TONY IOMMI To Discuss Early Influences, BLACK SABBATH's Formation At Chipping Campden, U.K. Event

Legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi will appear at Cidermill Theatre in Chipping Campden, United Kingdom on Sunday, June 23 at 6 p.m.

Without BLACK SABBATH there wouldn't be heavy metal, they defined an entire genre. Iommi's detuned guitar style and deep resonating dark riffs made them sound like no other band.

Tony will be in conversation with his close friend, the BBC's Nick Owen. They will cover Iommi's early years and relationship with music growing up, the accident that ultimately led to the birth of metal, early influences, the formation of BLACK SABBATH, tales from the road and the very first heavy metal ballet experience. There will be a question-and-answer session at the end. Ticket holders will be given the opportunity to submit questions in advance.

Birmingham's Tony Iommi co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band BLACK SABBATH, and is the band's guitarist, leader, primary composer, and sole continuous member for over five decades. He is considered one of the trailblazers and pioneers of heavy music. Overcoming the loss of fingertips in a sheet metal guillotine before his career had really started, he was determined to continue, and the results speak for themselves. Later in life he dealt with Grade III lymphoma continuing to work on a new record that went to number one globally. With around 100 million record sales, a New York Times bestselling autobiography, four Grammys, induction into both U.S. and U.K. music Halls Of Fame and numerous awards, he's part of rock's royalty.

Owen has been broadcasting on radio and television for more than fifty years, mostly on TV. Born and brought up in Hertfordshire, he has spent more than half his life living and working in the West Midlands. He is perhaps best known for his enduring on-air partnership with Anne Diamond, both in the 1980s at the dawn of breakfast television and in the 1990s when they hosted "Good Morning With Anne And Nick" together. Nick also spent some years in the 1980s and early 1990s as ITV Sport's main presenter with his regular show "Midweek Sport Special". During this time, he also anchored the Olympic Games of 1988 and the World Cup of 1990. He has presented "BBC Midlands Today" since 1997. Nick is married to Vicki and, between them, they have six children and five grandchildren.

This talk will take place at the new state-of-the-art Cidermill Theatre in Chipping Campden, 10 minutes' drive from Broadway where there is parking.

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

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together.

Bill Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 11 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its final reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.

Photo credit: Gibson