Vincent Montella asks: Besides being a great music writer/guitar player - do you have any other interests in the fine arts; painting, drawing?

Tony: I wish I could draw. I do like art, I like paintings. Although I can't do it, I do appreciate it. I do collect paintings and what not.

Pete: Do you plan on doing any singing for your solo project?

Tony: Definitely not! I've heard myself sing, and I wouldn't want anybody else to! The only time I've ever sung is when we done HARD ROAD.

Pete: You sang on that one? I thought it was just Geezer.

Tony: Geezer and me.

Pete: You only see Geezer on the promotional film for it.

Tony: They only showed Geezer because I was too embarrassed to get up to the mic!

Most of the interviews are with you, how come the other members are not interviewed?

Tony: They just ask for me! I think one of the main reasons is if they want to know about the history they can't ask Tony Martin, because he wasn't there.

Pete: Talking of history, have you read the new book - Wheels of Confusion?

Tony: I've read around half of it, but not all.

Pete: A lot of it came from Bill Ward, and although he was there, his memory is a little patchy!

Tony: A lot of it was Bill Ward. I did start to do some stuff for that book... I know him actually, Steven Rosen, I've known him for years, he used to write for guitar magazines in the States. He kept contacting our office for me to do some stuff, but I just didn't have the time. When we were in LA we got together... but he wanted to come over to England for ten days and stay with me constantly to write this book, but I just didn't have the time. So he sort of latched onto Bill.

Michael Liddle asks: Is now the right time to call it a day with Sabbath?

Tony: No. I don't think any day is the right day... as long as people want to hear it. I'm proud of the Sabbath stuff, I like to play the Sabbath stuff.

What went wrong with FORBIDDEN?

Tony: Well, if you think it's wrong... I do, I'm not happy with that album. I was at first, but when you sit back... you get involved in it and you can't see what's wrong. We brought in Ernie C. to do production; which was a bit difficult really because I had to leave him to it really, because he was brought in to do that job. One of the problems was we weren't all there at the same time - when we were writing it. Cozy and Neil were still contracted to do other stuff, so it ended up with just Tony Martin, Geoff Nicholls and myself just jamming around and putting ideas down. It all came together very quickly and we didn't really have time to reflect, make sure it was the right songs and the right way of doing it... because we had no drummer, Cozy was away doing other stuff.

What's the real problem between you and Ozzy?

Tony: I don't think there is a problem. I think the problem has been it's been blown out of all proportion.

Pete: The press?

Tony: Yes. When we talk we get on fine. We did have our disagreements from years ago, but as time goes by you think `well, what's it all about?' When you were younger things seemed to be more important. It wasn't as bad as it was made out to be; it was mainly that somebody had to be in charge of the band, and it was me that had to do all the saying - this is what we're going to do, or let's do this - if I didn't then we'd all be looking at each other with our fingers up our arse!

Konsta Alander asks: When will you release the songs THE REBEL, SONG FOR JIM, the ETERNAL IDOL demos with Ray Gillen officially?

Tony: Well... I don't have them for a start! I don't know what happened to them. They were just things we done - they ended up on a video.

Pete: Where did that come from then?

Tony: I don't know! I don't know where they got them from. That was just one of the first things we done. As for Ray Gillen stuff: we wouldn't release it. If we were going to release it, we would have released it without... before Tony Martin. At that point we were involved with my old management and Ray had some disagreements, and I think Ray was just about fed up with it.. It was a mutual thing... I liked Ray, I liked him a lot, but he just went off and we brought in Tony Martin.

Pete: So once and for all, you wouldn't release THE REBEL and SONG FOR JIM etc?

Tony: No, we wouldn't release anything we weren't proud of.

Pete: People seem to think that Sabbath must have a lot of unreleased material that could actually be released.

Tony: I've got stuff at home, twenty-four multi-tracks donkeys years old. There's some tracks we did with Gillan that have never been released.

Pete: There is material there, but you wouldn't consider releasing it.

Tony: I don't think there's really a need; you release the stuff you think at that time is the best for that album. It would probably have collectors value...

Pete: A lot of bands do release their demos and rarities.

Tony: We've done a lot of good stuff in the studio over the years related to Sabbath... just jamming around.

Pete: It is an ongoing theme in peoples questions: how come other bands can release rarities but not Black Sabbath.

