Geezer Butler news and features

Bassist Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath performs on stage at Hammersmith Odeon, London, January 1976

“We used to boil all our strings so all the crap would come off them. We couldn’t afford to buy new strings”: Geezer Butler explains how Black Sabbath managed to make ends meet as emerging heavy metal pioneers

By Matt Owen published 28 June 24

Before they made a name for themselves, Sabbath were forced to save cash any way they could – and Butler’s bass strings took the hit

Left-Robert Trujillo of Metallica performs at State Farm Stadium on September 01, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona; Right-Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath performs during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium on August 08, 2022 on the Birmingham, England

“I used to play Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne songs in backyard parties when I was 16. And then all of a sudden, I’m playing in his band”: Robert Trujillo on going from teenage Sabbath fan to Ozzy's bassist

By Janelle Borg published 12 June 24

Robert Trujillo recalls the pinch-me moment Ozzy Osbourne told him to play as loud as he wanted to play

“Ozzy was hoping to finish it all off. I’d absolutely love to do it”: Plans for one final Black Sabbath show are afoot – and Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler are already onboard

By Phil Weller published 31 May 24

Butler says “everybody wants to do it”, but there's still a long way to go before anything is made official

Geezer Butler of Heaven and Hell recording at the Rockfield Studios on July 25, 2007 in Monmouth.

“Ozzy would never stand in front of the bass rig. He told me to turn it down one night, so for a laugh I turned it up”: Geezer Butler names the Black Sabbath album that captured his favorite bass tone

By Nick Wells published 19 May 24

Geezer Butler’s pioneering bass tone with Black Sabbath helped set heavy metal’s mood before the term even existed

“It was always magical playing bass with Tony Iommi. To me, he's the greatest guitarist ever”: Geezer Butler’s 10 best basslines with Black Sabbath

By Nick Wells published 7 April 24

When it comes to influential metal bands, few can hold a candle to Black Sabbath. These are Geezer Butler’s 10 heaviest rock riffs

NAMM 2024: “1967 is back!” Vox turns back the clocks with recreations of the first-ever production wah pedals

By Phil Weller published 19 January 24

The Real McCoy and V846 Vintage don’t bother with fancy reimaginings – they’re ‘as they were’ builds based on its now-timeless ‘60s invention beloved by Jimi Hendrix

Geezer Butler: “Originally it was titled ‘Nib’, which was Bill’s beard and looked like a pen nib because it was pointy”

By Nick Wells published 31 March 23

Geezer Butler explains the obscure title behind one of Black Sabbath’s most recognisable riffs

Jazz bassist Stanley Clarke performs with The New Barbarians at The Omni Coliseum on May 10, 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Why Stanley Clarke’s School Days remains an iconic moment in bass playing history

By Nick Wells published 15 November 22

School yourself on the player David Ellefson dubbed “the fastest ‘lead bass guitarist’ I had ever seen”

Bassist Frank Bello of Anthrax performs at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas at The LINQ Promenade on February 11, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Frank Bello: 5 bass players who influenced me

By Joel McIver published 14 November 22

Anthrax bassist Frank Bello on Geezer Butler, Steve Harris, Paul McCartney and more

Tony Iommi explains why Geezer Butler didn’t join him and Ozzy at Commonwealth Games closing ceremony

By Jonathan Horsley published 15 August 22

The Black Sabbath guitarist also reveals his reunion with Ozzy Osbourne was a last-minute deal that they had to keep secret

Geezer Butler names 5 bass albums that shaped his style

By Joel McIver, Amit Sharma published 16 December 21

The Black Sabbath legend digs deep into his record collection to pay dues to his biggest inspirations

Geezer Butler: "It was always magical playing with Tony. We never had to discuss anything – it just seemed to happen. To me, he’s the greatest guitarist ever"

By Joel McIver, Amit Sharma published 15 November 21

The bass legend looks back on his time with Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath, shares his highlights from new solo boxset Manipulations of the Mind, and reveals why he's turning to six- and seven-string basses for future material

Ashdown unveils Geezer Butler signature Pedal Of Doom

By Matt Parker published 25 October 21

Black Sabbath's renowned songwriter and bassist teams up with Ashdown for signature distortion and EQ stompbox

Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler announces 'best of' album and assembles massive 4CD box set of his solo works

By Jonathan Horsley published 23 June 21

The Sabbath bassist's Manipulations of the Mind collects his three solo albums plus a disc of rarities and unreleased tracks

Tony Iommi had to warn Eddie Van Halen to “behave” on the 1978 Black Sabbath/Van Halen tour

By Richard Bienstock published 30 April 21

The British metal legends feared the young support band was “ripping them off,” according to a new EVH biography

Tony Iommi says he's "not happy at all" with the release of new Dio-era Black Sabbath song, Slapback

By Matt Owen published 12 March 21

Iommi also claims Dio plays bass on the recording, rather than Geezer Butler

Photo of Ronnie DIO and BLACK SABBATH; L-R - Geezer Butler, Ronnie Dio (doing devil horns - manu cornuta), Tony Iommi at Gaumont.

New Dio-era Black Sabbath song, Slapback, unearthed and verified by Geezer Butler

By Richard Bienstock published 10 March 21

The track is an outtake from Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell sessions

Geezer Butler recalls the B.C. Rich bass so sharp it cut his thumb open at Live Aid

By Richard Bienstock published 5 May 20

"I could hardly play the bloody thing," laments the Black Sabbath bassist

Geezer Butler on Black Sabbath's early days, the making of 13 and which album has the worst bass sound

By Rob Blasko published 8 January 20

The man who pioneered heavy-metal bass reflects on his never-ending tonal quest

10 bassists you'd want in your dream band

By Sponsored, Tom Gilbert, Brian Caples published 21 August 19

Our list of low-end juggernauts that could take your band from bars to the big leagues

Get The Pick Newsletter