Co-founding Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward says he’s recorded seven solo albums that he can’t release because he can’t nail down a record deal.
Speaking to Classic Rock magazine, Ward blamed the situation on fallout from the contract dispute that cost Sabbath a full reunion last decade. The dispute led to years of enmity and later confusion between Ward and his ex-bandmates, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler.
Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi in 2011.
Ward described one of his shelved albums, Beyond Aston, as “A f–king masterpiece, even though I say so myself.”
“I think I got a bad rap a few years ago and people didn’t want to touch me,” he said of his lack of label partnership. “We’re within an industry that’s very tiny. I walked out on a deal, you know [with Sabbath in 2012].”
Ward understands that not having a record deal does not mean he can’t release his music digitally, though he’d prefer to have a physical product as well.
The drummer, who has explored a renewed enthusiasm for poetry in recent years, would not address his current relationships with Ozzy, Iommi or Butler, but remained complimentary of his bandmates’ work and what they accomplished together as a unit.
Ward has remained open to the possibility of working with Black Sabbath again, though the health of the four co-founders remains in question, particularly as Ozzy rehabs a third spinal surgery in as many years.
