Geezer Butler

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Butler's musical journey began in 1965 with his first band, The Ruums, named after an Arthur Porges science fiction story. By late 1967, he formed The Rare Breed with vocalist John "Ozzy" Osbourne. After that group disbanded, Butler reunited with Osbourne to form the blues foursome Polka Tulk alongside guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward. When they rebranded as Earth in Birmingham, a naming conflict forced another change; inspired by the Boris Karloff horror film, Butler suggested "Black Sabbath" in early 1969. Although he initially played rhythm guitar inspired by John Lennon, Iommi insisted on being the sole guitarist, forcing Butler to switch to bass. At an early Earth/Black Sabbath gig, after a string broke, he famously played with a borrowed instrument that only had three strings, listing Jack Bruce of Cream as his biggest influence. His early persona was that of a peaceful LSD user in Indian hippie dresses, described by Iommi as being "from another planet." Beyond music, Butler's education at Holte Grammar Commercial School fueled his love for reading and writing, while his teenage fascination with Aleister Crowley deeply influenced his later lyrical composition.

In Their Own Story

In the summer of 1977, drummer Bill Ward visited Butler's Worcestershire home to deliver news: he had been fired from Black Sabbath following a meeting where Iommi and Osbourne questioned his commitment. Butler felt "pissed off" yet relieved, spending weeks resting before receiving a call from Ward inviting him back to rehearsals starting the next day. Upon returning, both Iommy and Osbourne denied involvement in the firing, with Ward claiming he was merely the messenger. Butler received no explanation, an event that changed his attitude forever; he stated "a little bit of me died back then" and could never fully trust his bandmates again. He returned only because he had nothing else going on musically. Later, after Black Sabbath fired Osbourne in 1979, Butler briefly left to handle a divorce from his first wife, Georgina. The resulting 1980 album *Heaven and Hell* was initially recorded with bassist Craig Gruber, but Butler returned at the last minute to re-record all bass parts before release. He departed again in 1984 following the *Born Again* tour, though he briefly rejoined months later during a comeback attempt with vocalist David Donato.

Reader's Guide

Butler's tenure with Black Sabbath is defined by specific eras: 1969–1984, 1987, 1990–1994, 1997–2006, and 2011–2017. He rejoined the Mob Rules lineup in 1991 but quit after the *Cross Purposes* tour in 1994. In 2012, he reunited with Iommi and Osbourne to record the album *13*, touring from 2012 to 2014. The band's final tour began in January 2016 and concluded in February 2017. Despite previously ruling out reunions, Butler joined the original lineup for a final show at Back to the Beginning in July 2025. Outside Sabbath, he toured with Ozzy Osbourne from 1988–1989 on the *No Rest for the Wicked* tour and again from 1994–1996 for the *Ozzmosis* album and *Retirement Sucks* tour. In 2006, he reformed the Dehumanizer-era lineup with Iommi, Vinny Appice, and Ronnie James Dio under the name Heaven & Hell, releasing the studio album *The Devil You Know* in 2009 before the group disbanded following Dio's death in 2010. Butler also formed GZR, releasing *Plastic Planet* (1995), *Black Science* (1997), and *Ohmwork* (2005). In 1994, he recorded a cover of "The Wizard" with Rob Halford and Bill Ward as Bullring Brummies. More recently, he briefly joined Deadland Ritual, releasing the single "Down in Flames" in December 2018.

Did You Know?

• Butler's nickname 'Geezer' was given by his brother, who called him a 'geezer' (a character), not specifically from Cockney slang.
• As a baby, Butler nearly fell out of a bedroom window when his sister Eileen tossed him in a fit of jealousy.
• Butler briefly worked in an accounting office at a steel company before the band took off, but he did not manage Black Sabbath's finances; that role was handled by others.
• At an early Earth/Black Sabbath gig, after a string broke, Butler played with a borrowed instrument that only had three strings.
• Butler stopped attending Mass as a teenager after a nun repeatedly called him 'miss' due to his long hair.