Why Tony Iommi Was Hesitant Over Black Sabbath Reunion Show

In a new interview, Tony Iommi revealed why he was hesitant to agree to the Black Sabbath reunion show that's scheduled for this summer, and what changed his mind.

Black Sabbath's farewell tour concluded in February of 2017, roughly four years after the release of their final album 13. Earlier this year, they announced their Back to the Beginning performance, which will see all four original members play together for the first time in over 20 years, and will also serve as Ozzy Osbourne's last-ever show.

Bands are often criticized for coming out of retirement, especially by fans who spent a hefty amount of money and traveled to see the supposed "final tour."

Iommi admitted to The Guardian that he was a bit self-conscious about that after being approached about a potential reunion show with Sabbath.

“I’m the one that said, ‘I don’t know if we should do it,’ because we did a farewell tour and I didn’t want to get into that thing like all the other bands are doing, saying it’s the last tour and then reappearing again," the guitarist explained.

However, proceeds from the concert will go to the charity organizations Birmingham's Children's Hospital, Acorn Children's Hospice and Cure Parkinson's, so Iommi realized it's for a good cause.

"But I’ve been convinced, because we’re doing it for a reason... No one’s getting paid or anything," he said.

Considering the concert sold out in under 20 minutes, it seems as if their fans forgive them for returning — or were never upset about it at all.

Featuring performances from Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains and many other artists, the Back to the Beginning concert will take place Saturday, July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.

Other Bands That Have Reunited After a 'Final' Tour

Slayer is an example of a group that recently reunited for a handful of shows after stating their 2018 and 2019 tour was the their last. Fans typically have mixed reactions to this situation.

"Randomly remember that Slayer said in 2019 that it would be their last show in Quebec. They will be playing this summer. Kinda hate when bands do this," someone wrote in a post on Reddit earlier this year.

"To be honest, all the 'final tours' and 'farewell tours' are just a big scam," someone else commented. "For me its okay that the youngsters get to see a decent slayer concert — but bands could also just be honest and say: 'For the foreseeable future we're done, let's see what happens,' but then again millionaires like KISS need even more money I fully understand."

"I‘d rather have them be dishonest like that and get a chance to see them again," another fan wrote in an opposing sentiment.