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“Black Sabbath: Breaking The Band”, which focuses on BLACK SABBATH‘s huge success and subsequent downfall, will premiere on Sunday, December 6 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on Reelz.
With its mischievous and prankster lead singer Ozzy Osbourne juxtaposed against the business-minded and reserved band founder Tony Iommi, BLACK SABBATH was, at its core, a volatile mix. Add on bad management, grueling touring demands and heavy drug use and you get a band that reached its breaking point.
Often called the godfathers of heavy metal rock music, BLACK SABBATH came from humble origins to become some of the most successful and outrageous of rock stars. Their hedonism and antics on stage were unparalleled as was their volatility off stage. “Black Sabbath: Breaking The Band” follows their journey from the band’s early beginnings in Birmingham, England in the 1960s to heavy metal infamy and their eventual breakup. Combining rare behind-the-scene footage and stylized dramatic reconstructions for moments the cameras missed, extensive archive and revealing interviews see the turbulent history of a band that battled with egos, crippling drug and alcohol addictions and music business mobsters who almost robbed them of everything they had. Sharing their personal stories of the band are former road managers Geoff Lucas and Graham Wright, and Ozzy‘s former personal assistant David Tangye, along with insight from band biographer Steven Rosen and music journalist Sylvie Simmons.
“Black Sabbath: Breaking The Band” is produced by Potato, part of ITV Studios.
SABBATH finished its “The End” tour in 2017 in Birmingham, closing out the quartet’s groundbreaking 49-year career.
“The End” was SABBATH‘s last tour because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.
SABBATH wrote and recorded its 2013 reunion album, “13”, and toured it all over the world while Iommi was going through treatment for his illness, with the guitarist having to fly back to England every six weeks.
The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Iommi, Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the ’90s and 2000s for live work.
They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after a few months over financial issues. SABBATH used Ozzy‘s regular touring drummer Tommy Clufetos since then for live work. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE‘s Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on “13”, which came out in June 2013.
