Tony Iommi Set Black Sabbath Bandmate On Fire

Practical jokes got out of hand   07-Nov-11

Tony Iommi has revealed a culture of Black Sabbath pranks in his new book. According to the guitarist, the band were often setting each other on fire with alcohol, and performing various other practical jokes.

The new book is titled Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell With Black Sabbath.

Iommi told the New York Post:

"[We were constantly] playing jokes on each other. Like pouring alcohol on a friend then setting him afire and burning it off. Like once I said, 'Bill, can I set fire to you?' He said, 'Busy... so not just yet.' Later he said, 'I'm going home now, so if you want you can set fire to me.' I threw a bucket over him, and he went on fire. It soaked third-degree burns into his legs.

"He could take it, so we always started with him."

This was not the only out-of-hand prank, the band thought they had accidently killed Ward:

"In Bel Air we got drunk, so [it] seemed a good idea to spray him head to toe with gold paint then lacquer him. His skin couldn't breathe. [We] thought he'd die.

"We called the hospital, who asked, 'What's wrong with him?' We said, 'He's naked and [covered] in gold paint.' So they gave him an injection. He's still with us. Once he asked, 'Is something wrong?' Why? 'You haven't done anything to me.'"

Rich Beech
@sonicamped

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