Talk:Tony Iommi

Dates
I would like clarification of dates. This article suggests Tony continued with the band until 2000. Since he is a lefty, he's easy to spot but this video from youtube suggests he played with them in 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cen1SvpTsYk Euc (talk) 01:23, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

The use of the word "talent" and "talented"
Well, technically talent is Neutral, because he is most certainly "technically talented" when it comes to the guitar. Also..if a guitarist is ranked best heavy metal guitarist as well as #86 on the list of Rolling Stone's greatest guitarist who ever lived I think that it's safe to say that he can be ranked as AT LEAST "Talented." It would almost be offensive not to call him as such. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kaji132007 (talk • contribs) 06:30, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

Suggestion
The Iommi (band) should have a split page, so that this seems less cluttered. Vegetaman 10:41, 15 August 2006 (CST)

Headings
This article needs to be cleaned up and wikified. Too much information without Headers. Jack 12:32, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

not exactly NPOV
"amazingly talented" for instance.

-- Beardo 04:16, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

you try playing guitar with 2 less fingers on your fretting hand then!

Early history
I recall his saying in an interview that his family were keen accordion players (he is of Italian ancestry) and when he was growing up, they used to have musical get togethers based around this instrument.

- Meltingpot

62.137.152.165 20:22, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Guitar Style Section
Poorly written POV with an oversized image to boot. If I had the time I'd re-write it myself. Unfortunately I don't. It certainly needs it because right now it reads like it was written by a ten year old. Someone want to take a stab at cleaning that mess up? (unknown user)


 * Well, I'd like to clean it up, but I also do not have time. Vegetaman 07:21, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

Django Reinhardt as an influence
The dark sound of heavy metal was influenced by the gypsy Django Reinhardt
 * no, iommi was inspired by the fact that Django didn't give up ; it doesn't matter if Django was a redneck hillbily playing the banjo bluegrass style, called bobby and his mother was his cousin, what matters is that Django had the ability to carry on despite insumountable odds. Jackpot Den 22:14, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

I would have to disagree, I dont know if your a musician, but Gypsy music= A lot of Minor chords,Heavy Metal=A lot of Minor Chords+Distortion. Toni Iommi knows where the sound came from.

Yeah, well, there's an interview in the UK music paper "Melody Maker", November 04 1972, titled 'Django Was My Inspiration'. In this, Iommi tells how, after his accident, he was inspired by the tale of Django, who played guitar despite having his hands burned in a caravan fire. Inspiration, not influence. Alister, UK PS You've called him 'Toni', BTW. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.129.10.125 (talk) 09:29, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

Religion ?
Is Iommi Catholic/christian, since he seems to use the cross quite a lot as a motif, or is he an atheist/agnostic using it because "it looks cool" ? Jackpot Den 22:15, 13 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Last I knew, Iommi (in fact, none of the guys from the original line-up of Black Sabbath) claim to be anything other than Christian. It's the media and poor interpretation of their music that made it seem otherwise. Vegetaman 07:20, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

He is atheist. I have been working on the Personal Life section as of August 2011, so I will add this information with citations within the month. I also have some cool facts about his crosses- he's been wearing them since Ozzy gave him a sterling silver one- and yes, he wears them for nonreligious reasons.

He is NOT atheist...in his book he says he was raised Catholic (though not strictly) and "believes in God" but doesn't feel the need to go to church to prove it.Dyscard (talk) 17:11, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Actually, to be specific: Iommi says his parents were religious in the book. On page two, Iommi says: "My parents were Catholic, but I've only seen them go to church once or twice.... I hardly ever go to church either... I actually do believe in a God, but I don't go to church to press the point." Believing in "a God" does not imply he himself is Catholic, or even follows any sort of organized religion. In fact, Birmingham Mail has called him "famously agnostic".

