Tony Iommi renews plans to remix Black Sabbath’s 1983 album “Born Again”

Tony Iommi has again confirmed that he wants to give Black Sabbath‘s 1983 album “Born Again” a new mix. In an interview with Planet Rock presenter Ian Danter, the guitarist explained that the long-missing tapes have been recovered and transferred, making further work possible.

Asked whether a remix was still on the agenda, Iommi replied like this.

Yes, there is a plan. To be honest, we couldn’t find those tapes for a long time. They disappeared. And I don’t know who located them at the end, whether it was Ralph [Baker], my manager, or who found them. But they were in some record company storage. And anyway, we’ve gotten them back and they were transferred. So they are ready to start work on.

Iommi has discussed the idea repeatedly over the past several years, but the latest update makes clear that the project has not been abandoned. His central concern is the sound of the original release: the musicians were pleased with what they heard in the studio, he recalled, yet felt the finished record sounded unusually muffled by the time they heard it on tour.

“Born Again” is a distinctive entry in Sabbath‘s catalogue. It is the group’s only studio album featuring Ian Gillan on vocals and the last Sabbath studio recording with original drummer Bill Ward.

Whether the proposed remix will eventually be released remains unknown. Iommi’s comments are an expression of intent, not confirmation of a completed reissue.

Tony Iommi is a musician from England. He co-founded the groundbreaking heavy metal group Black Sabbath in 1968. For more than 50 years, he served as the band’s guitarist, leader, primary composer, and only consistent member, contributing to every release. He’s been called the “Godfather of Heavy Metal” by some. Iommi’s unique playing style was shaped by an accident at a sheet metal factory when he was a teenager that caused him to lose the tips of his right-hand ring and middle fingers.

He made extensive use of the tritone, sometimes known as the “devil’s interval,” and down-tuned his guitar to produce a “heavier” and “darker” sound that came to be associated with heavy metal. He also utilised more power chords (partly to make playing simpler). In addition to Black Sabbath, he temporarily played live guitar with Jethro Tullin 1968. “Seventh Star” (1986) was supposed to be Iommi‘s debut solo album, but the label chose to release it under the Black Sabbath moniker. His first official solo album, “Iommi”, was released in 2000. “Fused”, which included former bandmate Glenn Hughes, was released in 2005.