Tony Iommi

Tony Iommi

Iommi onstage with Heaven & Hell in

2009

Background information

Birth name Anthony Frank Iommi

Born 19 February 1948

Handsworth,

Birmingham, England,

UK

Genres Heavy metal, blues rock

Occupations Musician, songwriter,

producer

Instruments Guitar, keyboards, flute

Years active 1964–present

Labels Warner Bros., I.R.S.,

Rhino

Associated

acts

Earth, Black Sabbath,

Heaven & Hell, Jethro

Tull, Mythology, Velvett

Tony IommiFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi[1] (born19 February 1948) is an English guitarist,songwriter and producer. Best known aslead guitarist and founding member of thepioneering heavy metal band BlackSabbath, he has been the band's solecontinual member and primary composer.

Born in Birmingham, England, Iommiworked at a factory as a teenager wherehe lost the tips of two of his fingers in anaccident. Iommi briefly left Black Sabbath(then known as 'Earth') in 1968 to joinJethro Tull, after which he returned toBlack Sabbath. In 2000, he released hisfirst solo album Iommi, followed by 2005'sFused, which featured his formerbandmate Glenn Hughes. After releasingFused, he joined Heaven & Hell, whichdisbanded after Ronnie James Dio's deathin 2010.

Iommi is widely considered as the fatherof heavy metal and one of the greatest andmost influential rock guitarists of all time.A prolific riff-maker, he was rankednumber 25 in Rolling Stone magazine'slist of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of AllTime".

In 2011, he published his autobiography,entitled Iron Man: My Journey throughHeaven and Hell with Black Sabbath.

Contents

1 Early life2 Musical career

2.1 Pre-Black Sabbath2.2 Earth and Jethro Tull

Tony Iommi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tony_...

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Fogg

Website iommi.com

(http://iommi.com)

Notable instruments

Gibson SG

Gibson Les Paul

Fender Stratocaster

2.3 Black Sabbath2.4 Solo career2.5 Heaven & Hell2.6 Eurovision Song Contest

3 Personal life3.1 Illness

4 Legacy and influence5 Equipment

5.1 Guitars5.2 Effects5.3 Amplifiers

6 Discography6.1 Solo6.2 with Black Sabbath6.3 with Heaven & Hell6.4 Guest & other appearances

7 References8 External links

Early life

Anthony Frank Iommi was born on 19 February 1948, the only child to Anthony

Frank and Sylvia Maria Iommi (née Velenti).[2] His mother's family were vineyard

owners in Italy.[1] The family were Catholic but rarely attended mass.[1] Thefamily home in the Park Lane area of Aston also housed a shop which was a

popular meeting place in the neighbourhood.[1] The family living room doubled as

the shop's stockroom.[1] His mother ran the shop while his father was a carpenter

by trade.[1] Born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham,[1] he attendedBirchfield Road School, where future bandmate Ozzy Osbourne was also a studentone year behind him. At age 8 or 9, Iommi fell and badly cut his upper lip as

another boy chased him.[1] As a result he gained the nickname "Scarface" whichcaused him to become self-conscious of the scar, and he eventually grew his

trademark mustache as a means of covering it.[1]

At approximately age ten he began working out and learned judo, karate, andlater boxing as a means of protecting himself from the local gangs who

congregated in his neighbourhood.[1] He became so good at boxing that heenvisioned a future as a bouncer in a nightclub, thus avoiding a career in a boring

factory job.[1] Iommi initially wanted to play the drums, but due to the excessivenoise they produce he chose the guitar instead as a teenager, after being inspired


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by the likes of Hank Marvin and The Shadows.[3] He has always played guitar

left-handed.[4] After completing school, Iommi worked briefly as a plumber andlater manufacturing rings in a factory. At one point he worked in a music store but

quit after being falsely accused of stealing.[1]

In an industrial accident at the age of 17 on his last day of work in a sheet metal

factory, Iommi lost the tips of the middle and ring finger of his right hand.[5] Afterthe injury Iommi considered abandoning the guitar entirely. However, his factoryforeman played him a recording of famous jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, whichencouraged him to continue as a musician. As Iommi would later write:

My friend said, "Listen to this guy play," and I went, "No way! Listeningto someone play the guitar is the very last thing I want to do right now!"But he kept insisting and he ended up playing the record for me. I toldhim I thought it was really good and then he said, "You know, the guy'sonly playing with two fingers on his fretboard hand because of an injuryhe sustained in a terrible fire." I was totally knocked back by thisrevelation and was so impressed by what I had just heard that I

suddenly became inspired to start trying to play again.[6]

Inspired by Reinhardt's two-fingered guitar playing, Iommi decided to try playing

guitar again, though the injury made it quite painful to do so.[1] Although it wasan option, Iommi never seriously considered switching hands and learning to playright-handed. In an interview with Guitar World magazine, he was asked if he was"ever tempted to switch to right-handed playing." Iommi responded:

If I knew what I know now I probably would have switched. At the time Ihad already been playing two or three years, and it seemed like I hadbeen playing a long time. I thought I’d never be able to change the wayI played. The reality of the situation was that I hadn’t been playing verylong at all, and I probably could have spent the same amount of timelearning to play right handed. I did have a go at it, but I just didn’t havethe patience. It seemed impossible to me. I decided to make do withwhat I had, and I made some plastic fingertips for myself. I just

persevered with it.[7]