Jethro Tull and T.I.
The reference to the subject's duration with Jethro Tull as a participating ‘live’ performer cannot be correct as the subject is clearly seen and identifiable in the film released I believe WAY LATE (i.e.: commercial foul as in ye olde reference - Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene 3) Isle of Wight. I saw this film at the Telluride Festival of ca. 1997. A grain of sand in the MASSIVE BEACHES of the world’s history, made available to all by way of the I.Cisum.ili.dilm 02:38, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

Re Tull at the Isle of Wight festival: it's Martin Barre. That footage is now commercially available. Iommi mimed Mick Abrahma's guitar on "Song For Jeffrey" on the Stones RnR Circus - all the band mimed, save for Ian Anderson who sang live. Alister (UK) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.129.10.125 (talk) 09:40, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

Departure to join Jethro Tull
The article states that Iommi briefly left to join Jethro Tull in August 1969, but was in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, meaning that he would have had to depart at least before 11 December 1968. However, I still don't know his date of departure, so it would be useless to correct the date at this time.

This article states his only performance with JT was The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, but the page for JT mentions footage of him playing at the Isle Of Wight festival the same year. Don't see any links/citations though so won't edit for now unless I see something. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.107.28.202 (talk) 21:02, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Mick Abraham's last gig with Tull was end of November 1968; Martin Barre's first was end of December 1968. The Stones RnR Circus was on December 11th. Tull played only the third (and final) IOW Festival, that being 1970. Footage of this is commercially available, and clearly features Martin Barre, which it would do, as Sabbath had already released the debut and were gigging as Black Sabbath. We should consider ourselves fortunate that Iommi's only Tull gig, at the Stones RnR Circus, was filmed, even if he himself is miming (Ian Anderson sang live, however). 86.168.26.38 (talk) 02:22, 12 December 2010 (UTC) Al (UK)

Career Span
I think that the span of his career should be typed on the sidebar as having started in 1964-65, as being stated in the article itself. Gumdropster 13:50, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

incorrect information in the accident part thing
it says he was 15 when he lost his fingers but watching VH1's metal documentary, it said he lost them in 1968, and being born in 1948 would make him 20 years old, not 15Slash&#39;s snakepit 00:20, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

Sandwiches on tour
Ozzy (Osbourne) once said that when Black Sabbath were first starting out and short of money, Tony's mother would make sandwiches for the band to eat (they all travelled in a van).

- Meltingpot

Meltingpot 13:00, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Early history
In an interview with an American metal magazine, Tony claimed that his family (who were part of Birmingham's Italian community) were keen accordion players and would hold musical "get togethers" playing this instrument.

- Meltingpot

Meltingpot 13:00, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Heaven and Hell tour
The drummer at the NYC Heaven and Hell concert was Carmine Appice, not Vinny.71.70.128.97 20:09, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

What? You mean the Radio City Music Hall gig, on March 30 2007? The one released on CD and DVD? That was the only gig they played in NYC. Watch the video: it's Vinny. Listen to Dio - he introduces Vinny. face it: it's Vinny. Alister, UK —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.129.10.125 (talk) 09:36, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

How does this quote make sense?
From the article: "according to critic Greg Prato[1], 'Iommi is one of only two guitarists (the other being Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page) that can take full credit for pioneering the mammoth riffs of heavy metal.'" If Tony Iommi is sharing credit with Jimmy Page, how can he "take full credit"? Tigerthink (talk) 07:32, 17 November 2008 (UTC)

Ancestry
Since he does not have the looks typical for Anglo-Saxon type, I wonder what Iommi's ethnic roots are - is he Italian? Can somebody provide information on that matter? 83.172.120.77 (talk) 18:00, 27 November 2009 (UTC)
 * After Ronnie Jame Dio and Vinny Appice joined Black Sabbath, Ozzy once referred to them as 'Geezer and the three wops'. J04n(talk page) 09:56, 28 November 2009 (UTC)

No personal info?
Married, family, divorces? People usually go through that stuff —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.164.10.150 (talk) 18:21, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I have added what I know, but Tony is intensely private. Feel free to expand/correct.--Locutus1966 (talk) 02:15, 15 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Only with reliable sources, please. I have just removed the entire section about his three supposed marriages for lack of sourcing. This is a BLP, and we need to be careful. Drmies (talk) 18:28, 17 February 2011 (UTC)
 * I cited all the ones I could. Are not album liner notes and a published biography of the band by a respected writer, Chris Welch, not enough? Do you need ISBN's? I can do that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Locutus1966 (talk • contribs) 20:40, 22 February 2011 (UTC)

