Ozzy vs Iommi

Post by **skezza** » Sat May 30, 2009 10:43 am

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=121016

whoopiecat · Post by **whoopiecat** » Sat May 30, 2009 12:48 pm

wareagle · Post by **wareagle** » Sat May 30, 2009 1:14 pm

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Sun May 31, 2009 12:52 am

What i could never understand was the name was originaly thought up by Geezer Butler when they changed the bands name from Earth to Black Sabbath. Unless a copyright has been writing up for a single band member i.e (Ozzy Osbourne) to use that name. In another collaboration of band members i.e when Dio originaly joined with Vinnie Appice, then later with Ian Gillan as singer and Bill Ward back on the drums. As we know the name did carry on with different singers and drummers etc until the band had only one original member in them, Tony Iommi. It wasn't until the band reunited for the Live Aid gig in 1985 that the band was again the original B.S. Then we come back to the original 'Heaven & Hell' line up which are having to be named H&H instead of B.S ?. It looks like a marketing tool because of the H&H issue. It's strange how non Ozzy era Sabbath songs are used in this new line up now ?.And the Black Sabbath name couldn't be used for legal reasons. It's a very much Tribute type of situation do they have to go under the name of B.S 2 But the band are not even being called H&H by the fans they still go under the B.S tag ?.

Fozzy41 · Post by **Fozzy41** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:25 pm

Its a sad day for all Ozzy/Sabbath fans.
I never thought it would come to this, I thought they was good friends again now, after all the shit they said about each other in the 80's. Ozzy's even said several times in interviews that one of the best things to come out of the reunion was the fact that there all mates again, and then he goes and does this.
$haron must be behind this, theres no way Ozzy could put that together, he struggles to put a sentance together these days let alone a statement like that, even though $haron probably started this, Ozzy is just as much to blame for going along with it.
For fuck sake haven't they got enough money already.
For 17 years Ozzy had nothing to do with Sabbath (apart from Live Aid) and it was Tony Iommi who carried the Sabbath flame, I admit I never really followed the band after Born Again but Iommi was still out there recording and touring as Black Sabbath and I'm sure he's owned the Sabbath name since back then, he owns it, its as simple as that.
I'm sure if the ball was on the other foot they'd tell Iommi to take a running jump.
Speaking as a big Ozzy fan I still really hope The Osbournes lose the case and it gets laughed out of court.
What shit timing as well, just after Heaven and Hell have released a great album and there out on tour they get hit with this, mmm I wonder if jealousy has anything to do with it.

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:00 am

Something has obviously happened since Iommi has been doing the Heaven & Hell project. Like i have mentioned they still get labelled as Black Sabbath rather then H&H. It could be a case of Ozzy wanting to make sure that they never go under that name ?. Ozzy's grabbing at straws saying that the band never reached the success that they made while he was fronting them. I think the Heaven & Hell album did OK as far as sales & chart positions in both the UK and USA. Plus the new H&H album has been reviewed as sounding very like early Sabbath.

NicDots · Post by **NicDots** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:35 am

Very sad indeed. Why Ozzy/Sharon think they are entitled to 50% is beyond me.

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:11 pm

The Ozzy camp is grasping for any sort of relevance now. The fact that Ozzy does cell phone commercials looking for his toilet just goes to show how far he's dropped into the sellout arena.

Sabbath continued with Iommi for years. Even the Dio era gave Ozzy a run for his money. Contrary to what RR fans like to think all these years later, Ozzy struggled until about 1984. The record company even wanted him to do a live album of Sabbath tunes because Sabbath had a name and Ozzy didn't (yet). For this lawsuit to come out now is just another load of crap to add to the Ozzy legacy. He's still jealous (or is it Sharon?) that Sabbath - or Heaven and Hell) don't need him.

NicDots · Post by **NicDots** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:01 pm

I remember a lady interviewing Randy before the start of the Diary tour, asking how he felt about BOO going double platinum. How did Heaven and Hell do when it was first released. Anyone know?

Anyway, I like Ozzy's commercials.

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:41 pm

Actually, Blizzard didn't hit platinum until June '82 - probably in part from Randy's death spurring sales - and double platinum was reached in 1992.

Heaven and Hell went gold 6 months before Blizzard and platinum in '86...

So Sabbath was still the bigger draw during Randy's lifetime.

Ozzy won the race ultimately, so this lawsuit is just a greed thing.

NicDots · Post by **NicDots** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:06 pm

Ah, but Heaven and Hell was released a year before Blizzard if my memory is working correctly. I wonder why that woman asked Randy how he felt about going double platinum when in fact he hadn't even gone platinum.

Maybe she was talking about the single?
And you know, I always knew that Tony owned the Sabbath name, etc, but I didn't realize that Geezer and Bill had no share at all.

Ozzy's got plenty of money obviously, but poor Geezer and poor Bill. I wonder what "owning the name" constitutes. Does that mean Geezer, Bill, and Ozzy don't get royalties from t-shirts and cds?

I find that hard to believe.

GUITARIDOL5682 · Post by **GUITARIDOL5682** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:30 am

NicDots wrote:I remember a lady interviewing Randy before the start of the Diary tour, asking how he felt about BOO going double platinum. How did Heaven and Hell do when it was first released. Anyone know?

I have just listened to the same interview, its from the Cow Palace San Francisco 30th December 1981 on the eve of the USA Diary of a Madman tour. The interviewer asks both Randy and Ozzy about the Blizzard album going double platinum and selling 2 million copies. So the sales figures would of been double platinum in just over a year of the UK release September 1980 USA release March 1981. But was this just the sales figures for the USA only ?. I don't know the sales figures for the Heaven & Hell album but it was released in the UK in April 1980. So it would of had a 6 month head start.
Paul did you get your info from wikipedia about the platinum sales 1992 ? So i wonder if the interviewer has got her info wrong ?. You'd think one of them would of said something..

RIAA certification[1] (United States)
Date Designation Total Sales
July 31,
1981 Gold 500,000
June 18,
1982 Platinum 1,000,000
August 11,
1992 Double Platinum 2,000,000
March 22,
1994 Triple Platinum 3,000,000
August 15,
1997 Quadruple Platinum 4,000,000

BPI certification (United Kingdom)
Date Designation Total Sales
August 21,
1981 Silver[4] 60,000

CRIA certification[5] (Canada)
Date Designation Total Sales
July 1,
1981 Gold 50,000
October 1,
1981 Platinum 100,000

rice_pudding · Post by **rice_pudding** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:26 pm

this whole thing is just odd

that's really all i can think of saying

Rob

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:07 pm

I'd like to recant my earlier comment. I was responding without enough info.

From Ozzy.com:

Statement from OZZY OSBOURNE:

“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 & 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 60’s now. The Black Sabbath legacy should live on long after we have all gone. Please do the right thing.”