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 f***** phone call. Not one f***** call. When his son was f***** born, I phoned him every f******* night even though we were at war with each other, Black Sabbath and me (after his sacking). I thought, ‘F**** it, he’s my mate, I’m gonna call him.’ But from him, not one f****** call. It’s sad, man. We all grew up together, and he can’t pick up the f***** 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
Butler wrote about his friendship with Ozzy in his memoirs “Into the Void,” which was released this year. He said:
“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.”
Following the release of his book, Butler reiterated his earlier assertion that Ozzy and his wife were to blame for their misunderstandings. He also expressed skepticism about their ability to communicate with one another in the future. He stated the following in a June interview with Ultimate Classic Rock:
“We didn’t fall out, it was the wives.”
It’s doubtful that Ozzy and Butler will communicate properly again, at least not anytime soon.