Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward says he can’t listen to group’s new album, “13”, following his decision last year not to reunite with his bandmates.
“The only thing I’ve heard from 13 is… maybe 40 seconds of the first song, and then I turned it off,” Ward tells Rock Cellar magazine. “I haven’t heard anything off that album at all. And to be quite honest, I don’t care to either. It’s too painful. If I want to rip my guts out, I’ll put it on.”
“I mean, I wish them all the luck — well, not luck, they don’t need luck — but I wish them all the best in the world,” adds Ward. “But for me, I can’t listen to it, it’s too close to home, you know. Like I said, I listened to the first 40 seconds of ‘God is Dead?’ and I just said I can’t listen to this anymore.”
Ward declined to participate in the Black Sabbath reunion tour and album over a contractual dispute. The group recorded with Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine, while Ozzy Osbourne’s solo drummer, Tommy Clufetos, has been handling live dates.
Bill says fans have been supportive of his decision.
“The fans have been brilliant. I feel like I’ve got a real close contact with them,” he explains. “I’ve never reached such a point of really having such closeness with everybody. I’m trying to grasp this moment now. Their reactions and their words. Even up until last night when I went shopping, I bumped into a guy who was absolutely wonderful and he had wonderful things to say to me.”
“It’s happening all the time,” he continued. “I’m getting letters from all over the world, musicians, all kinds of things and they completely support me. And I’m forever grateful that they’ve reacted in a really positive way. It’s just been this huge endearing experience. I can’t say enough about it, really. I’m at a loss for words. (Long pause) It tears me up, you know. Even as I’m talking to you now, I’m not far away from a tear. I had to follow my heart under the most difficult circumstances.”
Ward has been actively promoting his groundbreaking collection of fine art created from rhythm, “Absence Of Corners.”
Like a painter using brushes, Ward is creating fine artwork utilizing sticks that light in a variety of ways. His rhythms are captured for canvas bringing forward a new dimension to what was formally just sound.
The drummer is recovering following recent surgery for a perforated diverticulitis. Ward’s surgery in California was successful, and he is expected to make a full recovery over the next several weeks.
To view the collection, visit BillWardDrumArt.com.
Black Sabbath – without Ward – will kick off European tour in Helsinki, Finland on November 20.
On November 26, the band will release a live DVD entitled “Black Sabbath - Gathered In Their Masses.”
The group was recorded over two shows – April 29 and May 1 – in Melbourne, Australia during the early stages of the group’s current world tour.
For a full tracklisting, click here.
See also:
VIDEO: All-star tribute concert honors Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler
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Black Sabbath announce first live dates for 2014