OZZY OSBOURNE and the rest of the original line up of Black Sabbath have reformed.
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The legendary heavy metal group confirmed they are getting back together and planning a new studio album – their first with original singer Osbourne since 1978 – and a huge tour in 2012.
The band announced their comeback at the Whiskey a Go-Go club in Los Angeles, where they revealed their new album will be produced by Rick Rubin, who has worked with artists ranging from Metallica to Adele.
It has long been rumoured that Ozzy – who went on to have a successful solo career, and later became a reality TV star after leaving the band – would reunite with drummer Bill Ward, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, and earlier this summer they admitted meeting up at his house in Los Angeles.
Tony told Billboard.com they had met “for a bit of fun, and to see if we could all play. It was good, but it was just purely, ‘Let’s have a go and see what happens.’ ”
Earlier this year Ozzy said their reunion was “in the very early stages, so we haven’t recorded anything yet.”
He added: “If it works out, it’ll work out. If it doesn’t, I’ll keep doing my thing.”
Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968 and became one of the bands who defined the heavy metal sound, with their first four albums regarded as classics.
After Ozzy was fired from the group in 1979 they continued with a number of other vocalists, but struggled to replicate their earlier success. Ozzy returned to play live with the band from 1997 to 2006, but during this time they only recorded two new tracks.
Black Sabbath will also headline one night of Download festival 2012 at Donington Park, which takes place between 8 and 10 of June next year.
