Update: Sharon Osbourne has posted the following message on her Facebook account: "I am not in any position to hire or fire anyone in Black Sabbath. I don't manage the band, I manage my husband." The original story follows.
The drama surrounding Bill Ward's relationship with Black Sabbath is still heating up, and according to MetalTalk.net, Sabbath's original drummer has been fired by Sharon Osbourne.
The website cites a "reliable source" who told them Ward was sacked from the band, and would be replaced with Ozzy Osbourne's solo drummer, Tommy Clufetos, in the meantime.
This all stems from a long message Ward posted on his website last week, letting fans in on the fact that he may quit the band unless a "fair contract" is drawn up that he feels recognizes his contributions as a founding member of the band.
Sabbath posted a response the next day, saying, "We were saddened to hear yesterday via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current Black Sabbath plans...we have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open... We are still in the UK with Tony. Writing and recording the new album and on a roll... See you at Download!"
We'll keep you posted as the facts surface.
If you want to throw your support behind Ward, there's a new Facebook group called "1,000,000 Black Sabbath fans say yes to Bill Ward" that you can check out here.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**
Join now for unlimited access
US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year
UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year
Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.
“We really had to think about it, bro. Do you think we wanted to take the grief we took, and end up in a lawsuit? But what were we supposed to do?” Nikki Sixx reflects on Mötley Crüe's decision to oust Mick Mars
“In Guitar Center, people would think I was playing for the first time – but I promise you, my band makes better music than 80% of them”: Meet Chat Pile, the sludge metallers shouting down the “tone lords” and “goobers” ruining guitar culture