Estranged
BLACK SABBATH drummer
Bill Ward has shot down reports that he will perform with the band on the U.K. leg of their farewell tour.
Ward has posted the following message on his
Facebook page: "We have seen it reported in the news that
Bill will be playing with
BLACK SABBATH on
'The End' tour in the U.K. This is incorrect, and we wanted to make sure you heard it from us directly:
Bill is not playing with
BLACK SABBATH in the U.K. or on any other dates of
'The End' tour. As always, we thank you for all your support and understanding."
Ward was on board for the
SABBATH reunion when it was first announced in November 2011, but backed out soon after. He later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of
SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.
SABBATH has used singer
Ozzy Osbourne's regular touring drummer
Tommy Clufetos since then for live work.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's
Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on the band's comeback album,
"13", which came out in June 2013.
It was rumored that
SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with
Ward, which he allegedly balked at.
Asked in an interview with
Rolling Stone magazine if he would be in shape right now to rejoin
BLACK SABBATH,
Ward responded: "Absolutely, yeah. I have no doubt in my mind. I know that they've suggested that I played half the gig, and I don't want to play half the gig. I'm quite capable of playing a complete fucking
BLACK SABBATH set. So this health thing has been bandied around, and it's true that I have heart disease, and it's true that I did get sick a couple of years after the fact. But when the health card is being thrown around, the bottom line is that I really tried to take care of myself. Every day, I always look at the day and say, 'Could I have played a gig today no matter what's going on with me?' And the answer is always, 'Yes.' I'm much harder on me than those guys could ever be."
Ward in 2015 released his first solo album in 18 years. Titled
"Accountable Beasts", the record can be purchased on
iTunes.
More recently,
Ward launched a new new three-piece band called
DAY OF ERRORS. The group, which was formed by
Ward "in the desire to have my drumming spirit continue to live," also features
Joe Amodea on guitar/vocals and
Nick Diltz on bass/lead vocals.