Black Sabbath intended to record final album with original lineup, says Andrew Watt

Producer Andrew Watt has revealed that Black Sabbath members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler intended to record a follow-up album to their 2013 release, ‘13’, featuring the band’s original lineup.

According to Watt, the project failed to materialize because original drummer Bill Ward was unable to participate due to personal reasons and previous contractual disputes. Ward had stepped away from the group in 2012, citing an ‘unsignable contract’ that did not adequately reflect his contributions to the band.

Watt addressed recent comments from Tony Iommi suggesting that a final album was not made because Watt was ‘too excited’ about the prospect. Watt clarified that his enthusiasm was not the reason for the cancellation, noting that Osbourne specifically wanted to complete a project that included Ward, as making an album with the original lineup was highly important to him.