Black Sabbath to reform with original line-up

Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward have begun rehearsing for a tour and new studio  album confirmed Tony Iommi today for birminghammail.net. The reunion has been kept under wraps for some time. In June this year vocalist Ozzy and Tony wrote new material for a record that will be released next year.

Update: In response to online reports claiming the original lineup is getting back together, guitarist Tony Iommi has issued the following official statement:

"I'm saddened that a Birmingham journalist whom I trusted has chosen this point in time to take a conversation we had back in June and make it sound like we spoke yesterday about a Black Sabbath reunion.

At the time I was supporting the Home Of Metal exhibition and was merely speculating, shooting the breeze, on something all of us get asked constantly, 'Are you getting back together?'.

Thanks to the internet it's gone round the world as some sort of "official" statement on my part, absolute nonsense. I hope he's enjoyed his moment of glory, he won't have another at my expense.

To my old pals, Ozzy, Greezer and Bill, sorry about this, I should have known better.

All the best, Tony."