TONY IOMMI Is 'Up For' BLACK SABBATH Playing Commonwealth Games In 2022

June 15, 2018

Tony Iommi says that he agrees with his BLACK SABBATH bandmate Ozzy Osbourne that the band should play the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England — the city where the group formed in 1968.

"I think that it would be a great thing to do to help represent Birmingham," the guitarist told Birmingham Mail. "I'm up for it. Let's see what happens."

Ozzy recently told ITV News that he would definitely consider playing the opening ceremony of the Games after his farewell world tour ends. He said: "Yeah, that would be fantastic. With BLACK SABBATH or on my own."

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

Last November, a documentary focusing on SABBATH's final concert, "The End", was made available in home video and audio packages, featuring footage of the entire historic show.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi told U.K. online radio station Planet Rock last year that BLACK SABBATH hasn't "ruled anything out apart from me not wanting to tour anymore on that scale, but who knows, we may do something. We haven't spoken about it. But I'm sure something can happen somewhere."

SABBATH wrote and recorded its 2013 reunion album, "13", and toured it all over the world while Iommi was going through treatment for his illness, with the guitarist having to fly back to England every six weeks.

The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Iommi, Osbourne, Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the '90s and 2000s for live work.

They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after a few months over financial issues. SABBATH has used Ozzy's regular touring drummer Tommy Clufetos since then for live work. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on "13" , which came out in June 2013.

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