Ozzy Osbourne has accused former Black Sabbath band mate Tony Iommi of taking over the heavy metal titans' name and costing him royalties from
merchandise sales.
Osbourne, who sued the guitarist earlier this week, issued a statement Friday imploring him to "do the right thing."
"Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you," the singer-turned-reality show star said.
But, he added, "we've all worked too hard and long in our careers to allow you to sell merchandise that features all our faces, old Black Sabbath
album covers and band logos, and then you tell us that you own the copyright."
Osbourne, who lives in California, filed suit Tuesday in a federal court in New York, saying Iommi falsely claimed to have sole rights to Black
Sabbath's trademark in negotiations over the last year with a company that sells the band's merchandise. As a result, the lawsuit says, Osbourne has
lost royalties formerly split 50/50.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, lost profits and a declaration that Osbourne is a half-owner of the trademark.
Iommi's representative and lawyers who have represented him didn't immediately respond to telephone and e-mail messages late Friday.
Osbourne's lawsuit reads at times like liner notes to a greatest-hits album, describing the case as "a dispute concerning one of the most famous and
valuable names in the history of rock and roll."
The band, known for its apocalyptic bent and such hits as "Iron Man" and "Paranoid," has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It made a star -- and a spectacle -- of Osbourne and his from-the-crypt howl before he was fired in 1979.
"To fans of heavy metal music," Osbourne's lawsuit says, "Ozzy has become synonymous with Black Sabbath."
But Iommi, considered one of heavy metal's guitar greats, noted in a separate lawsuit filed against the merchandise firm in December that he has been
the only constant member in the English band's 41-year history. Court records show that lawsuit, which doesn't involve Osbourne, was settled Wednesday
on undisclosed terms.
Iommi, who registered the Black Sabbath trademark in the U.S. in 2000, also said in the lawsuit that co-founders Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and
drummer Bill Ward legally relinquished rights to the band's name in the 1980s.
Osbourne's lawyer disputed that in a January letter included with his lawsuit, saying that even if the singer did make such an agreement he took a
major role in the band's direction and success after rejoining it in 1997.
Osbourne, who in recent years has appeared as the paterfamilias of an erratic clan on MTV's "The Osbournes," said in Friday's statement that he
believes all four original members should share Black Sabbath's name equally.
"I hope," he said, "that by me taking this first step that it will ultimately end up that way."clevohardcore - 6-1-2009 at 09:28 AM
this might get ugly. Discipline - 6-1-2009 at 09:34 AM
It's amazing to think that Sabbath has been around for 41 years.clevohardcore - 6-1-2009 at 02:11 PM
man that is a long time. barc0debaby - 6-1-2009 at 04:41 PM
Ozzy Osbourne needs to do the right thing and stop being a piece of shit. I love Black Sabbath and appreciate Ozzy's contribution but the man is a
prostitute these dayys. The Osbournes was a terrible and repugnant show. And then all the commercials he's done recently. He hasn't put out a decent
record since More Tears and Lemmy wrote four of the songs on that album.
JawnDiablo - 6-1-2009 at 06:14 PM
When I was like 8 I though tOzzy was pretty awesome.....
now I dread the sight of him.
the first 6 years of Sabbath are pretty much better than anything that dude ever did since Randy Rhoades got killed.
Hang it up already.hardtone - 6-2-2009 at 07:02 AM
It's all about money. It always was & always will be...Mark Lind - 6-2-2009 at 06:43 PM
I'm an Ozzy fan. Have been since I was like 14. But he has got to step off from Tony Iommi. That dude slummed it through the worst years that Sabbath
has ever known. Let him have the friggin extra cash.
But Ozzy is right that he is reknowned as being Sabbath. If it weren't for Ozzy's successful solo career in the 80's and 90's then Sabbath may have
been written off by now. Discipline - 6-2-2009 at 08:12 PM
It's not like Ozzy needs the money. He ruined his whole image with that stupid fucking reality show.barc0debaby - 6-2-2009 at 08:46 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Discipline
It's not like Ozzy needs the money. He ruined his whole image with that stupid fucking reality show.
He probably does need it to feed his habits and pay for his kids rehab.Discipline - 6-3-2009 at 05:53 PM
True. The other thing I think is shitty is making Sabbath with Dio tour as Heaven/Hell or whatever it was. I hated the albums with Dio but to a lot
of diehard Sabbath fans they're just as good as the Ozzy stuff.barc0debaby - 6-3-2009 at 08:56 PM
Holy Diver is a rad song.MarkV - 6-4-2009 at 02:06 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by barc0debaby
Quote:
Originally posted by Discipline
It's not like Ozzy needs the money. He ruined his whole image with that stupid fucking reality show.
He probably does need it to feed his habits and pay for his kids rehab.
You're kidding, right? Any idea what that family is worth????
The new Heaven and Hell record is absolutely fantastic.