I have been working on the Personal Life section. I am not a registered wikipedia user, but my work IP is 70.60.182.61 and my home IP is 76.190.38.242. I will be adding many more facts about his marriages and current wife, as well as citations and rewriting the section as needed over the upcoming month. Please flag the text with the BLP citation, do not delete the entire section. As of August 2011, the section is looking much better (all info is currently cited)... look for updates soon. It was FOUR marriages... as said by Tony himself (see my citation)... and he isn't private, just interviewers don't ask about his personal life.

For his third marriage, I don't see his usage of the word "son" in that context as confirming he has a biological son (as this part seems to imply). He seemed to be referring to Jay. Either needs more evidence or should be reworded. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 152.7.14.162 (talk) 23:29, 14 October 2012 (UTC)

According to his autobiography, Jay was his stepson, the son of his third wife, Valery.Dyscard (talk) 23:33, 7 July 2013 (UTC)

Genre
Altered the genre to remove rock and roll. Not really what Tony is known for. MH441967 (talk) 21:12, 24 July 2010 (UTC)MH441967

Instruments
He play the mellotron, the piano, the flute, the organ and synthesizer .he played all these instruments in black sabath
 * If you have references to support all of this it should be included in the text of the article. Please don't simply add them to the infobox. J04n(talk page) 16:32, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

he play the piano and mellotron in changes in article of changes in the wiki say this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.253.129.137 (talk) 16:45, 2 August 2010 (UTC)
 * Him playing a particular instrument on one song may be significant for that song's page, but when you consider the vast number of songs that he only plays the guitar these other instruments pale to insignificance. As I said earlier, a referenced section detailing other instruments that he has played would be a welcomed addition to the page but the infobox should be reserved for his primary instrument. J04n(talk page) 17:17, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

pero en instrumentos se pone los instrumentos que toca no los instrumentos que toca mas seguido. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.253.129.137 (talk) 20:49, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Tony does play the flute. In the VHS copy of The Black Sabbath Story Vol 1 and 2, Geezer Butler goes into detail about a specific concert where Tony was attempting to play the flute at a show but was too high to realize that his mouth was missing the mouthpiece and was just shooting air over the top of the flute into the microphone. Put the instrument flute under his credits for instruments. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Trowerr (talk • contribs) 14:46, 8 February 2011 (UTC)
 * Learning from personal observation that he made an unsuccessful attempt to play the flute is probably not enough to warrant inclusion. Drmies (talk) 20:13, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

He is credited with flute on the Born Again album. He also plays flute (uncredited) on "Solitude" and "Looking For Today."Dyscard (talk) 23:24, 23 November 2012 (UTC)

British guitar company Patrick Eggle (the one that still makes the Berlin and Vienna models) had made two Iommi signature guitar models. One was basically a 24-fret Berlin with pickups specified by him and a Tune-O-Matic bridge, while the other (the Tony Iommi Artist Model, from 1995) looked like his SGs and had a Schaller fine-tuning hardtail bridge. I think they should be included in the relevant section.

Can anyone remove the 86th greatest guitarist on Rolling Stones?
The rolling stones list has no credibility and they placed guitarists like Jack White, Tom Morello above Iommi, it is a disgrace to Tony Iommi he is one of the greatest of all time along with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.99.137.35 (talk) 12:19, 27 December 2010 (UTC)
 * That may be so, in your opinion, but it's relevant information and it's properly verified. Drmies (talk) 18:29, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Tony's Name
Thank you so much for your contribution. Please find a reliable source that states the proper form, or it may continue to be open to debate. You've done a great thing by starting discussion on it! Now, keep the ball rolling. :D Happy editing! — Duncan What I Do / What I Say 01:28, 8 August 2011 (UTC) (don't forget to sign with the four tildes).

Joe Siegler, who has one of the most complete Black Sabbath pages on the Internet, says "Frank Anthony."http://www.black-sabbath.com/theband/iommi/ His site is generally authoritative, as he knows some Black Sabbath members personally.

