A long-running dispute over Black Sabbath’s earliest recordings has finally been resolved, bringing a major piece of the band’s history back under their control.
The conflict centered around a collection of 1969 demo recordings, made before the band adopted the Black Sabbath name and were still performing as Earth. These tapes, recorded in Birmingham, captured the original lineup — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — at a formative stage, before they went on to define heavy metal.
The dispute began when the band’s former manager, Jim Simpson, announced plans in 2025 to release the recordings as an album titled Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. The project was set to include early tracks like “Evenin’,” “Wee Wee Baby,” “Free Man,” and “Song For Jim,” along with early versions of future Sabbath songs such as “Warning” and “Wicked World.”
However, the release quickly became controversial. Sharon Osbourne, representing the band’s interests, strongly opposed the plan and threatened legal action to block it. She argued that the material should not be released without the band’s approval and insisted that the rights belonged to the original members.
Tensions escalated publicly, with both sides exchanging statements. Sharon accused Simpson of attempting to release the recordings without proper authorization, while Simpson maintained that he had legitimate involvement in the tapes and intended for royalties to be shared.
Now, the dispute has officially been settled. Speaking on The Osbournes podcast, Sharon confirmed that an agreement had been reached and that the demos have been returned to the band. The original four members now fully own the recordings, putting control of the material back where she believes it belongs.
She emphasized that the recordings hold significant historical value, describing them as an important snapshot of the band’s earliest sound. Along with the audio, rights to archival photos from the same era were also secured, further preserving that period of the band’s development.
Despite the resolution, one key question remains unanswered: whether the demos will actually be released. According to Sharon, that decision will now be made collectively by the band, with discussions still ongoing about how — or if — the material should be shared with the public.
The settlement closes a tense chapter but opens a new possibility. For fans, it means that some of the earliest recordings from one of metal’s most influential bands could finally see the light of day — this time, on the band’s own terms.
