TONY IOMMI: 'I Wish I'd Been Right-Handed Sometimes'

June 15, 2007

Vassil Varbanov of Bulgaria's Tangra Mega Rock recently conducted an interview with legendary heavy metal guitarist Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN AND HELL). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Tangra Mega Rock: Mentioning solo recordings, let's talk a bit about your solo career. The interesting thing about Geezer's and your own albums is that you're doing something like a bridge between the generations, working with some young guns from the contemporary metal scene. Why?

Iommi: Well, "Iommi" was an album I've done a few years ago (in 2000),and I just wanted to try some things out with some of the guys of the younger generation [including Henry Rollins, Dave Grohl, Phil Anselmo, Billy Corgan, Ian Astbury and Peter Steele].

Tangra Mega Rock: What's the particular thing about being a left-handed guitar player? There are not so many of you.

Iommi: "[Laughs] It's very difficult, because you can't just pick any guitar and start playing. You have to find left-handed ones. I wish I'd been right-handed sometimes...

Tangra Mega Rock: I thought you were trying to be the new Jimi Hendrix, ha-ha!

Iommi: Ah, no, I was about the same time as Jimi Hendrix! [Laughs]

Tangra Mega Rock: This is your first interview for a Bulgarian media ever, so I'd like to ask you something about the past, too. That album BLACK SABBATH did with Ian Gillan back in 1983, "Born Again" — the press said it was not a good one, but I personally think it had a revolutionary sound. What do you think?

Iommi: Actually, we did have a problem with the sound on the first pressings of that album and it really sounded poor. We went on tour to America, and meanwhile the album was out in Europe and England, and before we got to hear it, it was number 3 in the charts, so we had to make it sound better. As a whole, I think some of the tracks on this LP are very good.

Tangra Mega Rock: Your song "The Devil Cried" is in Tangra Mega Rock's Tuborg Top 40 Mega Rock Chart, competing with tracks by bands you've chosen to support you on tour, like MACHINE HEAD. Are you watching these bands while on tour or you just go and concentrate in the dressing room?

Iommi: I always stay in the dressing room and... I mean, they've been on tour with us for a while and I can hear them from the dressing room, but I don't actually go watch them, because I'm more concerned with our show, so I really get ready for our performance. You know, you eat and warm up and then get ready to go on stage.

The entire interview is available in text and audio format at this location.

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