In a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK, Ozzy Osbourne expressed that he was upset with Geezer Butler for not supporting or calling him during this period when he was dealing with health problems. He also admitted that a dispute between his wife/manager, Sharon and Geezer Butler’s wife Gloria, led to a breakdown in their friendship. He said:
“Tony Iommi has been so supportive of me since my illness. Geezer Butler hasn’t given me one fucking phone call. Not one fucking call. When his son was fucking born, I phoned him every fucking night even though we were at war with each other, Black Sabbath and me (after his sacking). I thought, ‘Fuck it, he’s my mate, I’m gonna call him.’ But from him, not one fucking call. It’s sad, man. We all grew up together, and he can’t pick up the fucking phone like a man and see how I’m doing. Even Bill Ward has been in touch with me. I said some things about Bill, and I don’t know why I said it, but when I came through my illness, he contacted me.”
Ozzy, acknowledging the influence Geezer Butler’s wife had on him, added:
“Are you really going to hide behind your wife’s skirt because of that?”
Butler Thinks It’s Their Wives Causing Miscommunication
In his autobiography ‘Into The Void’ which was published this year, Butler shared his thoughts on his current relationship with Ozzy. He stated:
“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.”
After the publication of his book, Butler once again claimed that the miscommunication between him and Ozzy was due to their wives. He also expressed doubts that the communication barrier between them would ever be resolved. In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock in June, he said:
“We didn’t fall out, it was the wives.”
The miscommunication between Ozzy and Butler is unlikely to be resolved, at least in the near future.
