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TONY IOMMI: ‘It’s Really Great’ To Be Able To Perform New Songs Live

Manos Spanos
Corbin Reiff of the Seattle Weekly recently conducted an interview with legendaryBLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Seattle Weekly: [BLACK SABBATHsinger] Ozzy [Osbourne] has said that a lot of the songs on the ["13"] album were arranged in a manner that would be conducive to playing live. Do you agree with him in that regard? Iommi: Yes, absolutely. When we spoke with [producer] Rick Rubin, we talked aboutOzzysinging more in his range and trying to sing more in a lower register like on the early albums. Like on "Black Sabbath",Ozzysang more in his range in a lower tone and that's what we wanted to get back to with this album so that we could do them live onstage. Seattle Weekly: In your opinion, how are the new songs stacking up against some of your older classic material and how does it feel to bring something new into the set? Iommi: They are fitting in really well with the old materia
02 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