Bill Ward just posted a short followup on his site to the how shall we say, fracas online of the last two days or so. Here’s what he said.
Dear Sabbath Fans,
This is Bill. I just wanted to humbly thank you all. Your support from across the world has given me further strength and hope for a positive resolve. I have been moved and overwhelmed by the thousands of messages. I love you all.
Rock forever,
Bill
positive resolve!!!! please!!!! Positive Resolve!!!!! :-)
I must say that I think it’s childish behaviour. Why didn’t they take care of this before they announced the reunion?
The lads are in their sixties now & have NOTHING to prove anymore. No matter how good a potential replacement will be, I just won’t see Sabbath @ GMM without Bill.
*Puts on Money by Pink Floyd*
I hope that money wont be the issue! Its so sad if money has this impact on people. Come bs and solve this situation. A bs whithout bill isnt the same. i am 44 years old and just love sabbath.
This is so much B.S. I can’t stand it… If a contract cannot be drawn up to the satisfaction of all parties, and by that I mean the 4 original members of the so-called BAND, then I think they should cancel the whole deal, period. You can’t announce a new album & tour by the 4 original members and then cut out one of the participants. Although I don’t have any more details than what Bill has stated himself, I feel Bill is getting the short end of the stick here. I don’t know who has the power to rectify this situation, but someone better pull their head out of their F**KING ass quick and get this show on the road, literally…
If the other three go ahead with this without Bill on board, I will also be boycotting the purchase of
the new album in all formats and will not be going to see any show without the underlying bedrock
of Black Sabbath, BILL WARD.
I will boycotting too without bill no sabbath. So too the rest of bs this where I stand no bill=no sabbath
how long before the early albums are given the remaster treatment just like the first ozzy albums with a new drummer dubbed in £££££
no Bill Ward = no thanks
I agree
I love Black Sabbath so much, especially The Greatest Jazz(!!!) Drummer in Hard Rock :Bill Ward! (including John Bonham)! I can t believe how much he has influenced rock fans (including me!) during the years. Come ON! Fix this (whatever it is) please, and let us enjoy The Greatest Hard Rock Band Ever! We Love You All, Sabbs!
Two words ; Sharon Osbourne……… What a shame! I was extemely excited to hear of the reunion. If Bill isn’t there it will be a slap in the face to all the fans!! It’s not about you Sharon Osbourne, it’s about what the fans want. Shut your pie hole and get the F**k out of the way.
Was the 11.11.2011 announcement made without prior full agreement of contractual details?
Best question I’ve heard on the subject, good point. The answer is: apparently not.
Despite everything they’ve done to keep the deal a secret, everyone knows that Ozzy and Tony each own 50 percent of Sabbath and that both Tony, Geezer (or Tommy Clufetos, who is replacing Bill on the album) are merely emplyees… It’s a shame, but it’s true.
Also, Sabbath (Ozzy, Tony<,Geezer and Clufeto, that is...) are still planning on playing Donnington but every other date is either cancelled or will be replaced by a solo Ozzy show... Moderate that!
Obviously I meant Bill and Geezer are employees… Not Tony.
If it’s true that Tony and Ozzy each own 50% of Sabbath, then it’s a travesty.How the hell does Ozzy rate 50% ownership of a band he was not a member of for 17 years? Does he own half of H and H and Mob Rules? Half of the Tony Martin stuff? Half of Bill and Geezer? While His Majesty spent the 80’s abusing powder and pills and booze and falling on his face, Tony dedicated his life to keeping the Black Sabbath torch alight. They can call Ozzy whatever they want (Prince of Darkness,Godfather of Metal,blah blah) but it was Tony Iommi who lit the fuse and carries the torch to this day-the true Godfather of Metal. Don’t misunderstand me, I’ve been a Sabbath freak since 1977 and love the original 4. But I think Ozzy sometimes gets more credit than he deserves, and reading stuff like this just really pisses me off.
MANAGERS MAKE EVERY THING EQUAL,SO THE BOYS CAN DO THEIR THING!!!!!!!!!!!!
There’s a Beemer on the side of the turnpike with a flat tire, and all I see is that car’s load of riders strolling down the shoulder, cursing the 3 tires remaining.
