Black Sabbath Answers Ward’s Plea For ‘Signable Contract’

Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward posted a message to his website Thursday saying he couldn’t go along with the band’s reunion tour and album unless he received a “signable contract.” The band has now answered him and the news isn’t pretty.

Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer and Tony Iommi at the Black Sabbath press conference in Los Angeles.

Plans for the original Black Sabbath lineup include the band’s first album with Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Ward in 33 years, as well as a global tour scheduled to begin in Moscow May 18. But that was then.

Now it looks as if the album and tour will go forward as planned but without Ward.

From BlackSabbath.com:

“We were saddened to hear yesterday via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current Black Sabbath plans…we have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open… We are still in the UK with Tony. Writing and recording the new album and on a roll… See you at Download!!!