On the 11-11-11 Black Sabbath announced with much excitement their long-awaited reunion with the original members – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. A world tour and new album were to follow (the first studio album with this lineup since 1978’s Never Say Die).
Unfortunately due to contractual issues Bill pulled out of the reunion, then Tony Iommi was diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer (what more could go wrong?)! The tour had to be postponed, but despite these setbacks they did play 3 shows in 2012 (without Bill – Ozzy’s drummer Tommy Clufetos stepped in for these shows). The first was a small kick off show in May 2012 for the faithful in Birmingham, UK (the birthplace of metal and the home of Black Sabbath); then the massive Download 2012 festival in Donington, UK in June 2012 which I was lucky enough to attend (with over 100,000 other people! What an experience that was – standing in anticipation with that huge crowd, then all of us starting to chant the riff to Iron Man….an amazing experience! A long-held music ambition of mine had been fulfilled) and strangely Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL USA in August 2012.
Anyway the good news is work on their new studio album titled “13” went on with producer Rick Rubin and Brad Wilk from Rage Against The Machine on drums. This album will be released on June 11, 2013 (I can’t wait!)
Some of the track titles from the new album are slated as follows:
End Of The Beginning
God Is Dead
Epic
Dear Father
Age Of Reason
Methademic
The other good news is that the world tour is commencing with dates in New Zealand and Australia already announced for April/May 2013. The rest of the world will follow and I look forward to seeing them play live again soon.
Long live Black Sabbath!!!!
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