Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Earlier this week, we reported about the dispute about the ownership of Black Sabbath‘s early demos by their former manager Jim Simpson. Now, Sharon Osbourne, has replied to his latest claim.
15 November 2025
In response to Jim Simpson’s press release of 14 November 2025, I am enclosing his original email to Tony Iommi and my subsequent emails to Mr. Simpson. As you can see, my emails to Mr. Simpson were not threatening. I was clearly stating the facts about Black Sabbath’s legal position.
Regarding his claim that Big Bear Records is the “longest-running independent record label in the UK, this is a false claim. “Topic Records” is a British folk music label. It began as an offshoot of the Workers’ Music Association in 1939, making it the oldest independent record label in the world. It still operates today. Big Bear is not even a Limited company and does not file open accounts in public.
Simpson also states that he is “….in the process of relaunching Big Bear Records in a new distribution partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment Ltd (director being John Cooper), a well-established company with a huge catalogue including the likes of Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Marlene Dietrich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Digby Fairweather and hundreds of other artists. I seriously doubt that the artists he mentions, or their estates, would have authorized them to be sold in the USA.
Let it be known that Trapeze Music is an “out-of-copyright” UK based label that is in debt for £539,000 and the entertainment division is in debt for £1.442 million. A previous entity under the Trapeze banner, with the director, (being John Cooper), was Discovery Records Limited, which went into liquidation in 2018 with an estimated deficiency of £1,407,388. These artist recordings he mentions appear NOT to be out of copyright in the USA, but Trapeze sells through a us domestic import distributor called MVD who they claim inadvertently put the BLACK SABBATH recordings online digitally in the USA and then quickly withdraw them when Simpson’s lawyers were told the Black Sabbath material is not out of copyright, despite the fact they had agreed not to release them to the public without giving us 14 days prior notice.
A full legal opinion from Kings Council was provided to their UK lawyer. Trapeze’s owner previously ran several companies that ended up in bankruptcy. We would never have allowed any BLACK SABBATH product to be released through Big Bear Records or Trapeze Music, and at no time did Simpson ever offer the band royalties, and he has continuously refused to let Black Sabbath hear the recordings that he claims are his. Their integrity is dubious.
In closing, Mr. Simpson may claim that he invited me to have coffee with him on 4 July 2025 but I was out of contact which he well knew as I was at Villa Park at soundcheck all day, and I later heard that Mr. Simpson was busy that day doing a Q&A about his time managing Black Sabbath from ’68-’70 at a pub called “Ye Olde Foundry” in Dudley for personal commercial gain.
Sharon Osbourne
From: Sharon
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 5:54 AM
To: Jim Simpson
Subject: Earth – The Recordings
Jim,
Your lawyers have informed ours that you intend to release the Earth tapes around 11 July 2025. As you know, the Band do not want these tapes released, not least as they haven’t heard them despite you saying you would provide copies long ago.
You know that, as a band, Black Sabbath don’t take things lying down and you can be assured that if you go ahead with this against the Band’s wishes we will take any action we can where their rights are infringed, both here and in America.
We will also be making it clear to all Black Sabbath fans that this is not material the Band ever wanted released, that they should not buy it, and that you are going against the Band’s wishes in releasing demo recordings that were never intended for release, and in doing so you are riding on the back of the upcoming farewell charity concert. I am sure the fans, people in the industry, and people of Birmingham will see this for what it is.
I hope you see sense, otherwise it seems we are likely to end up in Court.
Sharon
From: Sharon
Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 12:06 PM
To: Jim Simpson
Subject: FW: Earth/Black Sabbath
Dear Jim,
I am disappointed that you have not had the courtesy to reply to my email below. Nor have you provided the materials I requested in my email and which you indicated you would provide. I’m guessing you think that if you do not respond we will just let the matter lie. Rest assured, we will not.
Your story is manufactured to suit your purpose and is untrue. You are aligning yourself with the Trapeze companies, which seem to be under the control of John Cooper. If you are now standing behind him, maybe you should check out his many entities. I will give you another 14 days to respond in full to my email and to provide the materials requested. If you have not replied satisfactorily by 22nd January, we will have no alternative but to escalate matters, including issuing proceedings.
Please acknowledge receipt of this email.
Thank you,
Sharon Osbourne
From: Sharon
Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 1:29 PM
To: Jim Simpson
Subject: Earth/Black Sabbath
Dear Jim,
I refer to your email below. As you will appreciate, the existence of these recordings and the suggestion that you intend to release them has come as a great shock to the members of the group given that, in many years of contact, you have never once mentioned these tapes to any of them.
It is not accepted that you are the rightful owner of these recordings nor have any right or authority to exploit them. You say in your note that Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill were contracted to you from 1968 until late 1970 and ‘The contract included management and recording’. Neither Ozzy nor I have any record of any such contract so please provide a copy if, as you suggest, one ever existed. You also assert that you ‘.. paid for and produced all these recordings.’ but have provided no evidence of this. Neither have you provided the band members with copies of these tracks and artwork as promised in your recent email to Tony Iommi.
Whether you own the recordings (which, for the record, is not accepted) or not, all four members are in agreement that these recordings were never intended for commercial release, they should not now be released and, they do not agree or consent to any such release. You can rest assured that they will take all steps necessary to prevent this release if you seek to proceed with it all and rights and remedies the band may have, are formally reserved.
Yours sincerely,
Sharon Osbourne
From: Ralph Baker
Sent: 25 September 2024 11:04
Subject: FW: Earth
Tony,
I have something interesting to tell you, and I thought it would have been nice to do so face-to-face.
You will remember, back in 1968/1969 we recorded tracks with Earth at Zella Studio. I used those tracks initially in my attempts to get the band a record deal, before I was able to persuade David Platz of Essex Music to pay for those recordings in Regent Sound that were eventually released as the “Black Sabbath” album.
With all the media coverage over the past 55 years or so, one unarguable fact has, in my opinion, been overlooked – just how terrific Earth and then Black Sabbath were as a band, even before we had those hits.
We are now about to fill that gap, creating what I believe to be an authentic historical document that clearly demonstrates the quality of your playing, even back then, as youngsters.
I have had these original acetates and mono tapes on my shelf for 55 years, and thanks to my new relationship with Trapeze Records, we have put a lot of work at the best of technical facilities, to clear up those recordings and put them in pristine [mono] condition.
The resultant album “Black Sabbath: The Lost Tapes: The Original Earth Recordings” is set for release on Record Store Day in April.
It will be on vinyl with very special packaging.
I hope that you will be as proud of it as I am.
The track listing is:
Side One
Blue Suede Shoes
Evenin’
Wee Wee Baby
[untitled]
Free Man
Side Two
Song For Jim [Tony guitar]
Song For Jim [Tony flute]
Wicked World
Warning
Over the next few days I will be able to send you the cover artwork and tracks to listen to, and I’m sure that you will be pleased with the quality of the music and the artwork.
I have just seen the photograph you posted today with Bill, It’s good to see you together. I had a lengthy and pleasant breakfast with Bill and Walter yesterday, and he probably told you that he is very pleased that these early Earth recordings will at last be properly heard.
Regards,
Jim