Tony: I've never really given it a thought quite honestly. I'm not going to start releasing stuff just to make money out of it.

Pete: What influence do you have over Black Sabbath's output.

Tony: You don't always have the rights to certain things. In a lot of cases I do have an influence, but there's certain cases with the old stuff that I can't have a say because it's all been signed away. Although a lot of stuff has come back to us now, and we've resigned with Castle so they can release box sets and stuff.

Did you play any cover songs - other than Blue Suede Shoes - with Sabbath?

Tony: Blue Suede Shoes was just something we done to test the camera shots when we played Germany - the Beat Club. They just wanted to check the sound and camera shots; so we just played Blue Suede Shoes for a laugh, and it ends up out... and it's there forever now! So you've really got to be careful what you do. It was just one of those things we did, just joking around - as we always did... Christ, if they'd taped some of the stuff we did... my God! Shadows numbers...

What happened to you in Japan - 18/11/80 - when you were taken ill on stage and the show ended?

Tony: I had food poisoning.

Pete: I was convinced you wouldn't be able to answer that question - you actually remember that?

Tony: I bloody do! I remember the needle that went in my arm! It was something I ate - I just passed out.

Hannu Kujanen asks: When you are relaxing, what type of music do you listen too?

Tony: Anything really, I don't listen to anything in particular. I've got a jukebox at home, so I tend to play anything... K.D. Lang, jazz, Frank Sinatra... anything. I have a wide selection of things that I like from the 50s, 60s, 70s - depends on what I feel like on the day... just like anybody else.

Do you have any special hobbies?

Tony: I don't have a lot of time these days, apart from my dogs - which I love. I like walking. I like boxing; although I don't do it now, I like to watch it.

Pete: You used to Box?

Tony: When I was at school... until I got into music. I thought that's what I was going to end up doing... Karate... the contact sports - I thought that was what my career was going to be.

How many SG's do you have? One of them must be a special one?

Tony: There is a special one. There was a special one which has been stolen - I know where it is, but I won't get into that! I'm trying to retire the one now, I don't want to carry it around, because it's always a bit dodgy taking them on tour - I've had so many stolen.

Pete: Is it upsetting?

Tony: Absolutely. Especially if it's one you really like. The white one that I used on the PARANOID album, that got stolen. Gibson made me another - a copy - and that got stolen too - I couldn't believe it!

Jeff Allinson asks: Do you regret playing Ozzy's supposed farewell show at Costa Mesa, at the expense of the DEHUMANIZER line-up? If not, why not?

Tony: No. I thought that was a great thing to do. We weren't talking about doing the reunion at that time, I just thought it was a nice idea to do that - seeing that Ozzy was going to retire. I really enjoyed doing that - it's a shame Ronnie didn't do it. I don't think it would have gone on that much longer... I don't think that Ronnie and Geezer were seeing that much eye to eye... I don't think Geezer was too happy. I don't know what we'd have done after that.

Pete: There were no plans?

Tony: There were no plans, we had left it fairly loose. You never know, we might get back together one of these days.

Colin Browne asks: What do you think of Ozzy's success?

Tony: I think it's really good, I think he's done really well for himself - he's had some good songs, some really good songs - I wish him every success.

Why do Sabbath never play in Northern Ireland?

Tony: We have played Ireland... but I think nobody's ever asked us. I think we had a lot of problems with Ian Paisley at the time... we did want to play some gigs but we were basically threatened. I don't know what happened because we're not bothered with politics - that's why I played South Africa; I'm not bothered with politics, I just want to play to the people who want to hear it.

Have you any plans for a solo album?

Tony: No! Even as we speak this may not be a solo album; I may just scrap the lot and just do a Hughes/Iommi album, or may do something totally different. This is just at the stage of finding out - that's why I wanted some time away from Sabbath. I definitely have got plans for a solo album... what it will be... whether it will be songs with different singers on... some guests... who knows.

Gary Monkton asks: Of all the singers, past and present, in Black Sabbath who comes closest to the sound in your mind?

Tony: I think Ozzy... because that's the original line-up. But then Ronnie, I thought that was a good line-up. It's hard to say one particular one, I've liked different stages of Sabbath... some I haven't. Tony Martin's been brilliant. It's hard to say anything without putting somebody else down - which I don't particularly want to do because they've all been in there to do a job and to enjoy it. The main thing for me in Sabbath is to have somebody in the band who really believes in what they're doing and to give it their best.

