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Heaven & Hell Guitarist Tony Iommi To Undergo Hand Surgery

August 18, 2009 32 Comments

An Eddie Van Halen mention from Metal Underground:

Tony Iommi, best known as the guitarist of Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell, has revealed in a recent interview that he will soon be undergoing some important surgery on his hand. Some excerpts from the interview read as follows:

Q: Do you know what you’re doing after this US run?

A: “After this US run, yes, we’re going to have some time off. I’ve got to have an operation on my hand, and that’s sort of a major thing I need to get done and I’ve been putting it off now. So we’re going to have some time off while I get that done. That’ll be a bit of a break, I think. Not for everybody, but it’ll be some time off from touring for me for sure.”

Q: What happened to your hand?

A: “The cartilage is gone from the thumb in my fingering hand. It’s been like that now, to be honest, for a year and I’ve been taking anti-inflammatories and all sorts of stuff to try and calm it down, but it’s inevitable I’ve got to have the operation because the bone is rubbing on the bone. Funny enough, I talked to Eddie Van Halen this morning, because he’s had the same sort of problem, so I’m seeing him to have a chat about what happened to him. He thinks it’s very successful, so we’ll see.”

Filed Under: Eddie Van Halen
  • dirtyfacedkidingarbagecan

    What about the fingertips?, wonder if theres been any advancments in that dept. lately.

  • http://none Ducky / Dirty Duck

    Looks like that good ol’ rock n roll is catchin’ up to these cats huh?

  • Dooley

    Best of luck to both Toni and Ed. Get better guys, Rock N Roll still needs ya.

  • Phil

    Oh, Ed had the same thing done? I get it. Saw H & H last summer. They owned. Big. An unrelated question: Where the hell is Dave? Is Ed keeping him in a box these days until the new album/tour is on deck?

  • http://www.sten.com Stern

    daves on vacation in South America Rock Climbin I heard

  • Dooley

    Phil:

    Judging from past experience, DLR is now likely under “prior restraint” from his employer. He’ll be told when where how and what he can say at the appropriate time. Until then, we can expect silence. It’s either that or he gets fired, Chad Smith goes back to the Chilis, Satch goes solo again and we get Sam and Mike back with Wolf on the keyboards.

    Disclaimer:
    (the above is half serious, and half “yankin the chain”…)

  • Dave

    Come on! I knew it was only a matter of time until VHND covered completely unrelated content. Guys…lets keep it in the family, will ya?

  • ben

    Hope Tony gets his hand fixed, he’ll probably go to Germany with Ed’s Dr.

  • HideYourSheep

    Talk about 6 degrees of separation. It’s like Googling “Ed+Tony+hand” and seeing what the results are for news. ;-)

    Good recuperation to both of them either way.

  • Kimberly

    Get better guys:(

    Love you Eddie!

    Stern– Really?? Where did u hear that? Cool haha

  • Sean

    You all are entitled to your opinion, but in reality you are talking chit about one of America’s greatest bands. What do you do for employment? Thought so….

  • http://vhnd.com handymanrockstar84

    Interesting. They probably haven’t spoken to each other much since the old days. Anyone for a VH and Black Sabbath show when everyone is better?

  • SCAR

    Time and age can be a real bitch eh?

  • Skutch

    Bones spurs are no fun. A friend of mine had one and he was in some pain until he had surgery.

    “What is Dave doing?” Why are people always worried about Dave? He just made 20 mil on a tour. He’s probably on the beach on some tiny island somewhere sippin’ on a margarita.

  • 5150Rocker

    So because Tony had had surgery this is related to Ed’s surgery? Come on. Stick to appropriate topics that are somewhat related to VH.

  • Top Jimmy

    I don’t know, Tony Iommi and Eddie Van Halen making plans to hang out is kind of a big deal…. even if it is to talk about their old man problems.

  • Steve

    Maybe after the surgery Tony can play the beginning of Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots while Ed plays the beginning of Ain’t Talkin’ bout Love. ;)

  • Sherman T. Dog

    I wonder how Ozzie’s ridalin prescription is doing?

  • pushtoshove

    I heard Jim dandy has the clap…….

  • ken

    Dooley,

    I like your idea: Wolfie on keys; dlr & sammy singing, and mikie on bass of-course. VH would sell out for the next 3-5 yrs, if we made it that long.

  • john

    Well, for those wondering why this is news – maybe it gives us a glimmer of hope that if Ed is in contact with an old friend who is still out there doing it – with Heaven and Hell – and seemingly knocking out really good stuff it will spur him on to do something new himself. Iommi used to have an occasional radio show over here in the UK, about 4 or 5 years ago. He played VH and spoke about Eddie – they have been good buddies since ’78. Ed was always sending Tony prototypes of his new gear, since the Ernie Ball and Peavey days. I think they probably hang out more than you might imagine.

  • jrod 2009

    two of the biggest pioneers in guitar playing conversating, everyone should show respect and stop crying about this being a van halen only news source.this is interesting news.

  • BlackLabelSimian

    Eddie just announced that he is also going to be doing an interview and cover shoot with Tony Iommi for an upcoming issue of Guitar World.

  • http://vh surfsno2008

    what the hell is conversating

    where did you go to school?

    black sabbath with ozzy and dio
    was the shit!

    van halen with dave and sammy was the shit!

    who’s better?

  • http://none Ducky / Dirty Duck

    Van halen SMOKED sabbath back in 78′….

  • greg

    Great! This is just another excuse for no new music from Heaven & Hell! It’s just one excuse after another! LOL

  • http://none Ducky / Dirty Duck

    Greg:

    Not for nothin’ brother but these cats are over 50 years old….

  • greg

    Ducky / Dirty Duck,

    If you couldn’t tell from the LOL, I was making a joke about the comments on the Ed hand surgery post!

  • phil

    hope they both recover soon…

  • http://photos4u2c.wordpress.com/ Dave

    Great find. Thanks for posting. More evidence that Ed’s surgery was a success.

  • phillster

    O.K.-1st off-Ed`s surgery WAS a success.Believe me when i tell you- he`s not gonna waste time with a “new hand”on another “best-of” tour Regardless of Any line-up opportunities.Fans of “5150″&”0U812″-seriously,get over it&move on with your life(via CHKFT).
    2nd:this story is completely relevent to the “current” status
    of what`s happening with our Favorite band.VHND(ithink)posted this to PROVE to all the “whiners”out there that the best is about to cum;)
    3rd& most important,-my beer`s empty./gotta go
    =VH=LIVES!!deal with it.

  • http://none Ducky / Dirty Duck

    Phillster!

    LOL!!! Too much man! :)

    “3rd and most important- my beer’s empty/gotta go! ”

    A classic line from a classic fan!