Also, where on earth did the "Francis Melby Anthony Iommi" name come from? Dyscard (talk) 17:09, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Left handed?
Pre-accident, was he / did he play left- or right-handed? There's a lot of comment saying that post-accident he tried to learn to play right-handed, suggesting that he was originally a left-hander. Andy Dingley (talk) 17:01, 13 June 2013 (UTC)

He was always a lefty. His biography tells of how difficult it was to find left-handed instruments in England in the late '60s. The pictures in the book show him always playing left-handed, including a Fender Stratocaster that he calls "his first good guitar."Dyscard (talk) 23:36, 7 July 2013 (UTC)

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Psalm 133
Should this article state how, as broadcast on news on January 7 2017, he has been inspired to write music for Psalm 133?81.140.1.129 (talk) 23:18, 7 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Here's a source and here's a link. Has now been added. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 23:43, 8 January 2017 (UTC)

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Tony Iommi Awards
I am planning to add a list of awards won by Tony Iommi as an individual (not including those he has won as a member of Black Sabbath or Heaven & Hell). Here is what I have: 2000: Lifetime Achievement – Guitar Magazine, 2007: Metal Guru – Classic Rock Magazine Roll Of Honour, 2008: Star on Birmingham Walk Of Stars, 2009: Armenian Order Of Honour, 2012 – King Of Rock 'N' Roll – Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund Awards, 2013: Riff Lord – Revolver Magazine Golden Gods, 2013: Rock Titan – Loudwire Music Awards, 2015: Gibson Les Paul Award – Q Magazine Awards, 2016: Lifetime Achievement – National Guitar Museum, 2017: The Courage Award – Loudwire Music Awards, 2018: Icon – Kerrang! Awards

Does anyone have any others to add, or feel any of the above should be excluded? Thanks Malcolm Dome (talk) 08:26, 4 June 2020 (UTC)


 * As far as I can tell, there's nothing in the guidelines (here nor here) that allows for a new section to be added for awards/honours. Given this, I'd be careful about this proposed addition. What I typically see is either a standalone article for such things, or the material is added into the prose in a relevant section. Honestly, most of the awards you've listed aren't significant by any stretch. Virtually every one was given by a magazine or website, thus they aren't significant awards on the level of a Grammy or something similar. I'd say keep it out of this article unless consensus decides otherwise. SolarFlashDiscussion 15:36, 4 June 2020 (UTC)

Thanks. Would you feel the Birmingham Walk Of Stars and Armenian Order Of Honour are worthy of inclusion? Or should they be left out as well? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Malcolm Dome (talk • contribs) 16:31, 4 June 2020 (UTC)


 * The base criterion for including awards/honours/accolades in an article is: does an article already exist for the specific award? We should not add any award unless it is demonstrably notable, and notability is generally interpreted as having a pre-existing standalone article that can be linked to. The vast majority of these "awards" definitely don't meet this criterion. Birmingham Walk of Stars does have an article, but that one is already adequately covered in the prose. The Armenian Order Of Honour does not appear to meet the base criterion. A quick glance at your list tells me probably most of the others won't either. Many of these awards sound like a level of subjective assessment might be present as well, which we need to avoid. So I don't see any reason to include any of it in the article. SolarFlashDiscussion  17:51, 4 June 2020 (UTC)

In which case I shall follow your advice and not include any. Thanks for clearing this up. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Malcolm Dome (talk • contribs) 17:56, 4 June 2020 (UTC)

I am a little confused. You say a pre-existing standalone article is a general interpretation for regarding an award as being notable. The Classic Rock, Q and Kerrang! Awards all have these. Surely this means they are notable? Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Malcolm Dome (talk • contribs) 12:37, 10 June 2020 (UTC)

As the Classic Rock, Q and Kerrang! Awards all have stand alone pages which indicate these are notable, does anyone object if I add these awards to the Tony Iommi page? Thanks. Malcolm Dome — Preceding unsigned comment added by Malcolm Dome (talk • contribs) 06:18, 11 June 2020 (UTC)