Black Sabbath’s much-anticipated reunion may have hit yet another snag: drummer Bill Ward’s participation has been compromised due to contract dispute. The announcement comes on the heels of last month’s sad news that Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi had been diagnosed with lymphoma, forcing the group to change recording locations and to pull out of their planned Coachella headlining spot. Read Ward’s full statement after the jump.
According to Rolling Stone, Ward will await a “signable contract” before he signs and confirms his participation in the reunion. The contract should reflect “some dignity and respect towards [Ward] as an original member of the band.”
This is Ward’s second clash with the group’s management team. In 2004, Sharon Osbourne announced that Faith No More’s Mike Bordin would accompany the group in Ward’s place for the Ozzfest tour. Though the two parties eventually came to an agreement that included Ward in the tour, this year’s controversy seems to point indicate remaining friction.
Ward describes feeling “lousy and lonely” over the affair, but points out that the current contract’s terms would cause him to lose his “rights, dignity and respectability as a rock musician.” He stresses that his decisions were not greed-driven and that he was not pressuring the management team for more money “like some kind of blackmail deal.”
Read Ward’s full statement below:
Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,
At this time, I would love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour. However, I am unable to continue unless a “signable” contract is drawn up; a contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band. Last year, I worked diligently in good faith with Tony, Ozzy and Geezer. And on 11/11/11, again in good faith, I participated in the L.A. press conference. Several days ago, after nearly a year of trying to negotiate, another “unsignable” contract was handed to me.
Let me say that although this has put me in some kind of holding pattern, I am packed and ready to leave the U.S. for England. More importantly, I definitely want to play on the album, and I definitely want to tour with Black Sabbath.
Since the news of Tony’s illness, and the understanding that the band would move production to the U.K., I’ve spent every day getting to or living in a place of readiness to leave. That involves something of a task, and as I’ve tried to find out what’s going on with the U.K. sessions, I’ve realized that I’ve been getting “the cold shoulder” (and, I might add, not for the first time). Feeling somewhat ostracized, my guess is as of today, I will know nothing of what’s happening unless I sign “the unsignable contract.”
The place I’m in feels lousy and lonely because as much as I want to play and participate, I also have to stand for something and not sign on. If I sign as-is, I stand to lose my rights, dignity and respectability as a rock musician. I believe in freedom and freedom of speech. I grew up in a hard rock/metal band. We stood for something then, and we played from the heart with honesty and sincerity. I am in the spirit of integrity, far from the corporate malady, I am real and honest, fair and compassionate.
If I’m replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans. I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted. Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact.
So here I am. I lay my truth down before you. I’m good to go IF I get a “signable” contract. I don’t want to let anyone down, especially Black Sabbath and all the Sabbath fans. You know I love you. It would be a sad day in Rock if this current situation fell to the desires of a few.
My position is not greed-driven. I’m not holding out for a “big piece” of the action (money) like some kind of blackmail deal. I’d like something that recognizes and is reflective of my contributions to the band, including the reunions that started fourteen years ago. After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract. I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I’ve brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning.
That’s the story so far.
Stay safe and stay strong.
I love every single one of you.
– Bill Ward
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