BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler says that the band’s original drummer, Bill Ward, was offered an opportunity to join the group at the final concert of its farewell tour, but that he turned it down, because he is “completely capable of touring”.
Butler told Radio.com: “It’s been mentioned to him. But he doesn’t want to do it. He wants to do the whole tour or nothing. We’d love him to come on at the very last gig and be part of the whole thing, but he didn’t want to do that. And I understand: I wouldn’t want to be asked to come out just for the last gig. It’s a shame, but that’s the way it is.”
Added SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne: “If he’s there, he’s welcome [to play]. But I don’t really want to talk too much about Bill Ward. Because every time I do, he starts getting pissed off at me! Things are quiet between us right now, you know?”
Bill Ward has responded to Geezer Butler’s comments about his turning down an opportunity to play BLACK SABBATH’s final show. His comments, posted on his Facebook page, read as follows:
“I must respond once again to inaccurate statements made by Geezer. I never received an offer to play the final show of The End tour with BLACK SABBATH. When the tour was confirmed, my management reached out to the Black Sabbath management to inquire as to whether or not they would like to discuss my participation in the tour. We were told there was no interest. That is last conversation we had with them regarding the tour.
I will say that I wouldn’t want to play only one gig when I am completely capable of touring. I would not validate their untrue statements about my health by playing only one gig. Also, I wouldn’t want to show up for only some of our fans and not for all our fans when I could have played multiple shows.
— Bill”
