Black Sabbath album, festival shows possible says Tony Iommi

Tony Iommi
(Image credit: Getty)

Tony Iommi says it’s “possible” that Black Sabbath could record another album and make festival appearances after their farewell tour finishes.

The metal icons’ The End trek will be completed with two shows in their home city of Birmingham on February 2 and 4, bringing their career on the road to an end after 49 years of action.

One of the main reasons for calling a halt is the guitarist’s health concerns after his battle against cancer.

Iommi tells Talk Is Jericho: “It’s going be such a weird thing because Black Sabbath’s always been my life.

“Everything fell by the wayside to Black Sabbath – all the marriages and everything, because I’m always out working and always doing this, always in the studio.

“It’s going be pretty weird, that last show. I don’t know how anybody’s going to feel. And after that, who knows?

“I’ve been asked, ‘What are you going to do after this?’ Well, I don’t know. As long as it’s not world touring, I’m all right.

“It’s just the traveling that gets me. Since I was ill, it really does affect me now.”

He adds: “I don’t want to stop playing. For me, it’s the touring now. There’s a day when you’ve got to go, ‘Look, we’ve done it for almost 50 years. It’s time to re-look at it.

“When I got ill, that’s when I started getting vulnerable. Before that I could do anything – but I suddenly felt deflated and lost a lot of confidence.

“They’re going, ‘You shouldn’t be flying, really. You shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t be doing that.

“That’s what’s brought about the end of this, really, because the constant touring does eventually get to you.”

Asked about the chance of festival appearances in the future, Iommi says: “I wouldn’t write that off, if one day that came about. That’s possible.

“Or even doing an album, because then you’re in one place. But I don’t know if that would happen.”

Tony Iommi plans to record with Black Sabbath ex Tony Martin

Black Sabbath: The End world tour remaining dates

Nov 24: Cordoba En El Orfeo Superdomo, Argentina
Nov 26: Buenos Aires Estadio Velez, Argentina
Nov 30: Curitiba Pedrerira Paulo Leminski, Brazil
Dec 02: Rio Praca Da Apoteose, Brazil
Dec 04: Sao Paulo Estadio Do Morumbi, Brazil
Jan 20: Dublin 3 Arena, Ireland
Jan 22: Manchester Arena, UK
Jan 24: Glasgow SSE Hydro, UK
Jan 26: Leeds First Direct Arena, UK
Jan 29: London O2, UK
Jan 31: London O2, UK
Feb 02: Birmingham Genting Arena, UK
Feb 04: Birmingham Genting Arena, UK

The Black Sabbath Lyrics Quiz: can you match the line to the song?

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.