Ozzy Sues Bandmate Over Sabbath Name

Trouble in heavy metal land. Ozzy Osbourne is suing Black Sabbath bandmate Tommy Iommi over rights to the band's name—and its lucrative merchandise, reports Rolling Stone. Ozzy says Iommi illegally took ownership of the name when he toured in the 1990s without the original band members. The prince of darkness maintains that the Sabbath reunion in 1997 brought its reputation out of “the toilet,” and rights should be shared equally among the original four members.

“It is with great regret that I had to resort to legal action,” Osbourne said in a statement released yesterday, adding that he tried “to resolve this issue amicably.” The singer made a point that before the reunion, Iommi “was reduced to performing in clubs. Since 1997 when Geezer, Bill and myself rejoined the band, Black Sabbath has returned to its former glory.” He closes with a plea: “The Black Sabbath legacy should live on long after we have all gone. Please do the right thing.” (More heavy metal stories.)