Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+====== Tony Iommi ======
+===== Birth and Early Life =====
+Anthony Frank Iommi Jr. was born on February 19, 1948, in Birmingham, England, to Sylvia Maria and Anthony Frank Iommi. [([[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tony-Iommi|Britannica]])]
+===== Sheet Metal Factory Accident =====
+At age 17, Iommi suffered a devastating industrial accident at a sheet metal factory, severing the tips of the middle and ring fingers on his right hand. [([[https://ultimateclassicrock.com/tony-iommi-guitar-solos/|Ultimate Classic Rock]])]
+===== Django Reinhardt Inspiration =====
+Following his factory accident, Iommi was deeply inspired to continue playing guitar after hearing jazz musician Django Reinhardt, who had lost the use of two fingers in a fire. [([[https://ultimateclassicrock.com/tony-iommi-iron-man-book-review/|Ultimate Classic Rock]])]
+===== Homemade Thimbles =====
+To play guitar despite his severed fingertips, Iommi melted plastic bottles to create custom thimbles and covered them with leather caps for grip. [([[https://loudwire.com/unforgettable-tony-iommi-moments/|Loudwire]])]
+===== Down-Tuning Innovation =====
+Iommi began down-tuning his guitar to C# and using lighter-gauge strings to reduce string tension on his injured fingers, accidentally inventing the heavy, doomy tone of metal. [([[https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/-51028/tony-iommi-51268/|Rolling Stone]])]
+===== Polka Tulk and Earth =====
+Before adopting the name Black Sabbath, Iommi and his bandmates played under the names Polka Tulk Blues Band and Earth in the late 1960s. [([[https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Black-Sabbath/603669|Britannica Kids]])]
+===== Brief Stint in Jethro Tull =====
+In 1968, Iommi briefly left his band to join Jethro Tull, performing with them in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus before returning to Black Sabbath. [([[https://www.gibson.com/blogs/gibson-tv/tony-iommi-the-godfather-of-heavy-metal-volume-one|Gibson]])]
+===== The Devil's Tritone =====
+The song "Black Sabbath" used the "Devil's Interval" (tritone), a dissonant three-note progression historically discouraged by religious institutions, establishing heavy metal's dark signature sound. [([[https://www.kerrang.com/tony-iommis-13-greatest-riffs|Kerrang!]])]
+===== Debut Album Speed Recording =====
+Black Sabbath's groundbreaking debut album was recorded in just eight hours on an eight-track machine at Regent Sound in London in 1969. [([[https://www.guitarworld.com/features/tony-iommi-best-worst-black-sabbath-albums|Guitar World]])]
+===== Coughing Intro on Sweet Leaf =====
+The coughing sound at the beginning of "Sweet Leaf" on the 1971 album Master of Reality was recorded when Iommi nearly choked after taking a hit from a joint given by Ozzy Osbourne. [([[https://www.guitarworld.com/features/tony-iommi-best-worst-black-sabbath-albums|Guitar World]])]
+===== Gibson SG Monkey Guitar =====
+Much of Black Sabbath's legendary early catalog was recorded using Iommi's heavily modified 1964 Gibson SG Special guitar, affectionately nicknamed "Monkey." [([[https://www.gibson.com/it-eu/blogs/gibson-tv/tony-iommi-sg-special|Gibson]])]
+===== Rehearsing Seven Sets a Day =====
+While developing material for their 1970 album Paranoid, the band tightened their playing by performing seven 45-minute sets daily at a club in Switzerland. [([[https://www.guitarworld.com/features/tony-iommi-best-worst-black-sabbath-albums|Guitar World]])]
+===== The Origin of Paranoid =====
+The hit title track "Paranoid" was composed by Iommi in just a few minutes as a quick three-minute filler song for the second album. [([[https://ca.billboard.com/music/rock/black-sabbath-paranoid-spotify-billions-club-1235622088/|Billboard]])]
+===== Renaming War Pigs =====
+Black Sabbath's second album was originally titled War Pigs, but record executives insisted on changing the album title to Paranoid. [([[https://loudwire.com/unforgettable-tony-iommi-moments/|Loudwire]])]
+===== Into the Void Recording Struggle =====
+During the recording of Master of Reality, drummer Bill Ward struggled so much with "Into the Void" that the band tried recording it across several different studios before completing it. [([[https://www.kerrang.com/tony-iommis-13-greatest-riffs|Kerrang!]])]
