Latest news with #TonyIommi
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Back to the beginning — and the end: Ozzy's last ride with Black Sabbath to stream worldwide
LONDON, June 7 — Ozzy Osbourne's final ever gig as Black Sabbath's frontman will be streamed worldwide after fans snapped up tickets for the hometown show, starring the original line-up, in just 16 minutes, the band said yesterday. Osbourne, who revealed in 2020 that he has Parkinson's disease, will join Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the all-day Back To The Beginning show in Birmingham, central England, where the heavy metal giants formed in 1968. The July 5 gig at Aston Villa Football Club's Villa Park stadium will also feature sets by US rockers Metallica, Guns N'Roses, Tool and Slayer among others, as well as a short solo set by Osbourne. It will be the original line-up's first show together in 20 years and Osbourne's swansong. 'With the concert ... selling out in under 16 minutes, those who missed out on being there in person can immerse themselves in what is set to be the greatest heavy metal show ever,' the band said Friday. Fans were able to buy live-stream tickets from 3pm (1400 GMT) on Friday for £24.99 (RM142), allowing them to watch the concert 'live', although with a two-hour delay from the start in the arena, and continue to view it for another 48 hours. 'We had such an overwhelming demand from fans from around the globe, who couldn't get tickets to the show, and they took to social media, pleading with us to broadcast a live-stream of the show,' said Osbourne's wife Sharon. 'Being this is such a historic event, we just couldn't let them down.' Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide and are widely recognised as one of the pioneers of heavy metal music. All profits from the show will go to charities including Cure Parkinson's and Birmingham Children's Hospital. Osbourne's diagnosis led to him pausing touring. But Sharon told the BBC the Villa Park gig would be his last. 'This is his full stop,' she was quoted as saying. — AFP
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Robbie William announces surprise new album inspired by his wild Britpop days and admits he's been waiting 30 years to make music like this
has revealed he's finally set to release the album he's been wanting to make for three decades. The singer, 51, announced his new record Britpop on Wednesday, inspired by the era in which he famously feuded with Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. As previously teased, the lead single, Rocket, features Black Sabbath axe-slayer Tony Iommi on guitar. Speaking about his new music, Robbie explained: 'I set out to create the album that I wanted to write and release after I left Take That in 1995. It was the peak of Britpop and a golden age for British Music. 'I've worked with some of my heroes on this album; it's raw, there are more guitars and it's an album that's even more upbeat and anthemic than usual.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The album's artwork features the red tracksuit Robbie famously wore to Glastonbury Festival in 1995, where he partied hard with and briefly befriended Oasis frontman Liam Robbie continued: 'There's some "Brit" in there and there's certainly some "pop" too - I'm immensely proud of this as a body of work and I'm excited for fans to hear this album. 'I also can't wait to perform a song or two from it on my upcoming Britpop tour, which I'm opening in the UK, naturally.' Robbie has since changed the name of his upcoming tour from Robbie Williams Live 2025 to the Britpop Tour. The album's artwork features the red tracksuit Robbie famously wore to Glastonbury Festival in 1995, where he partied hard with and briefly befriended Oasis frontman Liam, around the same time he quit boy band Take That. Yet relationships between Robbie and the siblings were sometimes strained, with Noel famously branding Robbie the 'fat dancer from Take That'. Despite trading insults over the years, Robbie has always loved Oasis' music and has always admitted he would have preferred to be making that kind of music opposed to his band's pop hits. Robbie's Britpop tour kicks off in Edinburgh on May 31 and will see him travel to the likes of Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Sweden. Part of his tour will also see Robbie spend two nights at the Co-op Live area in Manchester. Part of his tour will also see Robbie spend two nights at the Co-op Live area in Manchester. Barclays announced on Wednesday its new partnerships as Founding Partner of Co-op Live Ahead of a huge summer of music events, Barclays announced on Wednesday its new partnerships, becoming Founding Partner of Co-op Live and Principal Partner of The O2. Barclays customers can now snap up specially reserved tickets across both venues and gain access to premium lounges and hospitality suites at The O2 and Co-op Live. Last week, Robbie was seen filming his new music video in London, clad in a leather jacket and red tartan trousers. Robbie previously revealed he had 'written loads of songs' and is feeling more 'ambitious' than ever. Last year he told Virgin Radio: 'I've got loads of plans. I've written loads of songs, I've got my film [Better Man] at the end of this year and I'm doing Hyde Park in the summer. 'I have never been busier, I've never been as ambitious as I am right now. I am full of purpose, and I am loving life.' Stream Rocket now on all major streaming services. Britpop is released this autumn.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Legendary' Birmingham rock pub gets new lease of life with two huge reasons to visit
