Sharon Osbourne Protests Release of Black Sabbath's Early Demos: 'Against the Band's Wishes'

[Underwater Desert Comp]

Sharon Osbourne has voiced her disapproval over the impending release of early Black Sabbath demos recorded under their former moniker Earth. Just weeks before the band's End of the Beginning concert and Ozzy Osbourne's passing, longtime manager Jim Simpson announced plans to officially release recordings from 1969, despite the band members' wishes.

The Legendary Lost 1969 Tapes were originally set to be released in July but have been delayed due to a dispute between Simpson's Big Bear Music and the band regarding ownership of the demo recordings and copyright issues in the US. The situation has led to tensions rising between Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne's widow, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.

Sharon criticized Simpson's decision on the podcast, stating that he was "keeping it quiet for all these years because they're now out of copyright." In an email exchange with Simpson, she expressed her concerns, warning him that if the recordings were released without their consent, they would take action to protect the band's rights in both the US and abroad.

In addition to opposing the release of the Earth recordings themselves, Sharon also took issue with the distribution of The Legendary Lost 1969 Tapes through Big Bear Records and Trapeze Music. "We would never have allowed any Black Sabbath product to be released" through those labels, she wrote.

As a result of these legal threats, the release of The Legendary Lost 1969 Tapes has been pushed back, with various online vendors reporting arrival dates ranging from December 2025 to February 2026.

 

[Wild Worm]

This is crazy! I mean, can you believe Sharon Osbourne is standing up for her late hubby Ozzy and his mates like that? It's awesome they're not going down without a fight over those demo recordings. But at the same time, I feel bad for Jim Simpson - he must be feeling pretty hammered right now . Those Earth demos have been hidden away for so long, it's crazy to think they're finally coming out... even if it's a bit contentious. Can you imagine how Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler are feeling about all this? They've gotta want the recordings released too, but Sharon's making sure it happens on their terms

 

[Famous Frog]

Ugh, can't believe this is happening . These guys are literally fighting over some old demos that nobody's even listening to anymore. I mean, I'm all for artists and band members being in control of their own music, but come on, it's just a bunch of old recordings from 1969. Can't we just leave them alone? And now Sharon Osbourne is getting involved with her podcast, which is cool and all, but can't she just keep to herself for once? This whole thing is giving me anxiety .

And another thing, what's the point of even releasing these recordings if everyone involved doesn't want it to happen in the first place? It's not like it's going to make a huge difference in their lives. I'm sure Tony Iommi and the rest are just worried about some profit being made off their old music without their permission .

Anyway, just great. Now we're gonna have to wait even longer for whatever is left of Black Sabbath to come out. Like who even cares anymore?

 

[Lively Lion]

Man I'm so worried about this release of old demos... it's like they're just gonna rush into releasing this without thinking about the bigger picture . Sharon Osbourne makes some good points, you know? Like how long did these guys wait all those years before deciding to share this stuff? It feels like someone just took advantage of that and is trying to make a quick buck.

And honestly, I think they have every right to be upset about the ownership situation... it's like Jim Simpson just swooped in there and tried to cash out without even consulting them first . And now we're all gonna get hurt because some people can't agree on how to split things up fairly . It's not just about the music anymore, it's about the legacy of Black Sabbath.

 

[Inter]

omg u guys can u believe sharon osbourne is going all out on jim simpson she's literally not having it about him releasing those earth demos without the band's consent like what even is the point of that i mean we get it, black Sabbath is a legendary band and their music is iconic but come on can't they just chill for once? anyway looks like the release date has been pushed back again to dec 2025 or feb 2026 who knows if they'll even stick to it at this point

 

[Legendary Manlove]

Ugh I'm so done with this already lol I mean, can't they just leave Black Sabbath's history alone? These guys have been through enough in their lives already, what do they need all these old demos doing out again? And Sharon's right to be upset, who does Jim Simpson think he is? The band members clearly didn't want any of this stuff released, and now it's just going to cause more drama. I swear, the more I hear about this, the more I'm like "can we just move on already?"

 

[Telekinetic Shark Confli]

So I'm torn about this one ... on one hand, can't we just let the past be the past? You know, for nostalgia's sake and all that . But at the same time, I get why Sharon's being cautious - she wants to protect Ozzy and the rest of the guys' legacies . It's like, they're not getting any younger (RIP Ozzy ), and their wishes should be respected.

And yeah, I guess it's convenient that these recordings are now out of copyright... but is that really a reason to rush into this? Can't we just wait and see how everyone feels about it in the future? It's all very grey area-y right now . Anyway, I'm just curious to see how this whole thing plays out - fingers crossed it all gets sorted out with minimal drama

 

[Vampir]

I THINK IT'S kinda shady that Jim Simpson is releasing those old demos without the band's consent . I mean, Sharon Osbourne is right, if they're not in favour of it, why should he go ahead and do it anyway? It's like he's trying to cash in on their legacy without giving them a fair share of the credits . And to be honest, I'm kinda surprised that the band hasn't taken more drastic action against him - they must have some serious leverage to back up Sharon's claims . Anyways, I just hope those tapes get released when everyone is ready and not before... this whole situation is giving me anxiety

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

I'm really disappointed that Sharon Osbourne is speaking out about this. I mean, I get it, it's her family and friends who are involved, but shouldn't they be communicating with each other instead of going public? Like, Jim Simpson just wants to share their history with the world, you know?

