Ozzy sues Iommi

[krish]

Wouldn't be surprised if it's Sharon's doing
- nasty nasty woman (like father like daughter), sabotaging Maiden at Ozzfest, being an agressive and rude host of the Brits (calling a sober Vic Reeves something like a drunk bar steward) amongst recent episodes.

On the face of it, Ozzy might have a point ... but I think it's more likely to be about Sharon stirring up a power struggle and hoping to seize control, rather than anything about equality between all four original members.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Ozzy sues Black Sabbath bandmate:

Ozzy sues Black Sabbath bandmate

Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne is suing the band's guitarist Tony Iommi over royalty payments.

The 60-year-old has accused Iommi of falsely claiming to have sole rights to the band's name which has cost him royalties from merchandise sales.

Osbourne is seeking unspecified damages, lost profits and a declaration he is a half-owner of the trademark.

Iommi claims Osbourne legally relinquished rights to the band's name in the 1980s.

The guitarist registered the Black Sabbath trademark in the US in 2000.

Equal shares

Osbourne issued a statement on Friday asking Iommi to "do the right thing".

"Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you," he said.

"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."

Osbourne said he believed all four original members of the band should share Black Sabbath's name equally adding: "I hope that by me taking this first step that it will ultimately end up that way."

The star's lawyer has disputed he gave up rights to the band's name, saying that even if the singer did make such an agreement, he took a major role in the band's direction and success after rejoining it in 1997.

Black Sabbath, who were formed in Birmingham in 1968, have sold more then 100 million albums and are known for hits including Iron Man and Paranoid.

[wokeye]

I only like the earlier Sabbath stuff, after Sabotage they died for me. It seems obvious to me that Ozzy Osbourne is just a gormless **** who's had some good songwriters musicians to carry him throughout his career.

Where would the guy be without Iommi, Butler, Rhoads, Wylde etc? .

Maybe it is his horrible wife

[mengez]

Erm saw this last night and thought of the lovely Sharon.
Strange thing is Black Sabbath MkII are going out under the "Heaven and Hell" name for fear of reprisal from S.O, that makes me think that they are not 100% sure of their position, it must be a complicated one!

Unfortunately the "Prince of Darkness" ahem, is just a puppet for his missus to exploit to the full and hasn't created any music of relevance in around the last twenty years as a result of being surrounded by hangers on and protected by his lovely wife.

[Palladio]

Originally Posted by krish

Wouldn't be surprised if it's Sharon's doing
- nasty nasty woman (like father like daughter)

Absolutely. Never forgiven her old man for the way he treated the Small Faces.

Basically just a London Gangster in the Music Business.

They never made a penny while he was their Manager, just got a allowance to keep them happy and what ever happened to their royalties God only knows...........

[Harj]

Didn't Ozzy Osbourne also remix a couple of his more famous albums (Blizzard & Diary?)removed the original musicians playing and got some other guys playing on them so as to not pay an royalties or something like that?

The guy is a gormle** untalented **** who has got by living of the musicanship of others, his wife is worse though.

[Artie Fufkin]

I'm sure if you ask the man in the street about Sabbath, he will mention Ozzy and that's it. They are inexorably linked.

However, if you ask any fan with just a little Sabbath knowledge I'm convinced thay would say it is Iommi's band. He's been there all the way, writing and keeping it going. But would they have been such a success without Ozzy's personality as a front man? I really don't know.

What I can say is Ozzy has lost his kudos and comes across as a bumbling old fool whereas Iommi is about as cool as a 60 year old could be.

[mengez]

Originally Posted by Artie Fufkin

if you ask any fan with just a little Sabbath knowledge I'm convinced thay would say it is Iommi's band. He's been there all the way, writing and keeping it going. But would they have been such a success without Ozzy's personality as a front man? I really don't know.

I think your right it is Iommi's band and even Butler's band more than it is Ozzy's. Even in the lean years and all the different musicians there was still some good music being knocked out by Iommi and Sabbath.

Full credit to Ozzy initially he went and built himself a good solo career, unfortunately it was on the slide and Sharon had to turn it all in to a circus. Even when Ozzy was in Sabbath last it was him that was screwing it for them by not being able to preform at a fair number of the Ozzfest gigs, which culminated in the disgraceful egg throwing incident with Maiden, because Sharon couldn't take the fact that they were going out and doing the business in Sabbaths absence.

What the lawyers say is another question, even if Ozzy did relinquish rights previously, as his smarmy leach has already said it doesn't matter and they'll try and turn it round anyway.