Yet, in his autobiography, he writes:

Probably the easiest thing would have been to flip the guitar upsidedown and learn to play right-handed instead of left-handed. I wish I hadin hindsight, but I thought, well, I've been playing for a few yearsalready, it's going to take me another few years to learn it that way. Thatseemed like a very long time, so I was determined to keep playing

left-handed.[1]


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In any case, he decided to continue playing left-handed. To do so, he fittedhomemade thimbles to his injured fingers to extend and protect them, whichcreated two technical problems. Firstly, the thimbles prevented him from feelingthe strings, causing a tendency to press down very hard with them. Secondly, hehad difficulty bending strings, leading him to seek light-gauge guitar strings to

make it easier to do so.[8] However, Iommi recalls that such strings were notmanufactured at the time, so he used banjo strings instead, until around 1970-71

when Picato Strings began making light-gauge guitar strings.[9] Furthermore, heused the injured fingers predominantly for fretting chords rather than single-note

solos.[1] In 1974, Iommi told Guitar Player magazine that the thimbles "helped(him) with his technique" because he had to use his pinky finger more than he had

to before the accident.[10] Later, he also began tuning his guitar strings to lowerpitches, sometimes as far as three semitones below standard guitar tuning (e.g.,on "Children of the Grave," "Lord of this World," and "Into the Void," all on Masterof Reality). Although Iommi states that the main purpose of doing so was to create

a "bigger, heavier sound," slackening the strings makes it easier to bend them. [1]

Musical career

Pre-Black Sabbath

Iommi had played in several blues/rock bands, the earliest of which was theRockin' Chevrolets from 1964 to 1965. The band had regular bookings and whenthey were offered work in Germany, Iommi decided to leave his factory job to takeup the opportunity. From 1966 to 1967 Iommi played in a band named The Rest. Itwas in The Rest that Iommi first met future-Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward,

who performed drums and vocals in the band.[1]

From January 1968 until July 1968 Iommi was guitarist in Mythology, with Wardjoining a month later in mid-February. In May 1968 police raided the group'spractice flat and found cannabis resin, which resulted in fines for the bandmembers. Most significantly, the incident made it quite difficult for the band tosecure future bookings as most club owners avoided bands they viewed as drug

users.[1] Mythology subsequently split up after a gig in Silloth on 13 July 1968.

In August 1968 at the same time as the breakup of Mythology, anotherBirmingham band called Rare Breed also broke up. Rare Breed vocalist John"Ozzy" Osbourne joined with Iommi and Ward after the duo responded to an

advert in a local music shop proclaiming "Ozzy Zig Needs Gig - has own PA".[1]

Requiring a bassist, Osbourne mentioned his former Rare Breed bandmate GeezerButler, who was subsequently hired along with slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips and

saxophonist Alan "Aker" Clarke.[11] The six-piece band were named the Polka Tulk


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Iommi with Ozzy Osbourne in1973

Blues Band.[11] After just two gigs (the last of which was at the Banklands YouthClub in Workington), Phillips and Clarke were dismissed from the band, whichsoon after shortened its name to Polka Tulk.

Earth and Jethro Tull

Main article: Jethro Tull (band)

Iommi, Butler, Ward and Osbourne renamed the band Earth in September 1968.They carried on under this moniker until December 1968 when Iommi brieflydeparted to join Jethro Tull. However after only one performance (an appearanceon "The Rolling Stones Rock & Roll Circus" in which the band mimed "A Song forJeffrey", which Ian Anderson sang live), Iommi was back with Earth once more.

Iommi on his brief working relationship with Jethro Tull vocalist Ian Anderson:

I learned quite a lot from him, I must say. I learned that you have got towork at it. You have to rehearse. When I came back and I got the band(Earth) back together, I made sure that everybody was up early in themorning and rehearsing. I used to go and pick them up. I was the onlyone at the time that could drive. I used to have to drive the bloody vanand get them up at quarter to nine every morning; which was, believeme, early for us then. I said to them, "This is how we have got to do itbecause this is how Jethro Tull did it." They had a schedule and theyknew that they were going to work from this time till that time. I triedthat with our band and we got into doing it. It worked. Instead of juststrolling in at any hour, it made it more like we were saying, "Let’s doit!"

Black Sabbath

Main article: Black Sabbath

In August 1969, after being confused with anothergroup named Earth (who had minor success inEngland), the group renamed themselves BlackSabbath. His aforementioned factory accidentaffected the Black Sabbath sound later on, as by1970 Iommi had detuned his guitar from E to E♭ (a

minor second down),[12] and from 1971's Master ofReality album, had detuned it further to D♭ (aminor third down), in order to ease the tension onhis fingers. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butlerdid the same to match Iommi. Sabbath wereamong the first bands to detune, and the technique


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became a mainstay of heavy metal music. Iommi combined blues-like guitar solosand dark, minor-key riffing with a revolutionary high-gain, heavily distorted tonewith his use of a modified treble-boosting effect-pedal and a Gibson SG.

