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tony iommi

TONY IOMMI To Be Honored By Coventry University

Manos Spanos
The lead guitarist of iconic rock band BLACK SABBATH and a princess of the Royal House of Jordan are among the outstanding individuals set to receive honorary degrees from Coventry University next week. Tony Iommi, who co-founded BLACK SABBATH in Birmingham in 1968, and Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Ali will be honoured by the University during its graduation ceremonies in Coventry Cathedral. Celebrated Coventrian and artist George Shaw — whose haunting depictions of the city's Tile Hill landscape have won him acclaim and a Turner Prize nomination — is also being recognized by the institution. The honorary graduands will receive their commendations in the same week that around 7,000 students are awarded their degrees from the University. Iommi will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts on Tuesday, November 19 in recognition of his contribution to the world of popular music, in particular his role as one of the founding fathers of heavy metal music and his status as one of the industry's most influential figures. On the Friday, Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Ali — who founded the Jordan Media Institute with which Coventry University has links — will become an Honorary Doctor of Letters for her contribution to the field of journalism and media. Honorary awards will also be presented to designer and educational fundraiser Lady Frances Sorrell, prominent lexicographer Michael Rundell and long-standing Coventry University governor Celia Fitzhugh. Iommi, who will be heading straight from the graduation ceremony to join BLACK SABBATH in Helsinki for the start of their latest European tour, said: "It's a great honor to receive the doctorate, which comes towards the end of a challenging but amazingly successful year for me. I'd like to thank everyone at Coventry University for my nomination and look forward to meeting them at the ceremony." Professor Madeleine Atkins, vice-chancellor of Coventry University, said: "It's a pleasure to be welcoming these exemplary individuals to our graduation ceremonies to receive their awards alongside our graduating students. Each of them has excelled in their field in such a way as to be worthy of recognition, and I hope our own students will be inspired by the drive and commitment they have shown throughout their careers."
02 min read

BLACK SABBATH’s IOMMI Still Doesn’t Know Exactly Why BILL WARD Pulled Out Of Reunion

Manos Spanos
Glenn BurnSilver of the Phoenix New Times recently conducted an interview with legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Phoenix New Times: How is playing together — recording together — after so many years of tension and not being in the studio? The last album with the original lineup was in 1978...[Singer] Ozzy [Osbourne] was booted out in 1979... Iommi: Tensions? The tensions over the years have mainly been about business. It's not been personal at all. We always got on well on a personal level. It's been going really good. It's just a different attitude now. When we got back together to record this album ["13"], everybody had a different attitude toward what we were doing this time. We wanted to make an album together. We all really appreciated each other and respected each other. That's really the only way to go into it — a full band commitment — and everybody was ready to put everything into it. We did try back 12 years ago, and nobody could settle on it then. It wasn't the right time, there were to many things going on. Ozzy was doing MTV, so it just didn't work then. We weren't going to do it until everybody was fully committed, and that was this time. [Producer Rick] Rubin was interested in doing the album [in 2001]. We played him some tracks but that's as far as we got with it. We pulled the plug on it. We never got into the studio. We'd just played him some tracks." Phoenix New Times: Where do you rank "13" among the many BLACK SABBATH albums? Iommi: Every album you do means something of that time period. Certainly the early stuff I like. I liked the stuff we did with [Ronnie James] Dio. If you try to rank it against with the Ozzy stuff, I think it ranks right up there. Phoenix New Times: Where's [original BLACK SABBATH drummer] Bill [Ward]? I know all of you have worked together on and off since that 1997 reunion, but is Bill even able to perform right now?
04 min read

TONY IOMMI On His Cancer Battle: ‘My Attitude Has Changed Toward Everything’

Manos Spanos
Jim Harrington of the San Jose Mercury News recently conducted an interview with the legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. A few excerpts from the chat follow below. On BLACK SABBATH's comeback album, "13", reaching No. 1 album on the U.S. chart earlier this year: Iommi: "We are very pleased. It's just quite a shock to have our first No. 1 record (in the U.S.) after being around for 45 years." On why BLACK SABBATH's 2001 attempt at a new studio album was unsuccessful: Iommi: "It just wasn't right. Nobody was on the right page. So, we abandoned the whole idea. But I always thought — or, at least, really hoped — we would do another album." On the Ronnie James Dio-fronted version of BLACK SABBATH recording and touring under the name HEAVEN & HELL:
03 min read

TONY IOMMI: Performing Live With BLACK SABBATH ‘Is Better Than It Was 40 Years Ago’

Manos Spanos
BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi recently spoke to the Hartford Advocate about the band's comeback album, "13", and their current North American tour, which will hit Mohegan Sun Arena on August 8. Asked what it feels like playing with singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassistGeezer Butler again, Iommi said: "It's a great feeling. You can't beat that feeling of walking onstage, especially with your old mates, you know. I think it's better than it was 40 years ago." He continued: "You know, we've been through a lot of experiences, family things and so on. I think when it comes back to the original guys again, it feels really comfortable. You do get — it comes along with age, I suppose — anxieties and different other things. But when you get onstage and start playing, it all settles down. Iommi also spoke about how the new songs fit with the more classicSABBATH material during the band's live show. "I think the songs fit in great with the old stuff, and it's also great to have new songs to fit in, because we haven't had any for so many years," he said. "As far as [playing] the whole album [live at some point]: we haven't tried that yet. We are playing four songs off the album, but
02 min read