+===== Break-Through Riff for Sabbath Bloody Sabbath =====
+Facing writer's block and exhaustion during their fifth album, the band was rejuvenated after Iommi created the heavy opening riff for "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." [([[https://www.kerrang.com/tony-iommis-13-greatest-riffs|Kerrang!]])]
+===== Birmingham Industrial Roots =====
+Iommi worked as a gas welder in a West Midlands factory, an industrial environment that heavily shaped the dark, metallic sound of Black Sabbath. [([[https://www.bbc.com/storyworks/visit-birmingham/a-west-midlands-welcome|BBC]])]
+===== Sole Constant Black Sabbath Member =====
+Across Black Sabbath's 50-year career, Iommi remained the band's leader, primary songwriter, and only constant member on every album release. [([[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tony-Iommi|Britannica]])]
+===== Rock Aid Armenia Project =====
+In 1989, Iommi helped organize the Rock Aid Armenia effort, re-recording "Smoke on the Water" alongside rock legends to raise relief funds for earthquake victims. [([[https://blabbermouth.net/news/tony-iommi-says-his-long-awaited-new-solo-album-will-definitely-definitely-be-released-in-2026|Blabbermouth]])]
+===== Armenian Order of Honor Award =====
+In recognition of his humanitarian efforts for earthquake relief, Iommi was awarded the Order of Honor by the Prime Minister of Armenia in 2009. [([[https://blabbermouth.net/news/tony-iommi-says-his-long-awaited-new-solo-album-will-definitely-definitely-be-released-in-2026|Blabbermouth]])]
+===== Eurovision Songwriting for Armenia =====
+Iommi wrote the song "Lonely Planet," performed by Armenian rock group Dorians, which represented Armenia at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. [([[https://www.bbc.com/storyworks/visit-birmingham/a-west-midlands-welcome|BBC]])]
+===== Solo Album Debut =====
+Iommi released his self-titled debut solo album Iommi in 2000, featuring guest vocalists such as Dave Grohl, Henry Rollins, and Phil Anselmo. [([[https://www.loudersound.com/metal-hammer|Louder Sound]])]
+===== Fused Album with Glenn Hughes =====
+In 2005, Iommi collaborated with former Deep Purple vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes and drummer Kenny Aronoff to release the solo album Fused. [([[https://www.loudersound.com/metal-hammer|Louder Sound]])]
+===== Formed Heaven & Hell =====
+In 2006, Iommi reunited with Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice under the name Heaven & Hell, releasing the album The Devil You Know in 2009. [([[https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Black-Sabbath/603669|Britannica Kids]])]
+===== Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction =====
+As a founding member of Black Sabbath, Iommi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. [([[https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Black-Sabbath/603669|Britannica Kids]])]
+===== Early-Stage Lymphoma Diagnosis =====
+In January 2012, shortly after Black Sabbath announced their reunion, Iommi revealed he had been diagnosed with early-stage lymphoma. [([[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/back-in-black-sabbath-on-the-comeback-trail-with-ozzy-osbourne-and-crew-8989052.html|The Independent]])]
+===== Writing 13 Album During Chemo =====
+Iommi composed the heavy riffs for Black Sabbath's 2013 reunion album 13 while undergoing active radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer. [([[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/back-in-black-sabbath-on-the-comeback-trail-with-ozzy-osbourne-and-crew-8989052.html|The Independent]])]
+===== Grammy Win for God Is Dead? =====
+Black Sabbath won a Grammy Award in 2014 for Best Metal Performance for the single "God Is Dead?", featured on their album 13. [([[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/back-in-black-sabbath-on-the-comeback-trail-with-ozzy-osbourne-and-crew-8989052.html|The Independent]])]
+===== Coventry University Teaching Role =====
+In 2014, Iommi accepted a visiting professor appointment at Coventry University to share songwriting expertise with music students. [([[https://www.coventry.ac.uk/primary-news/black-sabbath-star-tony-iommi-takes-up-teaching-at-coventry-university/|Coventry University]])]
+===== Noncancerous Throat Lump Surgery =====
+In January 2017, Iommi successfully underwent a surgical procedure to remove a noncancerous throat lump. [([[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/12/black-sabbath-formed-from-earth|The Guardian]])]
+===== Final Sabbath Show in Birmingham =====
