TIMELINE - OZZFEST '97 AND NEC REUNION

All tour date information has been was compiled jointly by Robert Dwyer (www.sabbathlive.com) & Joe Siegler (www.black-sabbath.com) from various sources and contributors. All text reviews and additional information was compiled & authored by Robert Dwyer. If you'd like to use any of this text for non-commercial purposes, PLEASE OBTAIN PERMISSION FIRST. Also, please add credit to authors of this original work. Commercial utilization of this work in part or as a whole is prohibited unless rights have been obtained from the authors . [Copyright 2002-2008, Robert Dwyer - Black Sabbath Live Project & Joe Siegler - Black-Sabbath.com]

**TIMELINE - OZZFEST '97 AND NEC REUNION**
Date	Event	Comments
2/7/96	TECHNICAL ECSTASY remaster released by Castle
2/28/96	Several Castle remasters released!	Remastered editions of BLACK SABBATH, SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH and SABOTAGE were issued on this date.
4/??/96	THE SABBATH STONES Compilation is released	This compilation was issued to fulfill contractual obligations to IRS records. It contained highlights from Sabbath’s 1983-1995 era.
4/22/96	THE ETERNAL IDOL reissued by Castle in the U.K.
6/16/97	SABOTAGE achieves Gold Record status in the U.S.
6/16/97	TECHNICAL ECSTASY achieves Gold Record status in the U.S.
8/25/97	Geezer confirms Sabbath reunion with Ward	Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has confirmed that there's a full reunion in the works complete with estranged drummer Bill Ward. Butler told Metal Edge magazine's Paul Gargano at the Rock and Horror Expo in New Jersey this past weekend that the band has scheduled a show in Europe at the end of the year and tentative plans include a North American tour with full performances in 1998. The group re-grouped without Ward for Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest this summer and only played an abbreviated set. [MTV News 8/25/97]
10/25/97	BILL WARD BAND - The Roxy	Bill performed this last show with his band before heading to England to begin rehearsing for the Birmingham shows.
11/7/97	NEVER SAY DIE achieves Gold Record status in the U.S.
11/11/97	Ozzy released THE OZZMAN COMETH compilation	This 2-CD greatest hits compilation contains 4 early recordings of Black Sabbath which were said to have been from “Ozzy’s Basement”, giving one the impression that these could have been rehearsals of some sort. My best guess is that these were recorded for the BBC’s “In Concert” early in 1970, NOT John Peel’s “Top Gear” as so many claim. Sabbath did play on “Top Gear” in November ’69, but this was a completely different show.
11/97	Ozzy goes into the studio to record with Sabbath!	During the last week of November '97, Ozzy went into the studio to work with the band on two new tracks ("Psycho Man" and "Sell Your Soul") for REUNION.

TIMELINE - OZZFEST '97 AND NEC REUNION

Date

Event

Comments

2/7/96

TECHNICAL ECSTASY remaster released by Castle

2/28/96

Several Castle remasters released!

Remastered editions of BLACK SABBATH, SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH and SABOTAGE were issued on this date.

4/??/96

THE SABBATH STONES Compilation is released

This compilation was issued to fulfill contractual obligations to IRS records. It contained highlights from Sabbath’s 1983-1995 era.

4/22/96

THE ETERNAL IDOL reissued by Castle in the U.K.

6/16/97

SABOTAGE achieves Gold Record status in the U.S.

6/16/97

TECHNICAL ECSTASY achieves Gold Record status in the U.S.

8/25/97

Geezer confirms Sabbath reunion with Ward

Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has confirmed that there's a full reunion in the works complete with estranged drummer Bill Ward. Butler told Metal Edge magazine's Paul Gargano at the Rock and Horror Expo in New Jersey this past weekend that the band has scheduled a show in Europe at the end of the year and tentative plans include a North American tour with full performances in 1998. The group re-grouped without Ward for Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest this summer and only played an abbreviated set. [MTV News 8/25/97]

10/25/97

BILL WARD BAND - The Roxy

Bill performed this last show with his band before heading to England to begin rehearsing for the Birmingham shows.

11/7/97

NEVER SAY DIE achieves Gold Record status in the U.S.

11/11/97

Ozzy released THE OZZMAN COMETH compilation

This 2-CD greatest hits compilation contains 4 early recordings of Black Sabbath which were said to have been from “Ozzy’s Basement”, giving one the impression that these could have been rehearsals of some sort. My best guess is that these were recorded for the BBC’s “In Concert” early in 1970, NOT John Peel’s “Top Gear” as so many claim. Sabbath did play on “Top Gear” in November ’69, but this was a completely different show.

11/97

Ozzy goes into the studio to record with Sabbath!

During the last week of November '97, Ozzy went into the studio to work with the band on two new tracks ("Psycho Man" and "Sell Your Soul") for REUNION.