By the mid-1970s, incessant drug usage, managerial problems and constanttouring had taken its toll on the band and Ozzy Osbourne was fired in 1979.Osbourne was replaced with Ronnie James Dio, the former vocalist for Rainbow.With Dio, Black Sabbath produced Heaven and Hell, prior to replacing Bill Wardwith Vinny Appice. With Iommi and Geezer Butler the only original members, thisline-up produced Mob Rules. During the '80s and '90s Iommi rebuilt the band withmany lineup changes with vocalists including Ian Gillan (formerly of Deep Purple),Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin and Ray Gillen. After Ian Gillan departed the band in1984 Iommi recorded his first solo album, entitled Seventh Star. The albumfeatured Glenn Hughes (formerly of Deep Purple) on vocals, but due to labelpressures, it was billed as a release by "Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi."

In 1992 Iommi appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, playing foursongs with the remaining members of Queen and other guest artists. In thefollowing year Iommi teamed up with fellow Black Country band Diamond Headand co-wrote the song "Starcrossed (Lovers in the Night)" for their 1993 Deathand Progress album. At Ozzy's "farewell" concert at Costa Mesa in 1992, Diorefused to perform and abruptly left the band. As a result Rob Halford wasrecruited to perform as the vocalist for two gigs (Halford also sang at one of thedates on the 2004 Ozzfest tour, when Ozzy couldn't perform due to bronchitis).Following Osbourne's solo set, the show concluded with Ozzy bringing out theother members of the original Black Sabbath line-up for a 4-song reunion.

Black Sabbath went on to record two further albums with Tony Martin before theoriginal line-up reunited as a touring band in 1997. While Bill Ward played at thetwo initial reunion shows at Birmingham NEC in December 1997, he was notpresent for the following two reunion tours, his second absence due to a heartattack. Ward was replaced by Mike Bordin and then Vinny Appice.

On 11 November 2011, the original band members announced that they were

reuniting and recording a new album.[13] The new album, 13, was released inJune 2013.

Solo career

Main article: Iommi (album)

In 2000, Iommi released his first proper solo album, titled Iommi. The albumfeatured several guest vocalists including Ian Astbury, Skin, Henry Rollins, SerjTankian, Dave Grohl, Billy Corgan, Phil Anselmo, Peter Steele and Ozzy Osbourne.In late 2004 Iommi's second solo album was released, entitled The 1996 DEPSessions. This album was originally recorded in 1996 but was never officially


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Star on Birmingham Walk ofStars

released. However, a copy with a drum track by Dave Holland was available as abootleg called Eighth Star. Glenn Hughes performed vocals on the album and hefurthered his collaboration with Hughes with the release of his third solo album,Fused. Released on 12 July 2005, John Mellencamp drummer Kenny Aronoffcompleted the trio on the album.

Iommi has signed with Mike Fleiss's movie production company Next Films to

score a series of horror films entitled Black Sabbath.[14]

Since 1989 Tony Iommi was involved in the Rock Aid Armenia project. In October2009 Iommi and his colleague Ian Gillan were awarded the Orders Of Honor -Armenia’s highest order, which were delivered to them by the Prime Minister of

Armenia for their help after the Spitak earthquake.[15] They formed thesupergroup WhoCares and recorded a single called "Out of my Mind", which wasreleased 6 May 2011 for the benefit of the music school to be built in Gyumri,Armenia. In January 2012, when Iommi was announced to have early-stagelymphoma, Armenian Prime Minister sent a letter of support: "We know yourspirit is strong as ever, and we do believe the genius of your inspiration thatguides you through the work on the new Black Sabbath album will transform into

a boost of strength and energy that you need now, when things look tough".[16]

Heaven & Hell

Main article: Heaven & Hell (band)

In October 2006 it was reported that Iommi wouldtour with Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler and BillWard again, but under the moniker Heaven & Hell.Later it was announced that Ward had decided notto participate and Vinny Appice was hired as his

replacement.[17] Rhino Records released "The DioYears" (under the 'Black Sabbath' moniker) albumon 3 April 2007. The album showcased older trackswith Dio and also included three brand new songsrecorded with Dio and Appice.

The band started an American tour in April 2007with Megadeth and Down as opening acts. Thetour finished in November in England with theprospect of an album to follow in 2008. During thisperiod the band's show at the New York Radio City Music Hall was released asboth a live DVD and CD with a vinyl release in the UK in 2008. During thesummer of 2008 the band embarked on the Metal Masters Tour along with Judas

Priest, Motörhead and Testament.[18] The band's first and only studio album, The


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Devil You Know, was released on 28 April 2009.[19]

In November 2008 Iommi had a star revealed on the Birmingham Walk of Stars.Dio passed away due to stomach cancer in May 2010 and on 14 June 2010, Iommiannounced that Heaven & Hell would perform a one-off tribute to Ronnie JamesDio at the High Voltage Festival, London on 24 July 2010. This was the band's lastperformance under the name.