What future would you like to see Black Sabbath have?

Tony: It would be nice to continue and still enjoy it. It's hard to say... because we've done most things, and you can't say `get to the top' because we've done that. It's finally now, I find, as far as getting... recognition now is probably one of the greater things - all these bands that are citing us as an influence. In the 70s nobody would mention Sabbath, nobody dared say they were into Sabbath - it was a dirty word to mention that you liked Sabbath. Nowadays, these bands are inspired by us and it's a good thing to do.

If anything were possible what personnel would you like to have in Black Sabbath - your ideal line-up?

Tony: I think anything is possible! And if I come to an ideal line-up then I'll approach them. The members I had in the last line-up: Bobby Rondinelli, Neil Murray, they're great, great characters - I've really got on well with them; that for me was an ideal line-up. I wasn't sure... vocally, what we should do, but Neil Murray and Bobby Rondinelli I really got on well with.

Lars Bernstrom asks: What is your favourite song / album from Sabbath?

Tony: That's not an easy one. Different times - like anyone else - I go through different phases, I like that song... and I hear an album... maybe with the collection that came out... I'll play it - to see what the quality is like and stuff - and I haven't heard it for a while and I'll go: "I like that track, I like that album." So it changes. I still like a lot of the stuff we've done; there's tracks I don't like, that I've gone off - which is like anybody - played it too death and gone off it. I'd liked to have seen some of the stuff off THE ETERNAL IDOL be a bit more credited, because I think there's some good tracks on that album - ANCIENT WARRIOR.

Stephan Denk asks: What do you think about Black Sabbath bootlegs? Do you own any?

Tony: I've had copies - tapes - given to me. I can't really go into a store because they know me, and if I go, "have you got any Black Sabbath bootlegs?" they go, "Oh no, we don't do them!" I don't buy bootlegs but if I get sent them I'll listen to them and see what it's like. The one thing I do dislike about them is if there's going to be a bootleg at least let it be good quality so people who are buying that album can have a good sound, opposed to the poor, crappy sound of all those bootlegs.

Pete: Bootlegs today do seem to be of a better quality, and they do offer people a chance to hear material they normally couldn't - THE ETERNAL IDOL demos with Ray Gillen for instance.

Tony: I'll have to get some! But nobody approaches you with them. I like to hear them... I also like to hear the set we done at that time. Although I have kept tapes over the years; I used to get a tape of every show we played, I had thousands and thousands of tapes! I like to hear them, it's just the sound quality.

Pete: And of course you're not getting the royalties for them.

Tony: I don't agree with it, but I know collectors like to hear them.

Was Vinnie asked to stay in Black Sabbath after the Costa Mesa shows?

Tony: Yes.

Do you still speak to Vinnie on a regular basis?

Tony: I don't as a matter of fact. Vinnie called me - not that long ago - to see what was going on; I like Vinnie, he's a nice chap. Vinnie was asked to continue with the Sabbath thing - but he didn't. I like Vinnie's playing.

What is the chance of seeing Ronnie and Vinnie back in Black Sabbath?

Tony: You can never say never. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. I've learnt that one now; the times I've gone, "Oh no, that'll never happen again." We never thought we'd get back together the first time.

Andrew Lock asks: Having just started playing guitar at a fairly late age (33) could you tell me at what age you started playing?

Tony: It's been that long now I can't remember! I started playing an accordion... because me father, all my family - relations - all played accordions; `course I was palmed off with an accordion. I wanted to play drums originally... I was about 12,13 or 14... about ten years ago now!

How come the band have never played the Donnington Festival?

Tony: Probably because they've never booked us. Maybe some of the time we haven't been in the country - doing tours elsewhere, which is quite often the case.

Which tracks give you the greatest pleasure to play live?

Tony: I like playing all of them. I really, really enjoy playing them - which is a good job really!

Steve Cross asks: Have you ever considered doing an unplugged session?

Tony: We were asked to do an unplugged... but quickly refused. IRON MAN wouldn't sound quite the same on an acoustic!

John Hall asks: How do you feel about G//Z/R's lyrics to Giving Up the Ghost?