+Black Sabbath concluded their 49-year career on February 4, 2017, with a farewell performance at the Genting Arena in their hometown of Birmingham. [([[https://blabbermouth.net/news/tony-iommi-says-his-long-awaited-new-solo-album-will-definitely-definitely-be-released-in-2026|Blabbermouth]])]
+===== Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award =====
+In 2019, Iommi and his Black Sabbath bandmates were honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. [([[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/12/black-sabbath-formed-from-earth|The Guardian]])]
+===== Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony =====
+In August 2022, Iommi surprised fans by performing "Paranoid" alongside Ozzy Osbourne at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. [([[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/02/i-dont-want-to-die-in-a-hotel-room-somewhere-black-sabbath-on-reconciling-for-their-final-gig-and-how-ozzy-is-living-through-hell|The Guardian]])]
+===== Custom Fragrance Collaborations =====
+Iommi collaborated with Italian luxury perfume house Xerjoff to launch two signature fragrance and instrumental track releases, "Scent of Dark" and "Deified." [([[https://au.rollingstone.com/t/tony-iommi/|Rolling Stone]])]
+===== Black Sabbath - The Ballet Project =====
+Iommi partnered with Carlos Acosta and the Birmingham Royal Ballet to create Black Sabbath – The Ballet, blending heavy metal compositions with classical dance. [([[https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/forging-metal-to-birmingham-ballet-marking-black-sabbaths-campus-anniversary|University of Birmingham]])]
+===== University of Birmingham Campus Anniversary =====
+In November 2025, Iommi returned to the University of Birmingham to mark the 55th anniversary of Black Sabbath's first-ever performance on the Edgbaston campus in 1970. [([[https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/forging-metal-to-birmingham-ballet-marking-black-sabbaths-campus-anniversary|University of Birmingham]])]
+===== Heartlands Hospital Charity Drive =====
+Iommi organized a major guitar raffle that raised £53,000 to purchase equipment and beds for the cancer unit at Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital. [([[https://www.coventry.ac.uk/primary-news/black-sabbath-star-tony-iommi-takes-up-teaching-at-coventry-university/|Coventry University]])]
+===== Guest Guitar Solo for Robbie Williams =====
+Iommi played a guest guitar solo on "Rocket," the lead single from Robbie Williams's album Britpop. [([[https://ca.billboard.com/music/music-news/robbie-williams-new-album-britpop-tour-1235977377/|Billboard]])]
+===== Feature Track with Brian May =====
+Iommi collaborated with Queen guitarist Brian May on the song "Death Wake" for his solo album From The Dark. [([[https://www.loudersound.com/metal-hammer|Louder Sound]])]
+===== Back to the Beginning Farewell Concert =====
+In July 2025, Iommi reunited with Black Sabbath for their historic Back to the Beginning farewell performance at Villa Park in Birmingham. [([[https://ca.billboard.com/music/rock/black-sabbath-tribute-ozzy-osbourne-death-1236027900/?bil=554&debugld=stickybtest&mc_eid=e93eb860cc&mc_cid=fac9cdc993&g=&utm_=|Billboard]])]
+===== Mourning Frontman Ozzy Osbourne =====
+Following Ozzy Osbourne's death in July 2025, Iommi paid emotional tribute to his longtime friend, reflecting on their journey as "four kids from Aston." [([[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/23/ozzy-osbourne-black-sabbath-band-member-tributes|The Guardian]])]
+===== Radio 4 Today Interview Reflection =====
+Speaking on BBC Radio 4 following Ozzy Osbourne's death, Iommi noted he had no idea their Villa Park reunion show would be their final performance together. [([[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/23/ozzy-osbourne-black-sabbath-band-member-tributes|The Guardian]])]
+===== Contemplating Rob Halford Collaboration =====
+Iommi discussed writing and recording material with Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, who previously filled in on vocals for Black Sabbath in 1992 and 2004. [([[https://loudwire.com/tony-iommi-contemplates-collaboration-rob-halford/|Loudwire]])]
+===== Favorite Local Vindaloo Curry =====
+A proud native of Birmingham, Iommi revealed that his favorite meal is an extra-hot vindaloo curry accompanied by a large table naan. [([[https://www.bbc.com/storyworks/visit-birmingham/a-west-midlands-welcome|BBC]])]
+===== From The Dark Solo Album Announcement =====
+Iommi announced his third solo album, titled From The Dark, featuring Norwegian vocalist Jørn Lande. [([[https://blabbermouth.net/news/tony-iommi-says-he-originally-wanted-geezer-butler-to-play-on-his-from-the-dark-solo-album-he-couldnt-do-it|Blabbermouth]])]

User Tools

Site Tools

Differences

Page Tools