Black Sabbath Founders Regain Ownership of 1969 Demos

Sharon Osbourne announced that a legal dispute with Black Sabbath's original manager, Jim Simpson, over the release of the band's earliest recordings has been resolved, granting ownership of the 1969 demos to the group's founding members.

The settlement, revealed during a recent episode of The Osbournes podcast, ends months of tension that began in June 2025 when Simpson, who managed the band in its formative years, planned to issue an album titled Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. The collection features demos recorded in Birmingham at Zella Studio, when the lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward performed under the name Earth before adopting Black Sabbath in late 1969. Simpson intended to release the material through his Big Bear Records label in July 2025, shortly before the band's final performance at Villa Park in Birmingham and Ozzy Osbourne's death later that month.

The planned album included eight tracks: blues covers such as "Blue Suede Shoes," "Evenin'," and "Wee Wee Baby"; originals like "Free Man" and "Song for Jim," the latter dedicated to Simpson and featuring Iommi on guitar in one version and flute in another; and early Sabbath...