Me – I’m tossing on the spare and taking that baby for a joyride.
Too bad for them. BUT THEN, they could go back and retrieve that damaged tire to roll, plop, roll, plop, roll, plop down the road and feel good about themselves.
And later, maybe someday, SOMEDAY that tire will be just as good as it was those first 10,000 miles.
The problem here is not Tony, Geezer, Ozzy, Vinnie, Ronnie, Sharon, Curly, Moe, or Larry.
The problem is Bill.
Hard living drummers are not a rarity in rock history, Bill is just lucky to NOT be where the others are, today.
Tires wear out the more they are used yet musical skills get better the more they are used. I wounder why the car load of riders, however many there were, would be cursing the 3 tires that were still good. I never curse my good tires. Usually when people get a flat tire the rim stays on the car so it seems strange to me that the car load of riders would go back and pick up….. eh, never mind. I dont have any idea what Hank Rearden_WIs point of the story is.
……. friggin pointless……………
All of this contract nonsense should have been inked before making ANY announcement. Instead they built up the hopes of a lot of fans only to dash them through what, lets face it, is probably Sharon pulling strings so that Ozzy keeps the big share of the money.
Booooo! i was so looking forward to this tour, but its either a MK1 reunion or it isnt. A replacement drummer is not MK1. No sale!
I totally agree with all of you supporting Bill !!!!
Money and greed really rules the world, doesn’t it ?? To Ozzy, Geezer, Tony and Yoko (sorry, I mean Sharon…): The one of you with the most money saved when you die – wins !!!! Gongratulations !!!!
I’m putting my tickets out for sale now (I really regret buying them in the first place…), and I know that most of my Sabbath-friends here in Oslo are doing the same. I really hope that the Oslo Spectrum arena will be (if not empty, which I’d prefer) less than half full on May 31th, ’cause you greedy bastards don’t deserve an audience at all. You’ve fooled me once before with an ‘Original line-up’ promise ahead of a tour, and now you’ve done it again !!!! YOU ARE NOT TRUSTWORTHY ANY MORE !!!!
Good Luck to You, Mighty Bill !!!!! You’ve got my full support !!!
…..and to the rest of you: Fuck yourselves !!!!
H-son
We love you, Bill… You have been one of my drumming heroes since I was a little kid who picked up the sticks up until today at age 40. I truly hope this situation gets resolved not just for you but for the fans. There are only so many tours.
No Bill Ward = No Black Sabbath
Regards,
ST
You’ve got to have Bill , he is as important as John Bonham was to zep, otherwise it’s Lack Sabbath
Without Bill there is no Black Sabbath. Sabbath was my introduction to heavier sounds sometime in the early 70’s. Even seen them live in 1977 with AC/DC as supportband. Original music from original members.
Obviously it is the rest of the band that is trying to screw Bill here otherwise there would be more output coming from them.No Bill no BLACK SABBATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The point of a reunion is that you get the real thing – no true fans want too hear Black Sabbath without Bill – his tone and performance was a part of making that sound we all love – only Bill can play on this tour – otherwise its meaningless !!!!!
I agree with Morten Sarvig!
God bless Bill Ward.
Bill Ward forever!
Sorry gang. Been here, done this.
Bill is to 2012 Sabbath as Bret Farve was to the Green Bay Packers after the 2007 season.
The Pack went on to Super levels without Farve. No one wears a Farve jersey anymore.
Prediction:
Biil will get his contract with Black Sabbath, join them in the studio, record, and appear on the album.
The world tour will start.
Before a quarter of the way into the tour Bill will LIKELY quit.
Before the mid-point of the schedule Bill DEFINITELY quits the tour.
To Bill Ward’s fans, I wish you all concert dates near your homes, in that first 1/4 of the tour.
A “reunion” should only be allowed to be called a reunion if it is all the original members. In fact, shame they aren’t made to call it something different like when it was called Heave & Hell.
Without Bill it ain’t Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath, it’s more like Sabotage.
I hope things get resolved and we can hear (and see) you play Bill.
Come on guys! The band is equally owned/shared or what ever by Ozzy and Tony and Geezer and Bill. So how about you all start acting like it, and making sure each member gets equal share of the cash? It’s only fair and is the right thing to do! If you all are mates like you say you are, then why all this crap about Bill not getting and equal cut or equal anything!?