An old Birmingham rock pub has been given a new lease of life, undergoing a refurbishment that includes one huge new feature. Scruffy Murphy's in Dale End has been serving beers to a soundtrack of rock and roll since 2001 and its new renovation makes it look like Birmingham's answer to the Hard Rock Cafe, with memorabilia on the walls and nods to musical icons including Birmingham's own Ozzy Osbourne. There's also a photo of Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi in which he's standing outside the pub in the flesh. Read more: Kerryman pub transformation to be revealed in days as excitement builds Subscribe to the Brum Food Club for a weekly food and drink newsletter, in your inbox, every Thursday. It's free. Before it became 'Scruffy's' the pub was known as the Pen and Wig, and the corner boozer has been known for hosting live gigs and proving a safe space for Brummies belonging to alternative subcultures in both its iterations. As well as refreshing the interior, the pub has commissioned a huge mural of rockstars on its external wall. READ MORE: Photos show refurbished Scruffy Murphys - Birmingham's answer to the Hard Rock Cafe It features the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead legend Lemmy, Judas Priest's Rob Halford and Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson. By way to celebrating the new addition, Scruffy Murphy's has invited visitors to take photos standing outside the new Dale End art feature to be in with the chance of winning tickets to Bloodstock, a heavy metal festival held every year in Catton Park, Derbyshire. Dale End took a significant hit earlier this year when Priory Square closed for good. When it shut down, the businesses that had called the shopping centre home were forced to close, including the 54-year-old Oasis Market. The Oasis Market, like Scruffy Murphy's, had long been a space for Birmingham's heavy metal fans to congregate. Now, Scruffy's has lent its downstairs gig space to Fallout, one of the independent traders that had been selling official band merchandise in The Oasis Market since 1996. Fallout is currently selling T-shirts, flags, patches and more from within the pub on a temporary basis while it works to establish a more permanent position. Exact dates can be confirmed on the Fallout Instagram page, though it's currently set for every day of the week beginning May 19, excluding Saturday. You'll find Scruffy Murphy's at Dale End, B4 7LN.
Irish Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Fans are only just learning how Black Sabbath got its name
Before they became the titans of heavy metal, Black Sabbath were just another act striving to make their mark in Birmingham's smoke-filled pubs and working men's clubs. And now the tale of how they coined what some fans believe to be the best band name ever has been revealed. Formed in 1968, before they ever reached legendary status, they didn't just experiment with sound; they went through their fair share of quirky names as well. It started when Mythology, Tony Iommi's and Bill Ward's previous group, split up. Eager to keep rocking the heavy blues scene, the two soon teamed up with fellow local rockers Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler, who had previously worked together in Rare Breed. A simple ad that Ozzy put up in the local music shop kickstarted it all: "OZZY ZIG Needs Gig – has own PA." That modest advert would set the stage for what would become one of the most pioneering bands in music history. The band's original line-up went by the name The Polka Tulk Blues Band, which included the main four plus slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips and saxophonist Alan 'Aker' Clarke. The name itself hinted at a playful and offbeat vibe, but Tony grew concerned about the band's direction, reports the Daily Record. Feeling that the additional members weren't fully committed, he opted for a roundabout solution: the band disbanded and came back as a four-piece known as Earth, ditching the original name. It was as Earth that the band began to craft their unique sound with early demos like Song for Jim and landing gigs across the Midlands. Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne and on stage as Earth They caught the eye of local club owner and trumpet player Jim Simpson, who offered them regular spots at his Henry's Blueshouse. But there was a catch - they'd be paid in free t-shirts instead of cash. By 1969, Earth was making waves, yet they hit a snag: another band in England was already using the name Earth, leading to confusion. The group knew it was time for a change. Right across from their Birmingham rehearsal spot, a cinema was screening the 1963 horror flick Black Sabbath featuring Boris Karloff. Geezer Butler, the band's bassist, observed the moviegoers queuing up and mused: "Isn't it strange that people spend so much money to see scary movies?". This observation sparked creativity in Geezer and Ozzy, who quickly composed a song titled Black Sabbath, drawing inspiration from horror author Dennis Wheatley and a spine-chilling experience Geezer had with a shadowy figure at his bedside. Their music incorporated the tritone, an interval once dubbed diabolus in musica or 'the Devil's Interval', creating a sound that was utterly distinct from anything else on the airwaves in 1969. The track Black Sabbath marked a pivotal moment for the band. Realising they had tapped into something monumental, they decided to shed the name Earth and, in August 1969, they embraced a new identity: Black Sabbath. Black Sabbath, 1970s: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne (Image: Chris Walter/WireImage) Their inaugural performance under the new moniker took place on August 30 in Workington. From that point forward, they embraced more sinister themes and started to craft a sound that was more influenced by horror films than the psychedelic or flower power movements that were ruling the charts at the time. Black Sabbath launched their eponymous debut album in February 1970. The majority of critics were either perplexed or dismissive, but the fans backed their endeavours, and the album sold quickly, laying the foundation for a legacy they can proudly claim today.
Evening Standard
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy Osbourne says he ‘may be sitting down' for his final gig this summer amid health woes
The Back To The Beginning show at Villa Park, Birmingham, on July 5 will see the 76-year-old singer deliver his own short set before he joins bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – who will play together as a group for the first time in 20 years.
