Wolfman Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/genera...bbath_name.html According to the New York Post, Ozzy Osbourne has filed a lawsuit against his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi, claiming that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the band's name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Osbourne is suing Iommi for a 50 percent interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from use of the name. The Manhattan federal court suit also charges that Osbourne's "signature lead vocals" are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity plummeted during his absence from 1980 through 1996. Ozzy's suit follows one filed by Iommi in December 2008 against Live Nation. In that filing, Iommi claims the concert giant sold merchandise bearing the band's logo, despite the 2006 expiration of a merchandising deal, reportedly worth nearly $80 million. Soon after that agreement concluded, Iommi reclaimed the band's trademark. Iommi's suit argues Live Nation continued to sell more than 100 items of merchandise featuring the band's likeness, name and logo, despite the receipt of cease-and-desist orders from the guitarist's camp. Iommi's suit seeks damages in the amount of three times the profits from the merchandise sales, plus a halt to the Black Sabbath product sales. Iommi and Geezer Butler have both said some less than kind things about working with Osbourne in a new interview with Decibel magazine. The pair recently completed a new studio album as Heaven & Hell, the post-Ozzy version of Sabbath featuring vocalist Ronnie James Dio, and Butler said that working with Dio was much easier than Osbourne. He explained, "Ronnie's a songwriter in his own right — he's got tons of ideas. Whereas Ozzy . . . in the old days, he'd come up with a vocal line and I'd write the lyrics. Ronnie is 100 percent involved in both the musical side and the vocal side, and he writes his own lyrics as well." Butler added that Osbourne didn't take him seriously as a songwriter, saying, "If we were with Ozzy and I came in with the killer riff of all time, Ozzy wouldn't even think of doing it because I'm not the guitarist and that's the way he thinks . . . That's why it was so bloody hard to write anything." Butler said about Heaven & Hell's debut CD, "The Devil You Know", "If we'd written this album with Ozzy, we'd still be working on the first track." Iommi added that there was a sharp difference between the singers live as well, saying, "It was great being with Ozzy on the road . . . but with Ronnie it's a lot different, because we go out and we know exactly what we're gonna be doing. With Ozzy, we didn't really know. It was touch and go sometimes on some of those early shows, whether he was gonna turn up, if he'd be able to sing, if his voice was gone, or what. We'd have to cancel shows, which Geezer and myself really hated. But with Ronnie, we've never canceled a show." Heaven & Hell will tour Europe later this spring and summer, with North American dates scheduled for August. Ozzy Osbourne is currently working on his next solo album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Levee Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I read about this yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeppFanForever Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/genera...bbath_name.html According to the New York Post, Ozzy Osbourne has filed a lawsuit against his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi, claiming that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the band's name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Osbourne is suing Iommi for a 50 percent interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from use of the name. The Manhattan federal court suit also charges that Osbourne's "signature lead vocals" are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity plummeted during his absence from 1980 through 1996. Ozzy's suit follows one filed by Iommi in December 2008 against Live Nation. In that filing, Iommi claims the concert giant sold merchandise bearing the band's logo, despite the 2006 expiration of a merchandising deal, reportedly worth nearly $80 million. Soon after that agreement concluded, Iommi reclaimed the band's trademark. Iommi's suit argues Live Nation continued to sell more than 100 items of merchandise featuring the band's likeness, name and logo, despite the receipt of cease-and-desist orders from the guitarist's camp. Iommi's suit seeks damages in the amount of three times the profits from the merchandise sales, plus a halt to the Black Sabbath product sales. Iommi and Geezer Butler have both said some less than kind things about working with Osbourne in a new interview with Decibel magazine. The pair recently completed a new studio album as Heaven & Hell, the post-Ozzy version of Sabbath featuring vocalist Ronnie James Dio, and Butler said that working with Dio was much easier than Osbourne. He explained, "Ronnie's a songwriter in his own right — he's got tons of ideas. Whereas Ozzy . . . in the old days, he'd come up with a vocal line and I'd write the lyrics. Ronnie is 100 percent involved in both the musical side and the vocal side, and he writes his own lyrics as well." Butler added that Osbourne didn't take him seriously as a songwriter, saying, "If we were with Ozzy and I came in with the killer riff of all time, Ozzy wouldn't even think of doing it because I'm not the guitarist and that's the way he thinks . . . That's why it was so bloody hard to write anything." Butler said about Heaven & Hell's debut CD, "The Devil You Know", "If we'd written this album with Ozzy, we'd still be working on the first track." Iommi added that there was a sharp difference between the singers live as well, saying, "It was great being with Ozzy on the road . . . but with Ronnie it's a lot different, because we go out and we know exactly what we're gonna be doing. With Ozzy, we didn't really know. It was touch and go sometimes on some of those early shows, whether he was gonna turn up, if he'd be able to sing, if his voice was gone, or what. We'd have to cancel shows, which Geezer and myself really hated. But with Ronnie, we've never canceled a show." Heaven & Hell will tour Europe later this spring and summer, with North American dates scheduled for August. Ozzy Osbourne is currently working on his next solo album How's it going "Wolfman?" I've heard about this latest chapter in the BLACK SABBATH saga! And I must say that it is absolute BULLSHIT! I kind of had the feeling that when everything was going beautifully within the band, something was bound to go wrong and f*c* it all up making it short lived! Evidently, the band still hasn't learned or matured all the way yet! But you have to give them credit, they gave it one hell of a try and it lasted for years. I hope that Ozzy, Geezer and Tony can iron this shit out, they've ironed out shit much worse than this before in the past. I hope for the best and wish them all well. ROCK ON! