Speaking at the Monsters Of Rock press conference on April 24th in in São Paulo, Brazil, Ozzy Osbourne discusses a number of topics, including Black Sabbath’s future plans.

Says Ozzy: “The plan is that next year we’ll do the final Black Sabbath tour, and it’s over. But I’m not stopping!”

Hear more from Ozzy via the press conference video footage, streaming below:

Osbourne recently responded to Bill Ward’s statement asking the Prince Of Darkness to “to amend his opinions and exaggerations” regarding Sabbath's recent reunion album/tour and the drummer's "relationship" with the band where he says a "true union was denied."

It reads as follows:

“I never wanted to discuss this in a public forum but Bill's statements left me no option to but to respond honestly.

Wow Bill,

What the fuck are you on about? I cannot apologize for comments or opinions I may have made about you in the press during Sabbath’s 13 album and tour - physically, you knew you were fucked. Tony, Geezer and myself didn’t think you could have done a two hour set with a drum solo every night, so we made the decision to move on. With Tony’s condition we felt that time was not on our side.

Bill, stop this smokescreen about an ‘unsignable contract’ and let’s be honest. Deep down inside you knew you weren’t capable of doing the album and a 16 month tour. Unfortunately for you, our instincts were correct as you were in hospital several times during 2013. Your last hospitalization was for a shoulder surgery that you now say you’ve only just recovered from. This would have meant that our world tour would have been canceled. So how is all of this my fault? Stop playing the victim and be honest with yourself and our fans.

Bill, we go back a long way, let’s stop this now before it gets out of hand.

God bless you.

Love.

Ozzy”

 

Bill Ward has released his first solo album in 18 years called Accountable Beasts, on iTunes. The CD features Ward's drumming on seven of the album's nine tracks, as well as contributions from his longtime collaborators Keith Lynch (guitar, keyboards), Paul Ill (bass) and Ronnie Ciago (drums), along with drummer Walter Earl and an array of session singers, including Ward's daughter Emily.

 

 

Accountable Beasts features the following tracks:

“Leaf Killers”
“Accountable Beasts”
“Katastrophic World”
“D.O.T.H.”

‘First Day Back”

“As It Is In Heaven’

“Ashes”
“Straws”
“The Wall Of Death”

 

 

Ward spoke with noted independent music writer and author Joel Gausten about Accountable Beasts. Those familiar with Ward's 1990 solo debut Ward One: Along The Way and 1997's When The Bough Breaks know that the music released under his own steam (and often featuring his lead vocals) is usually a reflection of his softer, more soulful side. How does Accountable Beasts compare to these two previous releases?

“It's much tougher; it kicks harder,” he reveals. “Most of the stuff is pretty heavy on it. It's very current lyrically. I don't intend to be current with anything; I just write the music and allow it to just be whatever it is. But when I listened to it in hindsight - we did the final mastering on January 6th of this year - I thought, 'Oh my God! A lot of the stuff we're writing about is on TV every day. Most of [the album] is about religion; most of it's about war. It's the stuff that makes the world turn 'round every day. It's about people's souls being ripped to pieces. I guess it could be called morbid, but at the same time I'm also hoping it can be called energizing and respectful lyrically. I've worked really hard on trying to produce something that would mean something to the listener who's drawn in by the music.”
“We got pretty crazy on this one,” he adds. “We just played; it was like, 'Fuck everything.' I wanted to go back to a place that I really know well, and that's playing hard.”

The self-released Accountable Beasts is expected to arrive on iTunes (complete with an extensive digital booklet) within the next couple of months. Physical copies will also be made available.

Once Accountable Beasts is in the world, Ward will devote time to concluding Beyond Aston. He plans to be in final mixing mode by this September to finish things off. (One confirmed track, “Poppies,” is an emotional anti-war number inspired by the tradition of wearing a poppy on November 11th in honor of those who perished in battle.) Not surprisingly, Ward couldn't be more excited to reach this point with Beyond Aston after so many years.

“It's fucking great; it's beautiful, man,” he says of the album. “I hope other people will like it. I think it's one of the best things I've participated in since Master Of Reality.”

To read the interview in its entirety, visit this location.