iommi to reclaim a stake in the ‘Black Sabbath’ trademark.
The singer believes that Iommi has wrongfully claimed the sole rights to the band’s name and therefore has profited from royalties and merchandise sales.
In a statement released by the Osbourne camp, Ozzy criticises Iommi for spending the early 1990s playing to small clubs as Black Sabbath with a revolving door of musicians.
“The brand of ‘Black Sabbath’ was literally in the toilet,” Ozzy says, adding that since he, drummer Bill Ward and bassist Geezer Butler all helped restore faith in the Sabbath brand, they should all equally share the name.
Read Ozzy’s entire statement to Iommi below:
‘It is with great regret that I had to resort to legal action against my long-term partner, Tony Iommi, but after three years of trying to resolve this issue amicably, I feel I have no other recourse.
‘As of the mid-1990’s, after constant and numerous changes in band members, the brand of “Black Sabbath” was literally in the toilet and Tony Iommi [touring under the name Black Sabbath] was reduced to performing in clubs.
‘Since 1997 when Geezer, Bill and myself rejoined the band, Black Sabbath has returned to its former glory as we headlined sold-out arenas and amphitheatres playing to upwards of 50,000 people at each show around the world.
‘We worked collectively to restore credibility and bring dignity back to the name “Black Sabbath” which lead to the band being inducted into the UK and US Rock And Roll Hall of Fames in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
‘Throughout the last 12 years, it was my management representatives who oversaw the marketing and quality control of the “Black Sabbath” brand through Ozzfest, touring, merchandising and album reissues.
‘The name “Black Sabbath” now has a worldwide prestige and merchandising value that it would not have had by continuing on the road it was on prior to the 1997 reunion tour.
‘Tony, I am so sorry it’s had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you. I don’t have the right to speak for Geezer and Bill, but I feel that morally and ethically the trademark should be owned by the four of us equally.
‘I hope that by me taking this first step that it will ultimately end up that way.
‘We’ve all worked too hard and long in our careers to allow you to sell merchandise that features all our faces, old Black Sabbath album covers and band logos, and then you tell us that you own the copyright.
‘We’re all in our 60s now. The Black Sabbath legacy should live on long after we have all gone. Please do the right thing.’
never heard ozzy be so articulate….ha……
Sharon, oops, I mean Ozzy says it so well…cough…
ozzy (or whos pulling his strings) does have a point. everything above sounds resonable.
Headless cross was quite good but the rest ahhhhhh.
I’m sure there is 2 sides to this story, like I bet tony would say he kept the name alive during that time when it was’nt that good a time for any trad metal band. Rather like vim fuago playing mary hopkins numbers in wine bars.
Ozzy you (and the rest of Sabbath) sold the name to Tony in 1985. And why are you asking for 50% when you think it should be divided equaly?
Just try reading it in a Shazza whine and it all becomes clear…
Have to agree with it though! Wonder if Tony’ll post a response. The money’ll be peanuts next to Ozzy’s income – its a far better deal for the others.
Ozzy relinquished his rights to Black Sabbath in 1980.
He signed a contact for £100,000,
Tony has bought the rights from every original Sabbath member in the 80’s
And can produce a receipt!
Go fuck yourself Ozzy!
Maybe the Osbournes are a bit irked that Heaven and Hell are doing so well and the new album cover features the old Devil logo (was he called Henry?) with ‘41′ printed to the right of it. Presumably, this is an allusion to Sabbath’s formation in 1968 and a sly ‘we’re Black Sabbath really’ statement.
I do think that it’s worth mentioning that Ozzy et al have been complicit in things that have undermined Sabbath’s good name; scuppering the Dehumanizer reunion tour with Dio for one.
Ozzy,why don’t you do the decent thing and retire,stfu,and never let us hear from your witch of a wife again.
Ozzy sucks!
It’s a bit cheeky. Like Ace or Peter trying to take the KISS name from Gene and Paul.
Tony kept the Black Sabbath name going during the lean years. He was the only consistent member through it all. If also legally owns the name then that only strengthens his right to be Black Sabbath.
Ozzy/Sharon should get back to TV and the X Factor etc and leave Sabbath alone…
If it hadn’t been for Tony Iommi persevering the “Sabbath brand” would have ceased to be a long time ago. Back in the days when Osbore could do nothing but snipe and bitch about Iommi and Dio etc he wasn’t too bothered about his rights then.
Sabbath without Iommi is unthinkable – Sabbath without Osbore can and does work – very successfully too!
I’m with Katie. Tony bought the rights legit. It’s as simple as that. The guys were happy to go with it back then as I guess they felt Sabbath was a dead duck. Ozzy Ltd. makes enough money form his solo careers, festival, tv show, tv show DVDs, dollys and all the rest of it.
As James points out, it’s a very similar scenario to KISS. Gene & Paul bought the rights to Ace & Peter’s make-up designs back in the mid-90’s. Many don’t like it, but at the time Ace and Peter were happy to take the cash in exchange. Sadly they didn’t see the bigger (merchandising) picture and took the easy pay day.
Ozzy did the same in 1980.
Don’t get me wrong – I’ll always like Ozzy for his music. But this reeks of the wicked witch…
ozzy WAS my hero and their reunion gig at birmingham will probably remain my favourite gig of all time however forget the dove and the bat etc,he really is going fucking crazy!!!firstly stripping daisley and kerslake from the first 2 albums,not playing glasgow now for 14 years and now this.please just retire ozzy and shut the fuck up!!for some guy who claims to love us all and his working class roots,he just reeks of a washed up greedy bastard.nobody wants or needs another black rain type album(who the fuck is kevin churko by the way?)and to scandalously waste the talents of Cantrell on a shite self indulgent covers album says it all.ozmosis had its moments and down to earth was actually a very strong album but retirement should have followed the magical no more tears album which was produced well and had the writing talents of Lemmy,Daisley and Inez.I for one would also like to see Iommi working with Tony Martin and Glenn Hughes again.Not typical Sabbs albums but brilliant none the less.Keep on rocking Tony!!!
Now you do the right thing Ozzy and £”#! off!
Why is Heaven & Hell not touring and recording as Sabbath if Iommi owns the rights to the name?
Does Bill Ward have a say in who uses the name?
I thought that Iommi was not allowed to use the Black Sabbath name as he lost it as part of the deal when Ozzy/bill/geezer/iommi line up reformed.
Dio is still the god and has never sold out.
Am I the only one who thought TYR (1990) was a brilliant album. That should be remastered and re-released.
Ironic that the one person who has done more to destroy the dignity of the Sabbath name is Ozzy himself with his courting of celebrity status and lack of passion for music.
If Ozzy really cared about Sabbath he would have put Sabbath at the fore front of what he was doing after the reunion album of 1997.
Instead he tucked Sabbath under the umbrella of his own solo carear.
Ozzy sucks without Black Sabbath. Black Sabbath is fine if not great without Ozzy.
Ozzy, go fuck yourself!
Sharon put you up to this crap, Ozzy? Shame on you! Throw the bitch out…