Eurovision Song Contest

Iommi wrote the song "Lonely Planet" which was sung by Gor Sujyan for Armenia

in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest.[20][21]

Personal life

Iommi purchased his first house in Stafford, England, in 1972.[1] He also

purchased the property next door for his parents.[1] Iommi has been married four

times.[22]

In the early 1970s Iommi married Susan Snowden, who was related to

British Royal photographer Lord Snowdon.[23] Iommi was introduced to

Snowden by Black Sabbath's then-manager Patrick Meehan.[1] The song"Fluff", an Iommi instrumental composition later released on the Sabbath

Bloody Sabbath album, was played as Snowden walked down the aisle.[1] LedZeppelin drummer John Bonham served as Iommi's best man for the

ceremony.[1] This marriage lasted for some eight years, and Iommi said in a1991 Guitar World interview that the troubled recording and mixing of BlackSabbath's 1976 album Technical Ecstasy caused the end of his marriage.Iommi married an American model named Melinda in 1980. They had adaughter, Toni-Marie Iommi, in 1983, who was the vocalist for the

now-defunct band LunarMile.[24] Iommi divorced Melinda in the mid-1980s.[1][23] When Toni-Marie was 12 years old, Iommi won custody of her after shewas placed in foster care. Toni-Marie has described her early childhood witha mentally unbalanced mother as difficult but says that her father finally"saved her". She has stated that with her father she was able to regain her

trust in other people.[25] Mikko "Linde" Lindström, guitarist with Finnish

band HIM became engaged to Toni-Marie in August 2010.[26]

In 1986-7 Iommi met an Englishwoman named Valery, and after a six-yearrelationship they married. She had a son from a previous relationship named

Jay. They divorced in the late 90s.[23]Iommi confirmed in the same Guitar


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World interview referenced above (a co-interview with Metallica's JamesHetfield) that he has a son. He told Hetfield regarding the band's so-called"Black Album," that "my son gave me a copy of your latest album..."In 2005, Iommi married Maria Sjöholm, formerly vocalist for Swedish heavymetal band Drain STH. They met around 1998, when Tony was working onmusic for Drain STH. After a year of talking on the phone, in 1999, Mariarelocated to England and moved into Tony's home. On 19 August 2005,without telling anyone, Maria and Tony were wed at the Sunset Marquishotel, with only one witness present. On page 312 of his book, Tony calls the

low-key wedding the "Best thing I ever did!" [27]

During the mid-1980s Iommi was briefly engaged to rock musician Lita

Ford.[28][29] He co-produced her album The Bride Wore Black, which to dateremains unreleased. Ford said in a 1989 Kerrang! interview that "there's a certainamount of bad blood between Tony and I" due to her breaking off theengagement.

On 19 November 2013, Iommi received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts degreefrom Coventry University. The honorary degree came "in recognition of hiscontribution to the world of popular music", and recognised "his role as one of thefounding fathers of heavy metal music and his status as one of the industry's most

influential figures", the university said.[30]

Illness

In early 2012, Iommi was diagnosed with early stages of lymphoma,[31] for whichhe has undergone successful treatment as of January 2013. Black Sabbath's 2013tour dates have been arranged so that Iommi is free to return to the UK once

every six weeks to have an antibody administered.[32]

On Friday, 3 January 2014 in a New Year message, Iommi announced that he will

be finishing his regular treatment sometime in the year.[33]

Legacy and influence

Tony Iommi is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock guitarists of alltime. In 2005, Metal Hammer magazine ranked him number 1 on the poll of the"Riff Lords", praising his "highly distinctive style of fretsmanship that's

economical yet crushingly effective".[34] In 2007, Classic Rock magazine ranked

him number 6 on their list of the "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes".[35] In 2011, RollingStone magazine ranked him number 25 in their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists

of All Time".[36] Joel McIver ranked him the 6th greatest metal guitarist of all


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Iommi playing with BlackSabbath in 1978.

time.[37] In 2012, readers of Guitar World rankedIommi the 7th-greatest rock guitarist of all

time.[38] Editors of the same magazine ranked him

the greatest heavy metal guitarist of all time.[39]

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has said: "Tonymanaged to turn his physical impairment aroundinto something that makes him one of the guitarlegends – if not for his dexterity of playing but atleast for the fact that his contribution to rock

music is a unique one".[40] Gene Simmons of Kissregards him as "the man who came up with the

riffs that launched an army of guitar players"[41]

and Ronnie James Dio as "the ultimate riff master".[42]

Furthermore, Iommi is recognized by many as the main creator of heavy metal

music. Brian May of Queen considers him "the true father of heavy metal",[43]

Eddie Van Halen states that "without Tony, heavy metal wouldn't exist. He is the

creator of heavy!"[43] and James Hetfield of Metallica, who was profoundly

influenced by Iommi, defines him "The king of the heavy riff".[44] Rob Halford,vocalist for Judas Priest, when filling in for Ozzy Osbourne during an August 2004concert in Philadelphia, introduced Iommi to the audience as "The man who

invented the heavy metal riff".[45] Michael Amott of Carcass and Arch Enemy

considers Iommi his "guitar hero"[46] and the world’s greatest guitarist "because

he invented the heavy tone and evil riff".[47] According to Lamb of God singer

Randy Blythe, "Iommi is the reason heavy metal exists".[46]

He has been credited as the forerunner of other styles: Martin Popoff defines him

