Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi may have ruled the stage with his powerful metal riffs, but away from the spotlight he kept his personal life closely guarded. That all changed in 2011 when he released his autobiography Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath. It was during this time that Metal Hammer sat down with Iommi to revisit the experiences that shaped the man behind the music.
Tony Iommi was never someone who used his private life to build fame. While some artists opened their personal worlds for attention, the legendary guitarist always chose to keep his to himself. But with the release of Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath, he allowed people a rare glimpse behind the curtain.
“I can’t say I am very comfortable with telling everyone what’s gone on in my life outside of music,” he admits. “But I knew that if I was to do this book, that side of things had to be faced.”
Many who know him were caught off guard by his decision to write a memoir. Quiet and reserved when not performing, the soft-spoken metal icon never seemed like someone eager to tell his life story. Yet once he made the choice, the final result became a true reflection of his personality: direct, sincere, humorous, engaging, and surprisingly warm.
For Iommi, one of the hardest parts was figuring out what new ground to cover. So much of his career with Black Sabbath had already been well documented, leaving little left to reveal. What made the book compelling, though, was everything outside of music. One detail he shared was that he grew up as an only child.
“I can’t say how that affected me compared to those who had brothers or sisters. Well, there was a time when my parents took in this guy. He was our lodger, but slept in the same room as me. I hated the situation. Suddenly, I wasn’t the centre of attention. It seemed to me I was being sidelined for someone who wasn’t even family.”
As he recalls those memories, a hint of unease shows on his face. But this is part of what happens when you open up your life to the public. Once those personal details are out there, questions naturally follow.
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