It's also kinda unfair that Sharon is saying they were gonna release it because it's out of copyright. Like, doesn't everyone have a right to own and control their own legacy? And what about Tony Iommi and Bill Ward? Don't they deserve a say in this too?

I hope the delay gives them all some time to figure stuff out. Maybe they can come to some kind of agreement and release it together, or at least with their approval. That would be pretty cool .

 

[Mich]

I'm sooo worried about this! Like, who decides what's best for our beloved Black Sabbath anyway? The fact that Sharon Osbourne is fighting tooth and nail over the demos being released without consent just shows how much the band members care about their legacy. And now it's been delayed again because of copyright issues... *sigh* I'm all about respecting artists' rights, you know? It's not just about the music; it's about keeping those memories sacred for the fans who loved 'em back in the day . Can't we all just get along and make sure that Black Sabbath gets the respect they deserve?

 

[Nutty Newt]

omg u guys idk what's goin on but sharon osbourne is low-key my queen rn she was right about jim simpson bein shady he's tryna release those earth demos without askin the band first which is majorly disrespectfu lol i mean can't he see how much it would hurt ozzy's widow tony and the rest of black sabbath fam? sharon spoke up for them and now jim's all like "oh well" meanwhile, the album's been delayed again lol it's gonna be so cool when they finally release it but sharon's got my back

 

[Emo Godzilla Temple]

Ozzy's legacy is being trampled . These old demos aren't worth stirring up drama, but now they're just gonna be out in the wild . Family should be on each other's side, not fighting over dusty old tapes .

 

[Obnoxious Os]

I feel so bad for Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, they're going through this stress just before Ozzy's concert and after his passing... like, can't we just respect their wishes for once? Sharon's right that the recordings are now out of copyright, but that shouldn't be an excuse to just release them whenever. It's like they're not even part of Black Sabbath anymore . And I get why they'd want to control who releases this stuff - it could have a huge impact on their legacy and how people remember the band. I'm also kinda curious about what kind of recordings are gonna be released now... will we see some crazy old demos or what? Can't wait for Dec 2025

 

[Cree]

I'm kinda surprised Sharon Osbourne is speaking out about this . I mean, it's not like she's trying to be the bad guy here...she just wants to protect her fam's legacy, you know? And honestly, I can understand why she'd want those demos to remain private - all that history and nostalgia attached to 'em would make for some crazy stories . But at the same time, it's like...those were some wild times back in '69 . It's not just about the music, but about the people involved. I hope whoever decides to release those tapes can find a way to do it with respect and care for everyone involved .

 

[Suba]

I'm so bummed about this! Those early Black Sabbath demos are gonna be lost forever if they don't come to an agreement . I get why Sharon is mad, though - it's not cool that Jim Simpson didn't ask for permission first . I feel bad for Tony Iommi and the rest of the band members who are still upset about it . Can you imagine hearing those songs for the first time in years? It would be like re-living history, but also kinda sad that it's not on their own terms . Maybe they can work something out and release them then . Fingers crossed!

 

[In Search of Makeo]

man this whole situation is just like when you're digging through old boxes in your attic and you come across some stuff that's supposed to be buried but somehow ends up seeing the light of day anyway... it's like, what's the point of even having a say if the outcome is just gonna get lost in the shuffle? I mean, Sharon's all upset about this cuz she thinks Jim Simpson was hiding the tapes for years because they were still under copyright and now that they're not, he's just trying to cash in. but at the same time, can't you see how this could be seen as some kinda betrayal? like, Tony, Geezer, Bill, they all signed off on it back then... did Sharon think she was gonna get a say in what happened 40 years later?

 

[Misty Mink]

omg i'm so bummed about this... black Sabbath is one of my all time fave bands and those early demos are gonna be huge ! i mean, can u imagine hearing ozzy's vocals on tracks he wasn't even supposed to do? but at the same time, i get where sharon osbourne is coming from. it's like, her hubby was a part of that band for decades and she'd never want him to be associated with some sketchy label release without his consent.

i'm also low-key annoyed that the release is being pushed back because of all this drama . i mean, i get copyright issues, but can't we just respect the original intention behind releasing those tracks? anyway, i guess we'll just have to wait a bit longer to hear what's been locked away for so long

 

[Helpless Horn]

omg u guys can't believe what's going on with black sabbath! Sharon Osbourne is HATEING Jim Simpson's plan to release those old demos lol like what even is the point of releasing them now? they were happy to keep it quiet all these years and now it's just causing drama. and Sharon's not messing around either, she's warning him that they're gonna take action if they don't get permission meanwhile we're just over here waiting for December 2025 or whenever those tapes finally drop

 

[Outstanding Oryx]

I'm soooo done with this whole thing ... like what's up with Jim Simpson, right? He's just gonna go ahead and release these demos without the band even knowing about it, let alone giving them a say in how they're being handled. I mean, I get that people wanna make some cash off old recordings, but come on! It's Ozzy's legacy we're talking about here... not to mention Tony's, Geezer's, and Bill's too .

And now Sharon's all up in arms about it, and rightfully so, if you ask me. I wouldn't want my hubby's music being released without me knowing what's going on either . It's just a mess, you know? Big Bear Music and Trapeze Music are probably just trying to cash in, but at what cost? The band members' trust is everything...