"the godfather of stoner rock";[48] Jeff Kitts and Brad Tolinski of Guitar Worldassert that "grunge, goth, thrash, industrial, death, doom... whatever. None of it

would exist without Tony Iommi".[49] According to the Hawaii Public Radio: "it ishard to imagine Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam or Alice In Chains withoutBlack Sabbath, and without Tony Iommi. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions,Metallica, Slayer, Pantera and essentially every metal band can be traced to the

musical framework found in Iommi compositions".[50] Many notable musicianscount Iommi as a major influence on their own playing; some of them include Jeff

Hanneman (Slayer), Dimebag Darrell (Pantera),[51] Slash (Guns N' Roses, Velvet

Revolver),[52] Scott Ian (Anthrax),[53] Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label

Society),[54] Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine),[55] Billy Corgan (Smashing

Pumpkins),[56] Kim Thayil (Soundgarden),[57] and Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, Queens of


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Tony Iommi[61]

the Stone Age).[58] Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains was strongly influenced by

Iommi's dark bendings, which he uses often.[59] Andy LaRocque of King Diamondsaid that the clean guitar part of "Sleepless Nights" from the Conspiracy album is

inspired by Iommi's playing on Never Say Die!.[60]

Equipment

Iommi's deep and heavy sound was partly born out of necessity—his"revolutionary signature sound" being the result of the accident and thesubsequent downtuning by three semitones. He said that his "extreme volume"was likewise necessary, "because we were fed up with people talking over us

while we were playing."[8]

Guitars

Jaydee Custom SGs[62]

Built in Birmingham by luthier JohnDiggins sometime between 1975 and1978, the guitar was first used foroverdubs on the 'Heaven and Hell'album and later became one of Iommi'smain guitars. The guitar is equippedwith a 24 fret neck with custom crossinlays, four control knobs (three ofwhich are functional), a disconnectedsecond output jack, a hole for a mastervolume knob on the pick guard coveredup with a black stopper and a highlydistressed finish. He had two more builtfor him. One was made to the samespecifications of his first Jaydee SG witha red finish. Another one was made andused during the Born Again era, which can be seen on the music videos for"Trashed" and "Zero the Hero." The differences are the finish, headstock, use of astoptail bridge, and use of rail humbuckers, as opposed to the 18-polehumbuckers on his two other versions.

Gibson SG, aka "Monkey"[63]

A 1965 Gibson SG Special in red finish fitted with a Gibson P-90 pickup in thebridge position and a custom-wound John Birch Simplux, a P-90 style single coil inthe neck position. The guitar became Iommi's main instrument after his white

"It was the same with 24-fret necks. I putmoney into a company because I couldn'tget guitars built the way I wanted them. Ihad to prove it to the manufacturers. So Iput money into John Birch guitars, and hebuilt my guitars. I had to prove it worked.All of this was done by experimenting andtrial and error. I paid for that myself inthe early days to show it could be done.And I paid for all these companies to getthe benefits nowadays. Back then they allsaid it couldn't be done. I also usedlocking nuts years and years ago withouta tremolo, before locking nuts were thenorm."


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Tony Iommi'ssignature GibsonSG guitar

Stratocaster's neck pickup failed during the recording ofBlack Sabbath's self-titled album.

Gibson Custom Shop SG[64]

The guitar was built by the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashvilleafter Iommi's specifications and finished in 1997. The guitaris one of two made as prototypes for the Gibson CustomShop Limited Edition Iommi Special SG. The guitar featuresa neck with 24 frets and four control knobs, of which onlytwo are active (much like his old Jaydee Custom guitar).

On 11 August 2010, Iommi announced on his website thatthis guitar was stolen from the RJD tribute show that Heaven& Hell performed at High Voltage on 24 July 2010. He isasking that anyone with information or leads let them know.

He is offering a reward for its safe return.[65]

Epiphone P94 Iommi SG[66]

A stock Epiphone SG signature model in black finish fittedwith P-94 pickups which is a version of the Gibson P-90pickup designed to fit into existing humbucker housings.

Gibson SG Standard

A regular left-handed version of the SG fitted with two extra frets to give Iommithe full two octaves which he prefers. The guitar is equipped with his signaturepickup. Iommi was the first guitarist to have a signature pickup designed andbuilt by Gibson. He also has another model fitted with a Floyd Rose floating

tremolo.[67]

Fender Stratocaster[68]

Iommi played a Fender Stratocaster thatwas spraypainted white by Iommi andhis father during the early days withBlack Sabbath. However, the pickupmalfunctioned during the recording oftheir first album so Iommi quickly turnedto his backup Gibson SG to finish therecord. Currently Iommi owns twoStratocasters, one of which has beenmodified with his signature pickup in thebridge position.

"I also came up with a guitar withinterchangeable pickups you could slot infrom the back. It was a John Birch guitar.We only sold one, and Roy Orbisonbought it. I came up with that years agoand the first one was made for me to usein the studio. At the time I had a lot ofproblems tuning guitars because of theneck and the light strings on the Gibson. Idecided to come up with a guitar that Icould use in the studio with differentsounds so that I didn't have to keepchanging guitars. You could slot a pickupin it and get a Fender sound, then slot a


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Tony Iommi[61]

BC Rich Ironbird

Custom built for Iommi by BC Rich.Features include Dimarzio pickups, twobuilt-in preamps, scalloped fretboardand Iommi's trademark cross inlays. Thisguitar can be seen in Tony's Star LicksVideo (http://star-licks.com/#iommi), for Star Licks Productions along with a lefthanded BC Rich mockingbird.

