In a new interview with Metro legendary Black Sabbath drummer, Bill Ward, talks about the upcoming Technical Ecstasy: Super Deluxe Edition, reveals the status of the relationship between himself and his former bandmates, and suggests that a reunion could be in the cards.

Asked where he thinks Technical Ecstasy ranks among the first eight Black Sabbath albums, Ward answers, "Well, I think it stands up and shows that we were open-minded and progressive. But you can tell it’s the same band. We didn’t jettison our loudness. Those chords on 'You Won’t Change Me' are huge. 'Gypsy' is huge. As far as the drums go, I tried to focus on what worked musically for those parts."

Ward is equally assured about the affection he has for his former bandmates: "Ozzy and I were the guys that pissed about a lot. We went through a lot together, but I had a close relationship with Tony and Geezer as well. I was close with all the guys."

After a series of brief reunions of the band’s original lineup between 1985 and 2005, Black Sabbath came together once more in 2011 to announce that they were recording a new album with a world tour to follow in 2012. That went ahead, with 13 – the 19th Black Sabbath album overall – released in 2013. But Ward did not participate. And in February 2017, Black Sabbath officially retired with a pair of hometown shows at the NEC Arena. Tommy Clufetos played drums on the band’s farewell tour.

Their relationship now? "I’m in contact with the guys," says Ward. "I talked to Ozzy two nights ago. A lot of things have crossed between us and there’s new boundaries that I’ve had to build, but I don’t think any less of them. I’ve been working with Tony since 1964 when I was 16 years old. They’re my brothers and I love them."

But is the book closed on Black Sabbath? "As far as I’m concerned, the book’s never closed with Sabbath! I’m writing like a demon, I’m living life."

In recent years, both Osbourne and Iommi have shown interest in one more reunion. This time at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. A final hometown hurrah for the legendary Brummies. Ward doesn’t rule it out, but at the age of 73, he’s more enthusiastic about studio work: "My biggest contention has been ‘let’s make another album’. Nothing live necessarily, because I’m looking at what I can realistically do. The way I play the drums, it’s becoming tougher as I get older. I haven’t spoken to the guys about it, but I have talked to a couple of people in management about the possibility of making a recording. Which I can do safely, even with Covid around. I can lay track at my studio in Los Angeles. I’m very open-minded about doing something like that."

Read the full interview at Metro.co.uk.

Black Sabbath embraced change in 1976 when the heavy metal innovators started managing themselves and began exploring different sounds on the band’s seventh studio album, Technical Ecstasy. The record reached #13 in the UK and was certified gold in the US.

BMG honors this daring album with a collection that includes a newly remastered version of the original, a brand-new mix by Steven Wilson, plus more than 90-minutes of previously unreleased outtakes, alternative mixes and live tracks. Technical Ecstasy: Super Deluxe Edition will be available on October 1 as a 4CD set and 5LP set on 180-gram black vinyl.

Both the 4CD and 5LP versions are available for pre-order here. The remastered studio album will be available the same day on digital download and streaming services.

The newly remastered version of "Back Street Kids" is available today digitally. Click here to listen now. This and other remastered tracks can be heard below.

In the summer of 1976, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward headed to Miami to record Technical Ecstasy at the famed Criteria Studios. The band was coming off a world tour for their previous album, Sabotage, that had found their live performances evolving to include keyboards and synthesizers. These newly incorporated instruments and sounds were then introduced into the recording process on Technical Ecstasy.  The new songs encompassed a wide range of styles from the hard charging "Back Street Kids" and ballad "It’s Alright," to the funky "All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" and progressive "Gypsy." The album also featured the single "It’s Alright," which was the first Sabbath song to feature lead vocals by Ward. The Deluxe Edition presents a newly remastered version of the eight-track album, along with an entirely new mix of the album created by Steven Wilson using the original analog tapes.

Technical Ecstasy: Super Deluxe Edition comes with eight previously unreleased outtakes and alternative mixes. Among those are different mixes of "You Won’t Change Me" and "Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor," as well as both outtake and instrumental versions for "She’s Gone." The collection concludes with 10 previously unreleased live tracks recorded during the 1976-77 Technical Ecstasy World Tour. The songs touch on different eras of the band’s history with early tracks like "Black Sabbath" and "War Pigs" alongside new songs "Gypsy" and "Dirty Women."

The collection comes with an extensive booklet featuring artwork, liner notes, rare memorabilia and photos from the era, plus a replica of the 1976-77 world tour concert book and a large colour poster.

Technical Ecstasy: Super Deluxe Edition 4CD/5LP tracklisting:

Disc One: Original Album 1976 (2021 Remaster)
"Back Street Kids"
"You Won’t Change Me"
"It’s Alright"
"Gypsy"
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)"
"Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor"
"She’s Gone"
"Dirty Women"

Disc Two: New Steven Wilson Mix
"Back Street Kids" *
"You Won’t Change" *
"It’s Alright" – Mono Version
"Gypsy" *
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" *
"Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor" *
"She’s Gone" *
"Dirty Women" *

Disc Three: Outtakes & Alternative Mixes
"Back Street Kids" – Alternative Mix *
"You Won’t Change Me" – Alternative Mix *
"Gypsy" – Alternative Mix *
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" – Alternative Mix *
"Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor" – Alternative Mix *
"She’s Gone" – Outtake Version *
"Dirty Women" – Alternative Mix *
"She’s Gone" – Instrumental Mix *

Disc Four: Live World Tour 1976-77
"Symptom Of The Universe" *
"War Pigs" *
"Gypsy" *
"Black Sabbath" *
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" *
"Dirty Women" *
Drum Solo / Guitar Solo *
"Electric Funeral" *
"Snowblind" *
"Children Of The Grave" *

LP One: Original Album Remastered

Side One
"Back Street Kids"
"You Won’t Change Me"
"It’s Alright"
"Gypsy"

Side Two
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)"
"Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor"
"She’s Gone"
"Dirty Women"

LP Two: New Steven Wilson Mix

Side Three
"Back Street Kids" *
"You Won’t Change Me" *
"It’s Alright" – Mono Single
"Gypsy" *

Side Four
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" *
"Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor" *
"She’s Gone" *
"Dirty Women" *

LP Three: Outtakes & Alternative Mixes

Side Five
"Back Street Kids" – Alternative Mix *
"You Won’t Change Me" – Alternative Mix *
"Gypsy" – Alternative Mix *
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" – Alternative Mix *

Side Six
"Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor" – Alternative Mix *
"She’s Gone" – Outtake Version *
"Dirty Women" – Alternative Mix *
"She’s Gone" – Instrumental Mix *

LP Four: Live World Tour 1976-77

Side Seven
"Symptom Of The Universe" *
"War Pigs" *
"Gypsy" *

Side Eight
"Black Sabbath" *
"All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" *

LP Five: Live World Tour 1976-77

Side Nine
"Dirty Women" *
Drum Solo / Guitar Solo *

Side Ten
"Electric Funeral" *
"Snowblind" *
"Children Of The Grave" *

* previously unreleased

"Back Street Kids" (2021 Remaster):

"Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" (2021 Remaster):

"It's Alright" (2021 Remaster):

"Dirty Women" (2021 Remaster):

(Photo - Sam Emerson)