This is sad! Not as much for us, as for Iommi and Osbourne. Come on guys! This is not evil, it’s pathetic. Ozzy, I thought you decided to be a good guy. Keep evil as a persona, but don’t be an asshole on the inside. you can still fix the situation. Don’t forget the time when you couldn’t afford to buy shoes.
Ozzy 25%
Tony 25%
Geezer 25%
Bill 25%
That shouldn’t be so hard, right? God will forgive you.
If the ORINAL 4 is EQUAL PARTENERS/OWNERS/MATES/ETC. , then why in world would Bill not get his EQUAL SHARE !? Come on guys , please don’t do this to US (your loyal and dedicated fans) ! Make the contract and make it ALL EQUAL , and get on with it ! Thank you !
Por favor Bill Ward! Vamos ver o Sabbath completo. O rock precisa de vocês!
Please Bill Ward! Let’s see the Sabbath complete. The band without you is not the real Black Sabbath. The rock needs you!
My feelings are pretty much echoed by everyone else who has bothered to post here. My first record was Paranoid and to this day I listen to it all the time. Its stood the test of time unlike anything else. Its just beautiful. I
was really excited for the idea of seeing the original line up and feel really disappointed that they can’t get their shit together $wise. Having Sharon Osbourne as the manager seems right out of Spinal Tap. Who’s idiotic idea was this?
Still keeping my fingers crossed.
There is NO rhythm section in rock like the first Sabbath albums. They are masterful.
I have been waiting since the last reunion. They will not be the same without Bill Ward,if fact it won’t be Sabbath. After i heard that they were going to tour I was going to get a Tattoo of BS. Not sure now. Come on and settle this, I need some new Sabbath
you are the only one real B†S drummer ! Please do it for us, all your fans !
Only Your playing sounds B†S, only with You is cool ! You are rock,blues,jazz and BLACK SABBATH, the great Vinnie Appice was only H/M.
If Vinnie is so great, where is he now? I don’t hear about any musicians of note knocking down his door asking him to join their band. Seems RJD was the only one who thought Vinnie was ”great”. Not anywhere near the same league as Bill-period.
Throughout this entire grisly mudslinging match there have been many comments posted concerning Sharon’s involvement,or non-involvement,and also concerning Sharon herself (I’ve personally posted my share). Sharon says she doesn’t manage Sabbath, she manages Ozzy.True, but a threat of withholding services (i.e. Ozzy’s) would certainly be a rather large hammer to wield over an “original 4” Sabbath reunion.But to a larger issue-Sharon as Yoko. I find myself agreeing with this perception. It’s not like this thought all of a sudden sprang up out of the earth (although,admittedly,Yoko was in a no-win situation,supposedly being the cause of the Beatles break-up). However,actions speak louder than words. If you can find it,look for the book by Fredrick Seaman,John’s personal assistant,about his last days.Needless to say,Yoko does not come across as a very nice person.Also needless to say,Yoko went to court with John’s vast millions and stopped publication of the book as it most certainly did not cast her in a favorable light. I got my copy before she took legal action-sorry Yoko,say what you want,the truth is out there. Also,consider the fact that it took Julian Lennon 16 YEARS in court to get Lady Evil to relinquish memorabilia and letters he wrote to his father.16 YEARS! Why? I think the answer is self-evident. Hard to have ANY sympathy for a person like this. Okay-whew! My point is, for this perception,whether right or wrong, Sharon can only blame- Sharon.
bill , long time fan (39 years) ! if everyone is mates and if everyone is equal owners/partners/founders (ORIGINAL SABBATH) then they should treat you as such . this is complete crap of the way you are being treated ! if you all are mates / etc. then come on guys and or all management , cut your shit and get bill the contract he rightly deserves ! don’t do it fo the money . do it for the fans that helped make you all what you are today . without US , where would you be ? Bill , i love your music and your style of drums and everything you have brought to me and us in this business and you have my prayers and full support !
Remarkably enough Bill still tries to be a gentleman towards Sharon and Ozzy.
Hopefully he does not get fucked over like Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake!!!!