TONY IOMMI Continuing To Write New Material

November 25, 2010

BLACK SABBATH/HEAVEN & HELL guitarist Tony Iommi recently revealed to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine that he has begun work on new material with the hopes of launching the "next phase" of his career alongside longtime SABBATH and HEAVEN & HELL bandmate/bassist Geezer Butler. Iommi has since issued the following update via his official web site: "Been a quiet week on the writing front as we are making some changes to the control room at my home studio. The idea is to tidy the whole thing up and get a bit more space as I like to play in there when I'm recording. Should be back at the writing next week."

Iommi previously told Metal Hammer, "What I'm doing now is writing. I've gone mad, writing loads of riffs again. I'm really enjoying it, putting stuff together. We will be doing something. I'm in touch with Geezer a lot now and we've been talking about what the next phase is going to be. It'll be great to get out and do something again. I don't normally say this, but there's some great ideas coming out. That's all I've got to do right now. Sit and write riffs!"

Last month, Iommi and DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan headed back into the studio, joined by keyboardist Jon Lord (DEEP PURPLE, WHITESNAKE) and drummer Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN) to record a new track, "Out Of My Mind", to raise money to rebuild a music school in Armenia.

Surviving HEAVEN & HELL members Iommi, Butler and Vinny Appice played a very special tribute to their fallen bandmate, Ronnie James Dio, on July 24 at the High Voltage festival at Victoria Park in London, England. The musicians were joined by legendary former DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH man Glenn Hughes and Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande, who sings for power metallers MASTERPLAN and recently released his own tribute to Ronnie.

Wendy Dio, the wife/manager of Ronnie James Dio, has told VH1 Radio that she encourages the surviving members of HEAVEN & HELL to work together again under a different moniker.

"I don't know what they're doing right now," she said. "I know that Geezer's been asked several times, and he's just ... he took it very hard. I don't really know what they're doing right now. They should do something else, with Vinny, too. I mean, the band was amazing, an amazing band and they should carry on to do something. It won't be called HEAVEN & HELL but whatever they call it, it will be great, it will be amazing."

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