Geezer Butler and Ozzy Osbourne were two of Black Sabbath's founding members, and were on-again off-again bandmates for the better part of four decades. Butler also played in Ozzy's solo band for a few years between 1988 and 1995, and even performed on the 1995 album Ozzmosis. They're still cool with each other, but they don't talk anymore because their wives hate each other. Bummer.
According to Butler in his new memoir Into The Void, "Me and Ozzy are fine, it's just that we're both ruled by our wives. He's got a big heart and was always there for me in times of trouble." Butler previously elaborated on the issue in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, saying they didn't have a falling out, "it was the wives."
Considering their history and the impact Black Sabbath had on the metal world, it sucks that their relationship ended as it seems to have. Though Black Sabbath's relationship with former drummer Bill Ward is also a little rocky, so I guess it all just kinda sucks.
Butler is still on good terms with Black Sabbath riff overlord Tony Iommi, as well as Ward.
"Yeah, he's always been there for me," said Butler in the same interview. "You know, he's a good friend. We can slag each other to death. It's like marriage, really. You have terrible arguments, you fall out and you come back together. But he's always there. He always is. I hope he is after this book as well. I still love Bill [Ward], but he's not on the internet. If you want to talk to Bill, you have to email his wife and she has to tell him. It's really awkward. [Laughs] Ozzy I don't speak to at all."