Gibson Barney Kessel[69]

A rare left-handed version of the jazz guitarist Barney Kessel artist model, builtsometime in the first half of the 1960s.

Epiphone Riviera 12 string[70]

Originally a regular right-handed version in red finish that was converted byEpiphone to a left-handed version to fit Iommi.

LaBella custom gauge strings[71]

Shure Wireless systems[71]

Effects

Tycobrahe Octavia[72]

Tycobrahe Wah Pedal[71][73]

Korg Rackmount Delay Model SDD1000Boss Chorus pedalKorg DL8000R multi-tap delayPeavey Addverb IIIBoss Octave DividerDrawmer LX22 CompressorDallas Rangemaster Treble Booster

Amplifiers

Laney TI100 Tony Iommi Signature: Current main amp. Two channel versionof the GH100TI.

Laney GH 100 TI Tony Iommi Signature amplifiers:[74] Iommi's main up from1993 - early 2012.

ENGL Powerball Amplifiers:[71] only used in 2009

Laney 4×12 cabinets[74]

different pickup in it and get a Gibsonsound. That was the idea. I did use it for awhile, but they were too expensive tomass-produce."


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Various Marshall amplifiers: from early to mid-1980s to 1993, including 9005Power Amplifiers and 9001 Preamps, 4×12" speaker cabinets, 2554 SilverJubilee Combo, 2558 Silver Jubilee Combo, Paul Reed Smith modded JCM800head.Laney Supergroup Heads: his main amplifier from 1968 to 1979Orange 1972 w/ 4x12 cab Only used for the filming of the music videos forIron Man and Paranoid.Laney Klipp: used on Master of Reality (Requires source verification?)Mesa Boogie Mark series heads: from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s

Discography

Solo

Iommi (2000)The 1996 DEP Sessions (2004)Fused (2005)

with Black Sabbath

Main article: Black Sabbath discography

with Heaven & Hell

Live from Radio City Music Hall (2007)The Devil You Know (2009)Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell (2010)

Guest & other appearances

Various Artists – Heavy Metal Soundtrack (1981)Various Artists – Rock Aid Armenia (1989)Queen & Various Artists – The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert (1992)Diamond Head – Death and Progress (1993)Ozzy Osbourne – Live & Loud (1993)Cathedral – The Carnival Bizarre (1995)Various Artists - Twang! – A Tribute to Hank Marvin & The Shadows (1996)Ozzy Osbourne – The Ozzman Cometh (1997)Necromandus – Orexis of Death (1999, recorded 1973)Various Artists – Party at the Palace: The Queen’s Concerts, BuckinghamPalace (2002)Ian Gillan – Gillan's Inn (2006)Ian Gillan & Tony Iommi (WhoCares) – Ian Gillan & Tony Iommi: WhoCares


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(2012)

References

^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Iommi, Tony (8 November 2012)."Chapter 1: The birth of a Cub". Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell withBlack Sabbath. Simon & Schuster Ltd. ISBN 978-1849833219.

1.

^ Iommi 2011, p. 1.2.^ Gill, Chris (December 2008). "The Eternal Idol". Guitar World.3.^ http://coreymoraesart.blogspot.ca/2011/01/tony-iommis-fingertips.html4.^ Black, Johnny (14 March 2009). "Black celebration: the holy grail of Black Sabbath"(http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=2&storycode=1037239). MusicWeek. UBM Information Ltd. Retrieved 27 August 2009.

5.

^ Iommi, Tony (1997). "Never Say Die: Overcoming overwhelming odds, and the rightway to play 'Paranoid' (http://www.iommi.com/archive/neversaydie.htm)."GuitarWorld, August, 1997.

6.

^ "Tony Iommi Interview Outtakes, Guitar World" (http://www.guitarworld.com/tony_iommi_interview_outtakes). Guitarworld.com. 17 October 2008. Retrieved 13November 2010.

7.

^ a b Kitts, Jeff; Tolinski, Brad (2002). "Tony Iommi: I'll try anything to sound heavier"(http://books.google.com/books?id=Fg838EcECUwC&pg=PT13). Guitar Worldpresents 100 greatest guitarists of all time from the pages of Guitar World magazine.Hal Leonard. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-634-04619-3.

8.

^ Tony Iommi, Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell (Boston, MA: DaCapoPress, 2011), 25-27.

9.

^ Michael Molenda, ed. Guitar Player Presents Guitar Heroes of the 70s (Milwaukee,WI: Backbeat Books, 2011), 131.

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^ a b Osbourne, Ozzy (2011). I Am Ozzy. Grand Central Publishing.ISBN 978-0446569903.

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^ "Black Sabbath, Live in Paris 1970" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_ht9skgEF0). 20 December 1970. Retrieved 5 July 2012.

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^ Baltin, Steve (11 November 2011). "Black Sabbath Announce New Album Producedby Rick Rubin" (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/black-sabbath-announce-new-album-produced-by-rick-rubin-20111111). Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 November2011.

13.

^ "Toni Iommi To Make Movies?" (http://downtuned.net/2009/07/29/newsgush-toni-iommi-to-make-movies/#more-371). Downtuned.net. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 17October 2010.

