Heavy Metal Headbangers Bang Heads: Ozzy ‘the Wizard’ Osbourne gives Tony ‘Embryo’ Iommi a little less Heaven and a little more Hell: Sues over use of Black Sabbath Trademark…

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This is really a Symptom of the Universe.. I mean you are Killing Yourself to Live in this Wicked World when you turn your band brand into an Electric Funeral for the lawyers to get rich..Is Ozzman Paranoid from too many years Snowblind? Is Tony a Zero or Hero? Don’t let the War Pigs get you down and Turn Up the Night cause it’s  A Hard Road and everyone knows that Fairies Wear Boots….hey wonder if Ronnie James Dio gets a piece of the action? After all Mob Rules and he wouldn’t want to be Last in Line….

Here is Sabbath in Phoenix on New Years Eve 1998 doing ‘Killing Yourself to Live’, MiM was there !! (Oz is soo right, they would NOT have packed the ballpark without Ozzy and Geezer)

Via Josh Modell at A.V. Club:

Below, a statement from Ozzy Osbourne regarding his lawsuit against Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi. The real question: Whose side will Satan take in this dispute?

“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.”

Tony, Ozzman and Geezer interviewed on the 97 Reunion, I understand the Dude with the Spanish accent far better than I understand Ozzy..

* Video courtesy of WesleyDeathCrow

LIVE AT PARIS 1970.

May 30, 2009. Tags: Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, Dio, Ian Gillan, John "Ozzy" Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie James Dio, Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler, Tony Iommi. Entertainment, Heavy Metal, Music, Popular Culture, Uncategorized. Leave a comment.