So yesterday Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward said he had no choice but to sit out the reunion until the band presented him with a fairer contract. Today the band responded with this:

“We were saddened to hear yesterday via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current Black Sabbath plans… We have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open… We are still in the U.K. with Tony. Writing and recording the new album and on a roll… See you at Download!!!”

Y’know what? We’ve had a Sabbath ‘reunion’ with Vinnie Appice on drums. We’ve had a Sabbath reunion with Mike Bordin on drums. Those were for tours when Bill wasn’t up to it, but this is meant to be the big reunion album, probably the big Sabbath send-off, the last hurrah. Bill deserves to be there. His jazz-inflected drumming was a crucial part of the classic sound. C’mon guys, give the man what he wants! I don’t care if he wants eight jets and twelve gold plated Ferraris: give him eight jets and twelve gold plated Ferraris! If it’s a matter of everyone being recognised and compensated equally, then that means you’ll all get eight jets and twelve gold plated Ferraris. You’re Black Sabbath, you’ll be able to find the money from somewhere. C’mon, let’s just end this on the right note and let it be.