14.

^ Tony Iommi received Armenian Order Of Honour in October 2009(http://www.tonyiommifantastic.com/about-tony/awards-acknowledgements-grammy-iron-man-wizard-ivor-novello-changes-hall-fame-riff-lord-metal-guru.html)

15.

^ Armenian PM sends a letter to Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. 19.01.12(http://tigransargsyan.am/en/1326981865/page/4)

16.

^ "Bill Ward not participating in Heaven & Hell" (http://www.billward.com/news/archives/2006/11/bill_not_in_heaven_and_hell.html).

17.


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^ "Judas Priest Head Up The Metal Masters Tour With Heaven & Hell, Motorheadand Testament - antiMUSIC News" (http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/april/22Judas_Priest_Head_Up_The_Metal_Masters_Tour_With_Heaven_and_Hell,_Motorhead_and_Testament.shtml). Antimusic.com. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 13 November2010.

18.

^ Cohen, Jonathan (10 February 2009). "Heaven & Hell Feeling Devilish On NewAlbum" (http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269438/heaven-hell-feeling-devilish-on-new-album). Billboard. Retrieved 19 March 2009.

19.

^ "Sabbath star Tony Iommi writes Eurovision entry" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-21689607). BBC News. Retrieved 6 March 2013.

20.

^ "Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi writes Armenian Eurovision entry"(http://www.nme.com/news/black-sabbath/69069). NME.com. Retrieved 7 March2013.

21.

^ "Iommi on Rockschool" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0d_bHqVmLM).YouTube. Retrieved 5 August 2011.

22.

^ a b c Iommi 2011.23.^ "LunarMile's Biography at Myspace" (http://www.myspace.com/lunarmile). Web.Retrieved 3 August 2011.

24.

^ Tavio, Otto (6 April 2013). " "Isäni pelasti minut" – Black Sabbathin kitaristin tytärkotiutui Helsinkiin" (http://www.hs.fi/ihmiset/Is%C3%A4ni+pelasti+minut++Black+Sabbathin+kitaristin+tyt%C3%A4r+kotiutui+Helsinkiin/a1385621344467). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 29November 2013.

25.

^ "HIM Guitarist Engaged To TONY IOMMI's Daughter"(http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=144721).BlabberMouth.

26.

^ Iommi, Tony. Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath.De Capo Press. p. 312.

27.

^ "Tony Iommi" (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409546/bio). IMDb. Retrieved 26July 2011.

28.

^ "Lita Ford History: Sleaze Roxx" (http://www.sleazeroxx.com/bands/fordlita/litaford.shtml). Retrieved 26 July 2011.

29.

^ "Black Sabbath star Tony Iommi receives honorary degree" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25004475). BBC. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November2013.

30.

^ "Tony Iommi to undergo treatment for lymphoma" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-16474807). BBC News. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 10 February2013.

31.

^ http://rocktransmission.com/2013/04/17/news-tony-iommi-updates-fans-on-cancer-treatment/

32.

^ Rock News > Tony Iommi To Finish Regular Cancer Treatment(http://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/tony-iommi-to-finish-regular-cancer-treatment/)

33.

^ "Black Sabbath's Iommi is Metal Hammer's No. 1 Metal Guitarist"(http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=34271).Blabbermouth.net. 17 March 2005. Retrieved 30 May 2013.

34.

^ "Jimi Hendrix, Dimebag, Tony Iommi, Eddie Van Halen Are Among 'Wildest Guitar35.


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Heroes" (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=68274). Blabbermouth.net. 6 March 2007.Retrieved 15 January 2013.^ Hinds, Brends. "100 Greatest Guitarists: 25) Tony Iommi"(http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/tony-iommi-20111122). AllMusic. Retrieved 10 February 2013.

36.

^ "Joel McIver: The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists" (http://blogcritics.org/music/article/guitar-worlds-100-greatest-metal-guitarists/). Retrieved 10 February 2013.

37.

^ "Readers Poll Results: The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"(http://www.guitarworld.com/readers-poll-results-100-greatest-guitarists-all-time#slide-93). Guitar World. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.

38.

^ "GUITAR WORLD's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists Of All Time"(http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=18446).Ballbermouth.net. 23 January 2004. Retrieved 15 February 2013.

39.

^ "Interview with IAN ANDERSON (JETHRO TULL)" (http://dmme.net/interviews/ia.html). dmme.net. August 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2013.

40.

^ Interview taken from the TV program Gene Simmons' Rock School, 200541.^ Ian Christe, Sound of the Beast, HarperCollins, 2010, p.34242.

^ a b "Tony Iommi: London Book-Signing Event Announced"(http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=163336).blabbermouth.net. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2013.

43.

^ "Metal/Hard Rock Musicians Pay Tribute To BLACK SABBATH's 'Paranoid' "(http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=41860).Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 18 May 2013.

44.

^ "10 Great Left-Handed Guitarists" (http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/10-great-left-handed-guitarist.aspx). gibson.com. 14 July 2008.Retrieved 24 May 2013.

45.

^ a b "Judas Priest, Anthrax, Disturbed members, and More Send out Best Wishes toTony Iommi" (http://www.revolvermag.com/news/judas-priest-anthrax-disturbed-members-and-more-send-out-best-wishes-to-tony-iommi.html). revolvermag.com. 10January 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2013.