Tony: Well, I heard it's something about me - is that correct? To be perfectly honest I had the album given to me a while back; I played it once then somebody else had it - so I haven't really paid any attention to the lyrics. Although I'm glad, it's nice to see him doing his own thing - getting things off his chest. I don't want to get into a rift with Geezer, he's still a friend.

Is the situation with Ozzy/Geezer and Bill irreconcilable?

Tony: Anything's possible. I would like to do it at some stage. I'd have loved - in some ways - for the old line-up to have gone out and played. That's not saying that I really miss it - I'd have loved for people to have been able to see that line-up who have never seen it. You know, all the things that have gone on... we had a laugh in those days - even though we had some hardships - we had some good times, it would have been nice to finally put it to rest; let's do another tour then knock it on the head.

How much do I have to win on the lottery to change that?

Tony: A lot! We were offered quite a lot to put the last set together - over twenty million. Do you read Southern Cross? Does it interest you what to fans say?

Tony: It does, yes, it does interest me. We like to hear the comments - good or bad... preferably good! It's great to have the other opinions and say, `I don't like this' or, `I don't like that'. That's all part of it, you can base your next set... your future really, on what the fans say. We have - in the past - based our set on the fans' favourite songs.

Paul Yates asks: When on tour why can't you play more UK dates?

Tony: We could play more UK dates, but we just need to get booked! Again, it's down to agents and stuff - it's down to where they think you're going to sell. I mean, we used to play in Scotland a lot, and we haven't played there in ages. It's a sign of the times, things are changing; maybe where we were popular once we are no longer popular - you have to accept that, what's the point of playing if there's going to be nobody there.

Neil Waters asks: Were you disappointed with the turn out on the last UK tour, and will it effect the number of dates you do on the next one?

Tony: It more then likely would, yes. It would effect it from a promoters side. We'd love to play peoples' home town - you've just got to get the promoters to think that as well!

Pete: It seems there are lots of things you have no control over.

Tony: Oh yes, most things you've got no control over - it's all to do with agents and promoters; they've got to pay for it, they want to make sure they get some return.

Do you feel Black Sabbath is a solo project with guests or do you feel you are still only one fifth of the band?

Tony: I've always looked at it... I've liked to have a band, I like to have other peoples input - because I think as soon as you become the one then the music becomes very stale; I like the input.

Craig Williams asks: After all these years of touring and recording with all the different members who have been in the band - who did you get on best with?

Tony: I've got on well with all of them. It's very difficult for me because you can't really make somebody stay - if something isn't working you have to replace them. I'll always go for the best band I can get - be a band and stick together. If you've got somebody who isn't 100% into it or it's somebody who's not right, what's the point of carrying on? Although I still remain friends with them.

Pete: I sense some frustration here.

Tony: Yes. You want people to be like yourself, you want people to believe like you do. It's hard, in a lot of cases, because they don't understand that - to believe in it - they just think they're coming in to sing... it's a job, at the end of the day it's a job for them. Where me, it's a belief. I like people to have that same belief.

Barry Wildash asks: Would you agree that Black Sabbath's limited success recently is down to bad promotion by IRS?

Tony: Absolutely. I know it's always blaming somebody else but it definitely is IRS - they're just very weak... although they tried their best. If nobody knows you've got an album out what's the point of doing one? That's what I can never understand. They get this album then just leave it, don't put any promotion out. When we had the first record out with IRS, Cozy and myself went into record stores in Toronto - Canada, where we are pretty big - nobody could get the record, it wasn't in the shops, nobody could get it - unbelievable. We had such a fight with the local rep - I really came close to chinning him! It really was that bad. At the end of the day it's us that suffer: they say, `Oh, it didn't sell.' How can it sell if you haven't got the record in the shops!

Would you consider doing a double-headline tour in England with say UFO, Deep Purple or Donnington so you could get across to a wider audience?

Tony: Well yes, depending on who it was of course. I have actually thought of that myself - teaming up with somebody else - that's the way to go these days.

Daniel Bristow asks: Where was the first gig that Black Sabbath played as Black Sabbath?

Tony: I have no idea! It could have been Germany... I can't remember.

Why has there been so much uncertainty about Tony Martin's place in the band, particularly considering the stability he's given the band?

