Black Sabbath reunion plans failed due to Bill Ward's absence, says producer

Producer Andrew Watt has provided a conflicting account regarding why a final studio album by the original Black Sabbath lineup failed to materialize. While guitarist Tony Iommi recently suggested he personally turned down the opportunity, Watt claims that Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler were all willing to participate provided that original drummer Bill Ward was also involved.

According to Watt, the project was proposed following the production of Osbourne’s recent solo albums. Watt stated that the primary obstacle was Ward’s inability to participate due to a multitude of reasons. Watt described a lengthy, personal phone call with Ward that ultimately resulted in the drummer being unable to commit to the record, which prevented the reunion of the founding members.