46.

^ "Metal Master: Michael Amott!" (http://www.alloutguitar.com/short-interviews/metal-master-michael-amott). alloutguitar.com. 8 February 2008. Retrieved 7 July2013.

47.

^ CMJ New Music Monthly, April 2001, Num. 92, p.8548.^ Jeff Kitts, Brad Tolinski, Guitar World Presents the 100 Greatest Guitarists of AllTime!, Hal Leonard Corporation, 2002, p.8

49.

^ "Tony Iommi "Iron Man" Interview" (http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/content/tony-iommi-iron-man-interview). hawaiipublicradio.org. Retrieved 16 June 2013.

50.

^ Bob Gulla, Guitar Gods: The 25 Players who Made Rock History, ABC-CLIO, 2009,p.8

51.

^ "Slash on Ozzy Osbourne Tour Setlist - "It Is Basically A Snapshot Of My EntireCareer Delivered At Maximum Velocity And Attitude" " (http://www.bravewords.com/news/154111). bravewords.com. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2013.

52.

^ "Interview:Scott Ian and Charlie Benante On Composing Music Of MassDestruction" (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/resources/article/Scott-Ian-and-

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Charlie-Benante-On-Composing-Music-Of-Mass-Destruction/m710814?src=3SOSWXXA). musiciansfriend.com. Retrieved 16 May 2013.^ "Zakk Wylde: Guitar Boot Camp" (http://www.guitarworld.com/zakk-wylde-guitar-boot-camp). guitarworld.com. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.

54.

^ Jon Wiederhorn, Katherine Turman, Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral Historyof Metal, HarperCollins, 2013

55.

^ "Smashing Pumpkins: 'There Are Always More Riffs Than Words' "(http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/smashing_pumpkins_there_are_always_more_riffs_than_words.html). ultimate-guitar.com. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2013.

56.

^ "Interview: Soundgarden's Kim Thayil" (http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/Nov/Interview_Soundgardens_Kim_Thayil.aspx). premierguitar.com.Retrieved 19 May 2013.

57.

^ "Nick Oliveri: 'The New QOTSA Record, I Can't Wait For People To Hear It' "(http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/nick_oliveri_the_new_qotsa_record_i_cant_wait_for_people_to_hear_it.html). ultimate-guitar.com. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.

58.

^ "Jerry Cantrell talks 'Devils & Dinosaurs' " (http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/jerry-cantrell-talks-devils--dinosaurs/151354). guitarplayer.com. 17 April 2013.Retrieved 25 November 2013.

59.

^ "Andy LaRocque interview" (http://www.kkdowning.net/Interviews/larocque.htm).kkdowning.net. May 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.

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^ a b iNet Technologies, www.inetzone.com (14 January 2003). "Vintage Guitarmagazine : Features :" (http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/artists/details.asp?AID=2117). Vintageguitar.com. Retrieved 13 November 2010.

61.

^ "Jaydee Custom S.G. (a.k.a. No. 1, The Old Boy)" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=15&sec=eq). Iommi.com. Retrieved 19 October 2010.

62.

^ "Red Gibson SG (Monkey)" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=13&sec=eq).Iommi.com. Retrieved 19 October 2010.

63.

^ "Red Gibson Custom Shop S.G." (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=12&sec=eq).Iommi.com. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

64.

^ "Custom Guitar Stolen" (http://www.iommi.com/index.php?story=76). Iommi.com.11 August 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

65.

^ "Epiphone P94 Iommi model" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=5&sec=eq).Iommi.com. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

66.

^ "The Story of the Gibson Tony Iommi Signature Pick-up" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=14&sec=eq). Iommi.com. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

67.

^ "Tony's First Left-handed Guitar" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=8&sec=eq).Iommi.com. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

68.

^ "Artist Model Gibson" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=9&sec=eq).Iommi.com. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

69.

^ "Epiphone Riviera 12 string" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=6&sec=eq).Iommi.com. Retrieved 17 October 2010.

70.

^ a b c d "Tony Iommi's Equipment" (http://www.iommi.com/equipment.php).Iommi.com. Retrieved 11 February 2013.

71.

^ "Chicago Iron Tycobrahe Octavia" (http://www.effektpedaler.dk72.


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/product.asp?product=1895&lang=uk). Retrieved 15 February 2013.^ "Tony Iommi Flies Solo" (http://www.gibson.com/whatsnew/pressrelease/2001/feb28a.html). Gibson.com. Retrieved 7 February 2008.

73.

^ a b Clement, Mike. "The Tony Iommi/Laney collaboration" (http://www.iommi.com/page.php?id=17&sec=eq). Retrieved 17 October 2010.

74.

Books

Iommi, Tony (2011). Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with BlackSabbath. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-30681-9551.

External links

Official Tony Iommi web site (http://www.iommi.com/)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tony_Iommi&oldid=603630373"Categories: 1948 births Black Sabbath membersEnglish heavy metal guitarists English people of Italian descentEnglish rock guitarists English songwriters Italian British musiciansLead guitarists Living people Musicians from Birmingham, West MidlandsMusicians with physical disabilities People with cancerRock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees

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