Tony: This day and age it's a little difficult because to do an album you've got to have the record company backing; sometimes they won't sign the band because there's a certain member in the band... you've got to make a decision... and it has come to that, because if you want to get a deal you've got to have the right person fronting the band. Again, it's hard to criticise Tony because he's a great singer, but Tony himself will say `I'm not the best front man.' Which is fair dues to him, because he does go out and sing. He's not an Ozzy... but then Ozzy isn't a Tony Martin.

Michael Liddle asks: Is there a demo version by Black Sabbath of Hollywood Black?

Tony: I've got a demo version, yes. We've got quite a few from DEHUMANIZER.

Pete: Didn't Dio actually record that song?

Tony: I don't know - he may have done. He may have called it Hollywood Black but whether it's the same I don't know. I doubt it's the same music.

Pete: But it could be the same lyrics.

Tony: Could be the same lyrics... probably is. I wouldn't think he would use the same music.

Mike Dallenger asks: Do you have a practice regime or are you playing enough through writing, recording and performing?

Tony: Not these days, I'm not playing enough. Although I've got my studio at home I only play when people come over. I don't play by myself, I don't practice by myself - I get bored. I can't practice scales and stuff, I'm not a twiddley-dee player, I have to have musicians around me.

When you are on the road do you warm up before a gig?

Tony: Not too much these days... I used to in the old days, I used to sit there for hours. It depends on what time you get before the gig - if you've got interviews or whatever. I would like to, because it's really awful when you go on cold.

When writing, do you work from inspiration or by jamming around with ideas until something usable is achieved?

Tony: Both. I'll jam around. I don't have a lot of problem coming up with ideas; if someone plays a drum beat I'll play along to it - it's as simple as that... but I don't find it difficult coming up with ideas.

Do you keep studio notes when writing? Are you well organised in the studio?

Tony: I am terrible! I've got tapes at home... boxes and boxes of tapes full of riffs. For one, it's hard to label a riff - you might have two-hundred riffs on a tape; unless there's a song you can't remember what the riff is. You know, tape one, riff number twenty-five - what is it? How do you describe it? It's so bloody confusing! If somebody's got an idea for sorting that out it'll be welcome!

When writing material; do you use a drum machine? Have you found one that is particularly easy to use?

Tony: I have done, although I don't know that much about drum machines - I have done.

Jon Lundeen asks: How do you justify using the name Black Sabbath, being the only original member left?

Tony: I've never left, it's everyone else that's left - some twice! I own the name. It's not only that, it's because I believe in what I am doing - I always have done. I've laid my life down in this band... marriages, everything's gone by the wayside over the years for the band. I believe in what we do and I do feel justified.

Mats henriksson asks: I have a video of Jasper Carrott where you play two numbers, do you do this often or was it a one off?

Tony: No, it's something we done every year. We've got a little band: Bev Bevan on drums, Jasper singing... we've got the guitar player from Deny Lane. We do these occasional private shows - it's just a bit of fun really.

Dale Rodgers asks: Who or what inspired you to rock `n' roll?

Tony: I liked the sound - I enjoyed the sound of guitars. I wanted to play and I wanted to be part of it.

Is there anything you would like to do, but haven't yet?

Tony: Win the lottery! Most things I've been able to do. I've been fortunate, most things I've wanted to do I've been able to do.

Why did you stop the practice of one instrumental song on an album?

Tony: I don't think we actually stopped it, it just didn't happen - it wasn't a conscious thing. Now it is, I would actually like to do an instrumental album... solo stuff.

Jack L. Spence asks: What do you feel is your greatest achievement, other than the success of Black Sabbath?

Tony: Getting up in the morning! I don't think I've got any other greatest achievements. I mean, through Sabbath I've been allowed to achieve quite a lot of what I've wanted to achieve. That's not financial - it's more being recognised for what I do. When this `Hall of Fame' thing came up it was a great honour.

Would you ever consider making an appearance in a TV series or film?

Tony: I would consider it - whether I would be any good at it is another matter!

Chris Hopkins asks: Have you fulfilled all your ambitions?

Tony: Maybe I have, because there is nothing I can think of that I really want to do. Although saying that, I would have liked to do one more giant tour as the original line-up - just to finalise the whole thing... but I don't think that's going to happen. Although, again, saying that, putting the original line-up back together would probably be a gigantic pain in the arse! I'm quite happy with the way things are, I'm very happy with my life at the moment.