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyedye Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I find it amusing that Tommi accuses Ozzy of not getting anything done. Sabbath wouldn't of been the success it was without Ozzy. I hope Ozzy wins the lawsuit. ...and on a sidenote, the new Heaven & Hell CD really rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bitnogoodjive Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 $HARON! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 The fact is Heaven and Hell are now enjoying greater success than Ozzy musically these days. I really think this is sour grapes. The person I feel the most for in all this is Bill Ward. The guy is a firm believer in the original lineup, almost to the point of treating it like an extended family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 $HARON! Hi '2bitnogoodjive' You got there before me, never let your husbands friends get in the way of a good lawsuit. Ozzy got sacked for being a drunk that disrupted the band, he then went on, with wife's $haron£ help, to forge a lucrative career as an "Alcoholic Idiot" that let the world in to their disfunctional family life for the sake of money, and I dont envy him one bit, but I will say this. When he was with "Black Sabbath" he became "Paranoid" and was not "Master of Reality" anymore, then $haron screamed "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" as she tried her very hardest to "Sabotage" the group, Ozzies retort was, "But $haron "We Sold Our Soul For Rock And Roll"" and now there is no "Technical Ecstasy" but we will "Never Say Die", now I live between "Heaven And Hell" but I need to be "Born Again" so I can "Live At Last" and maybe there can be a "Reunion" someday or is this all just the "Symptons Of The Universe" for our "Past Lives"? And where's my "Black Box" of "Greatest Hits" "Volume 4" $haron? Where are the "Rules Of Hell" $haron? $haron $haron $haron Regards, Danny PS, I absolutly love Black Sabbath, cant say the same about $haron though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeppFanForever Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Hi '2bitnogoodjive' You got there before me, never let your husbands friends get in the way of a good lawsuit. Ozzy got sacked for being a drunk that disrupted the band, he then went on, with wife's $haron£ help, to forge a lucrative career as an "Alcoholic Idiot" that let the world in to their disfunctional family life for the sake of money, and I dont envy him one bit, but I will say this. When he was with "Black Sabbath" he became "Paranoid" and was not "Master of Reality" anymore, then $haron screamed "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" as she tried her very hardest to "Sabotage" the group, Ozzies retort was, "But $haron "We Sold Our Soul For Rock And Roll"" and now there is no "Technical Ecstasy" but we will "Never Say Die", now I live between "Heaven And Hell" but I need to be "Born Again" so I can "Live At Last" and maybe there can be a "Reunion" someday or is this all just the "Symptons Of The Universe" for our "Past Lives"? And where's my "Black Box" of "Greatest Hits" "Volume 4" $haron? Where are the "Rules Of Hell" $haron? $haron $haron $haron Regards, Danny PS, I absolutly love Black Sabbath, cant say the same about $haron though. How's it going "BIGDAN" A.K.A. Danny? WOW, thats a whole career's worth of observations and well put! Everything just fit perfectly together like pieces to a puzzle. ROCK ON! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 One thing I agree about is that it was totally lame for Ozzy to call in sick on a bunch of the Ozzfest shows over the years. You shouldn't be announcing tour dates if you have no intention of fulfilling them. Sharon and Ozzy knew this in advance (that he wasn't 100% to do a full tour) but didn't care about the fans they let down. It happened to me twice and I know lots of people who refuse to go because of this. Only once were we offered our money back if we didn't go in. I love Ozzy but Sharon is a greedy bitch who could care less about the fans. I prefer to see him on a solo tour and not the Ozzfest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 One thing I agree about is that it was totally lame for Ozzy to call in sick on a bunch of the Ozzfest shows over the years. You shouldn't be announcing tour dates if you have no intention of fulfilling them. Sharon and Ozzy knew this in advance (that he wasn't 100% to do a full tour) but didn't care about the fans they let down. It happened to me twice and I know lots of people who refuse to go because of this. Only once were we offered our money back if we didn't go in. I love Ozzy but Sharon is a greedy bitch who could care less about the fans. I prefer to see him on a solo tour and not the Ozzfest. Hi Wolfman, I'm with you there mate, but it seems that you wont/dont get one (Ozzy) without the other ($haron) and I could care less about $haron, enough said. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I read about this yesterday. Like here for instance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstickbonzo Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Bill Ward has always been the smartest man in Black Sabbath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Bill Ward has always been the smartest man in Black Sabbath. Hi All, Me and the Misses were up late last night watching "Heavy Metal Britannia" for about four hours or so, so i can confirm that she is now a fully indoctrinated member of the "Temple of Metal" (she is already a member of the "Temple of Led Zeppelin" something i accomplished before we married) back on topic, Bill had a torrid time when "HE" had to sack Ozzy, his friend, and suffered for many years afterwards with alcohol and drugs, Tony Iommi and especially Terry "Geezer" Butler were far more articulate, humorous and showed less signs of any mental health problems than the other two did. So why do you think Bill Ward was the smartest? I'm only asking a question and don't want to fight about it. Anyone? Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ro_a Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 The fact is Heaven and Hell are now enjoying greater success than Ozzy musically these days. I really think this is sour grapes. The person I feel the most for in all this is Bill Ward. The guy is a firm believer in the original lineup, almost to the point of treating it like an extended family. Ward and Osbourne don't convince me on the u-toob. They both sound lazy. Heaven and Hell sound a lot more like a working band living in the moment. On the other hand I've defended the Sabbath reunion CD as a good performance in it's own right with a good energy... a friend of mine went to the first reunion gig, and somehow managed to present Ozzy with a homemade metal belt buckle that said "Ozzy", AND got a PHOTO of Ozzy holding it w/him and his brother standing on either side. That photo was in every rock bar in Boston.. Anyway..shoot, they could've made an album in 1999. Why worry about this now, 11 years later? If they still had chemistry they would have made a studio record then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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