Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Black Sabbath Guitarist Tony Iommi May Never Fully Recover From Cancer

 
Three years ago, guitarist Tony Iommi of heavy metal pioneer band Black Sabbath was diagnosed with cancer; specifically lymphoma. Iommi has discussed in a new interview with Mirror the ways in which cancer has changed the way he lives his life and his current chances at survival of the deadly condition.

Iommi says:

“The surgeon told me he doesn’t expect the cancer to go away. There’s a 30 percent chance that it could, but more than likely it will come back and it could be any time."



Iommi was diagnosed during the recording of Black Sabbath's most recent studio album 13, the band's first album with front man Ozzy Osbourne since 1978's Never Say Die!. During the tour every two to three weeks he would have to fly back to Birmingham, England just to get a chemo treatment and a check-up on his current condition at the time. 
 
His treatments have apparently been really rigorous, but he is feeling better.

"I finally finished my antibody treatment over the summer. It's good in a way because I have more energy now, but I still don't know whether the treatment worked."

Iommi further elaborates: 
 
"I look at life differently now. I could be here another 10 years or just one year — I don't know."

So long as Iommi's health remains intact enough and he can stay with us, Black Sabbath is supposed to do one more album and one more tour this year before they call it quits for good. It's a shame that Iommi is going through such an ordeal, but sadly the old guard of heavy rock and metal seem to be falling away one by one. Iommi's former band mate vocalist Ronnie James Dio fell to stomach cancer back in 2010. One can only hope Iommi doesn't have to join him too soon.

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