Last week we talked about Black Sabbath going out on their alleged final tour next year and then calling it quits for good. Some fans were skeptical of the whole thing being a farewell tour given bands do that all the time, but guitarist Tony Iommi has quelled those rumors saying that the reason the band is ending its touring is because he physically can't do it anymore.
Get ready for a bit of a heart-wrencher, courtesy of an interview Iommi did with The Birmingham Mail.
"I can't actually do this anymore. My body won't take it much more. I don't want [the cancer] creeping back again, and all the travelling involved in Sabbath tours increasingly takes its toll. That's why we're going out on one last tour, to say our farewells. And then it very definitely is the end. We won't be doing it again."
He adds in that this is the best decision he can make for his health currently, which, of course, every decent human being on the entire planet understands.
"We've been doing this for getting on for 50 years now. It's about time we draw the line, don't you think? It's been great but it's time to stop now. Don't get me wrong, I still love gigging. It's all the travelling and the exhaustion that goes with it that's the problem. That side of things has a big impact on me. Yes, we may fly in luxury, stay in the very best hotels, ride in the most comfortable limos, but there's still a physical cost to touring. Even when we build in rest breaks — I have to have blood tests every six weeks — I find it tough going. You take a long haul flight, arrive somewhere at five in the morning and book into a hotel. There's the soundcheck, the promotional work, the gig itself, then you're back at the hotel to collapse into bed. Then next day you get to do it all over again. I love being up there onstage, playing with Sabbath. What I don't love is all the other stuff necessary to enable that to happen. None of us are getting any younger, you know."
Wow… we all knew this day would come, but here it is.
This is officially the end of Black Sabbath. Forever. The first round of final dates can be found here.
