“You could have anyone from Dio to Pavarotti, and it will never be Sabbath. Don’t belittle that band, Tony, move on”: the furious open letter Ozzy Osbourne sent to Tony Iommi telling him to end Black Sabbath

(Image credit: Future)

The albums Black Sabbath released in the late 80s and early 90s, featuring singer Tony Martin alongside linchpin guitarist Tony Iommi, are finally getting a long-overdue reappraisal via the release of brand new box set Anno Domini 1989-1995, which brings together Headless Cross (1989), Tyr (1991), Cross Purposes (1994) and Forbidden (1995).

The brand new issue of Classic Rock shines a light on this overlooked period of the band’s career, with Iommi and Martin looking back at those turbulent times. In the exclusive new interview, the guitarist admits how tough it was to keep the Sabbath ship afloat in the face of declining album sales and less than successful tours.