Geezer Butler: I used to cut myself

Geezer Butler
Geezer Butler (Image credit: Getty)

Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler says he used to self-harm when he was younger and that he’d have killed himself if the band hadn’t made it.

Sabbath’s 1970 single Paranoid was written about the bass player’s mental state at the time, as he battled with depression.

And he reveals the extent of his problems in a brand new interview with Classic Rock magazine.

Butler says: “I used to be a cutter. I’d cut my arms, stick pins in my fingers, that kind of thing. I used to get really depressed and it was the only thing that could bring me out from it.

“If Sabbath hadn’t made it, I’d have been long dead. I’d have killed myself.”

Sabbath are on what will be their last ever world tour and they insist their relationships with each other have mellowed.

Since guitarist Tony Iommi made a recovery from a cancer diagnosis in 2012, he’s become a much calmer person, according to frontman Ozzy Osbourne.

Ozzy says: “He’s changed so much. He used to be the Darth Vader of the band. What he said went, but he’s got really humble. When you get something like cancer, it fucking shakes your tree.”

Osbourne and Slipknot recently announced that their festivals Ozzfest and Knotfest have joined forces.

Sabbath are the cover stars of the latest issue of Classic Rock magazine, available now in print, digital and via TeamRock+.

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Black Sabbath The End tour 2016

Jun 01: Budapest Arena, Hungary
Jun 08: Berlin Waldebuhne, Germany
Jun 11: Download Festival, UK
Jun 13: Verona Arena, Italy
Jun 15: Zurich Hallenstadion, Switzerland
Jun 17: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium
Jun 19: Hellfest, France
Jun 23: Halden Tons of Rock, Norway
Jun 25: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 28: Vienna Stadthalle, Austria
Jun 30: Prague 02 Arena, Czech Republic
Jul 02: Krakow Tauron Arena, Poland
Jul 05: Riga Arena, Latvia
Jul 07: Helsinki Monsters of Rock, Finland
Jul 09: Stockholm Monsters of Rock, Sweden
Jul 12: Moscow Olympisky Arena, Russia
Aug 17: Wantagh Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, NY
Aug 19: Philadelphia Susquehanna Bank Center, PA
Aug 21: Washington Jiffy Lube Live, DC
Aug 23: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Aug 25: Boston Xfinity Center, MA
Aug 27: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
Aug 29: Toronto Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, ON
Aug 31: Detroit DTE Energy Music Theater, MI
Sep 02: Indianapolis Klipsch Music Center, IN
Sep 04: Chicago Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, IL
Sep 07: Dallas Gexa Energy Pavilion, TX
Sep 09: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheater, NM
Sep 11: Salt Lake City USANA Amphitheater, UT
Sep 13: Portland Sunlight Supply Arena, OR
Sep 15: Oakland Oracle Arena, CA
Sep 17: Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, NV
Sep 19: Hollywood Hollywood Bowl, CA
Sep 21: Phoenix AK-Chin Pavilion, AZ

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.