Tensions between bandmates are not uncommon, and the latest discord making headlines involves the iconic duo of Geezer Butler and Ozzy Osbourne. A dispute over communication during health battles and the intricacies of personal relationships have cast a shadow on the enduring legacy of Black Sabbath.
The drama unfolded when Geezer Butler responded to Ozzy’s recent claim that he never received well-wishing messages during his health struggles. In a social media post on November 25, Butler clarified that he had made two sincere attempts to reach out to Ozzy but received no response. Expressing reluctance to engage in a public exchange, Butler decided to privately keep his former bandmate in his thoughts.
The intricacies of their friendship, as revealed in Butler’s autobiography “Into The Void,” hint at a deeper complexity. While acknowledging that he and Ozzy are “ruled by their wives,” Butler emphasizes the enduring bond between them, stating, “We might not be as close as we were, but we’ll always be brothers.”
According to BlabberMouth, Ozzy Osbourne, however, attributed the breakdown in their friendship to a feud between their wives, Sharon Osbourne and Gloria Butler. In a candid interview with Rolling Stone UK, Ozzy expressed disappointment in the lack of communication, claiming that even during the birth of Butler’s son, he made the effort to reach out despite their past conflicts. The Black Sabbath frontman lamented the absence of a simple call, referring to Geezer as a “fucking arsehole.”
The root of their falling out, according to Ozzy, lies in the ongoing discord between their spouses. However, Geezer Butler’s comments in a previous interview suggest that such conflicts are not unique to their relationship, stating, “We’ve fallen out loads of times over the past 50 years — you fall out for a year or two and then you get together.”
The narrative takes a legal turn with the history of Black Sabbath’s name ownership. Ozzy filed a lawsuit against guitarist Tony Iommi in 2009, claiming sole ownership of the band’s name. The lawsuit was settled in 2010, and according to Rolling Stone, Butler had sold his share of the Black Sabbath band name to Iommi in 1984.
Despite the legal intricacies, Butler maintains a pragmatic stance, stating, “I still get a quarter of everything, so it doesn’t matter financially.” However, the emotional toll of not being able to use the Black Sabbath name for his solo ventures is palpable.
As the curtain falls on another chapter in the saga of rock and roll royalty, the unresolved tensions between Geezer Butler and Ozzy Osbourne leave fans reflecting on the complexities that lie beneath the surface of enduring musical partnerships. The story serves as a reminder that even the most legendary collaborations are not immune to the trials and tribulations that come with a lifetime in the spotlight.