Black Sabbath’s Bill Ward states that he’s “still a drummer” despite increasingly relying on a wheelchair to get about.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Thursday (July 9), the pioneering heavy metal sticksman, 78, reveals that he is unable to walk long distances without assistance but refuses to give up his instrument because of it.
He writes: “I’m announcing today somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully, that I’ve reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events.
“I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down.”
Ward says that he started using his wheelchair “about 18 months ago, mostly in airports”, but defiantly adds that “I was a long distance walker, I’ve walked in many different parts of the world, and I’m still a drummer. I can still play pretty good for 78 years old”.
“My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now,” he continues.
“I’m just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I’m just catching a ride, I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up, or any of those thoughts that ignite when we see people in wheelchairs. I’m making myself public and transparent about my new transport, and letting you know I’m OK.
“If you see me in the airports or visiting friends in the music arenas or theatres say hi, I don’t bite, I’ll just look different.”
He signs off: “Much love to you all and I’ll keep rocking until I’m dead.”
Ward co-founded Sabbath with singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler in 1968. Even though he speaks out against retiring in his new post, the band retired on July 5, 2025, after putting on a grand final bow at Villa Park stadium in their hometown of Birmingham.
The all-day extravaganza, which marked the founding Sabbath lineup’s first time performing onstage together since 2005, featured support from such rock and metal titans as Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Gojira and Mastodon. Osbourne played a short solo set before doing four songs with Sabbath. The night marked the Prince Of Darkness’ last time onstage before his death aged 76 following a heart attack on July 22.
Last June, Ward revealed that, despite Sabbath’s then-impending split, he was busy working on two new solo albums. Talking to Long Beach radio station 99.1 KLBP-FM, he said that the efforts were “nearly finished” and that he’d been “living in the studio”.
“I’ve just let everything go. I basically don’t give an ‘F’, and I think it shows up in the record. I don’t have anything to swagger about. I wanted to play something that plays in my heart and then comes out of my soul. I wanted to play some things that keep me awake at night.”
Neither of Ward’s albums have been officially announced at time of publication.
