Tony Iommi, the iconic Black Sabbath guitarist, is back in the studio, actively progressing on his much-anticipated solo album. Following his momentous performance at the “Back To The Beginning” concert on July 5, Iommi confirmed that the break for the Black Sabbath reunion is over, and his focus has returned to new music.
In an interview on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” on July 8, Iommi detailed the interruption to his creative flow. “Well, I was doing my own album until that event came up,” he explained, referring to the recent Black Sabbath reunion. “And then, of course, I had to stop and concentrate on the Sabbath performance. But I’m continuing next week on trying to finish off what I started with this album.”
The veteran guitarist also offered a surprising update regarding the album’s vocal approach. Unlike his 2000 solo album, Iommi, which famously featured a diverse lineup of guest vocalists, his current project is taking a different path. “At the moment, no. I’ve got one singer on it at the moment, which I originally thought of different singers,” Iommi revealed. He elaborated on the album’s organic evolution: “But it started off as it’s gonna be an instrumental album, and it’s gone from I’ve got some instrumental stuff, but then I thought, ‘Oh, I wanna try it with a singer.’ And so that’s what I’ve been doing.” This suggests a dynamic creative process, allowing the music to dictate its own direction.
Adding to his recent musical endeavors, Iommi recently surprised many with an unexpected collaboration outside the realm of heavy metal. He lent his signature guitar work to “Rocket,” the lead single from pop icon Robbie Williams‘s upcoming album, Britpop. The track, co-written by Williams, Iommi, Karl Brazil, and Tom Longworth, features a distinctive solo from the Black Sabbath legend. “[Robbie] asked me if I’d play on this track, and I didn’t realize he was gonna release it as a single,” Iommi commented on the collaboration. “And then he wanted to do a video with it. Oh my God. But it was great to do that. And I enjoyed doing that.”
Despite a career that has firmly cemented his status as a metal pioneer, Tony Iommi shows no signs of slowing down, driven by an unyielding passion for creating music. “I can’t stop. I have to carry on. I enjoy what I do. And it’s great being creative. And I love to create music,” he affirmed. “That’s what started me off and that’s what will finish me off, probably. But I love it… And there will be — yes — more from me.”
