Ozzy Osbourne Explains Reason For Bill Ward's Departure - Noise11.com
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Noise11, Ros O'Gorman, Photo

Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Photo By Ros O'Gorman

Ozzy Osbourne Explains Reason For Bill Ward’s Departure

by Roger Wink, VVN Music on May 6, 2013

in News

Ever since the split of original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward from the group’s reunion, the world has been under the impression that it was all a contract dispute.

Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Noise11, Ros O'Gorman, Photo

Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Photo By Ros O'Gorman

In the latest edition of Mojo magazine, Ozzy Osbourne tells a different story.

According to Ozzy, it was more of a case of Ward’s competency in remembering his parts. Osbourne said:

“I guess it’s to do with finances or something. But there was also another side to it. When Bill came along, we all had to ask, ‘Can he do an hour-and-a-half, two-hour gig? Can he cope?’ My suggestion was that we run through a set and see how he got on because he was so out of condition and the drummer is the most demanding job in the whole band. We looked at Bill, and he couldn’t remember what the fuck we were doing. But he didn’t come clean and say, ‘I can’t cut this gig, but can we work something out, guys, where I’ll come on but with another drummer backing me up?’ Or, ‘I’ll come and play a few songs.’ That would have been cool.

“I get where he’s coming from, though. His pride was hurt and I get it. I really do get it. The guy will always be a dear, dear friend and a brother to me, but … He can’t be surprised that he didn’t get the gig. … You know them yellow fucking stick-on memo notes? He had them all over his fucking drums. I was like, ‘What the fuck’s that for, Bill?’ He said, ‘I can’t remember what I’m doing.’ I go, ‘How are you gonna remember out of those 500,000 bits of paper stuck all over your kit, which one you’re looking at, Bill?’ (He said) ‘I’ll know.’ Ah, OK great. I’m not gonna give Bill a hatchet job, but at the same time we haven’t got the patience to deal with it.”

Ward was replaced by Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine for the recording sessions on the album 13 and Tommy Clufetos, who is part of Osbourne’s solo band, has been playing for the tour.

Stay updated with your free Noise11 daily music newsletter. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here

Related Posts

Black Sabbath 1975
Black Sabbath Expand ‘Sabotage’

Black Sabbath’s next expanded edition will be the 1975 album ‘Sabotage’.

April 16, 2021
Bill Ward
Black Sabbath Co-founder Bill Ward In Hospital With Heart Issues

Former Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has been hospitalized to deal with heart problems which has caused him to cancel all of the upcoming dates for his new band, Day of Errors.

November 22, 2017
Bill Ward
Bill Ward Has A New Band Day Of Errors

Bill Ward, the original drummer with Black Sabbath, has announced the formation of a new band.

June 7, 2016
Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath, Noise11, 2013, Ros O'Gorman, Photo
Bill Ward Retracks Black Sabbath Slur

Bill Ward is placing the blame on the media over his comment that Black Sabbath's album 13 was a "piece of shit".

August 26, 2015
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Noise11, Ros O'Gorman, Photo
Bill Ward Calls Last Black Sabbath Album “A Pile Of Shit”

Bill Ward has no love for Black Sabbath's latest album, 13.

August 22, 2015
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Noise11, Ros O'Gorman, Photo
Ozzy Osbourne Tells Bill Ward ‘Stop Playing The Victim”

Ozzy Osbourne has responded to a public statement by former Black Sabbath drummer saying he needs to fix the division in Black Sabbath.

April 17, 2015
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Noise11, Ros O'Gorman, Photo
Bill Wards Needs Ozzy Osbourne To Fix Black Sabbath

The one downside of the Black Sabbath reunion that has occurred the last couple of years is that only 3/4 of the original lineup is participating, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler. Drummer Bill Ward has been absent due to conflicts with the Sabbath organization.

April 16, 2015