Black Sabbath ex Tony Iommi is building new studio

Tony Iommi
Not stopping: Tony Iommi

Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi is building himself a new studio, says Tony Martin, who fronted the band in the 80s and 90s – and they’re still hoping to work together again.

It’s more evidence that, despite winding up the band’s career in February as a result of his cancer status, Iommi intends to keep working at some level.

At the time he said: “My illness is the bloody reason why I have backed off from long tours.” He added of his future musical plans: “The only criterion is that it cannot involve being away for seven or eight weeks at a time, unless it’s in one place.”

Last year Iommi confirmed he had plans to regroup with Martin. Now the vocalist – who appeared on Sabbath albums The Eternal Idol, Tyr, Headless Cross, Cross Purposes and Forbidden – tells Metal Jacket Magazine (via Blabbermouth): “I spoke to him just a few weeks ago. He’s bought a new house and he’s building a new studio.

“He said he needs to set that up and get that all ready. But when he’s ready, I’m happy to do it, and I know he wants to do it.

“Those albums have been deleted for a long time, and I think they could sound better. Especially Forbidden – I hate that. When I listen to it now, I think how I could make it better. If he gives me the chance, I’d love to do that again.”

Martin accepts the charge that Forbidden just didn’t sound like a Black Sabbath album. “I told him that,” says the singer. “It was me, Cozy Powell and Geoff Nicholls. We were saying, ‘This is not Black Sabbath.’

“I understand what they were trying to do, the Run DMC thing, but it didn’t work. I have demos from the rehearsals and it sounded really cool, really hard. I would love to re-record that, and if I got the chance I’d like to rewrite some of the lyrics.”

Martin is working on a solo album and an autobiography. Sabbath’s final show, in Birmingham in February, was filmed for a future release.

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Freelance Online News Contributor

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.