Did anybody have their doubts when Black Sabbath announced a new album that it would be a display of
the same excellence that the band made a reputation of recording in the early
70s? I think a lot of people did. Even I, among the more optimistic of music
fans, was on the edge of my seat waiting to hear what 34 years of separation
would have done to the chemistry that Ozzy
Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi once had. I think when it
was announced that Bill Ward would
not be participating in this reunion for the ages, even more doubt was put in
the minds of fans. Hell, it created quite some backlash with fans, some even
boycotting listening the project altogether. It reminds me exactly of Van Halen carrying on without bassist Michael Anthony. What these estranged
fans (of both bands, frankly) have to consider to themselves is this: is the absence
of one member so much worse than the band as a whole never touring again?
