A bitter dispute has erupted between Black Sabbath's original manager and Sharon Osbourne over previously unreleased recordings from the band's early days, threatening to prevent music history from seeing the light of day.
The Heart of the Conflict
Jim Simpson, the octogenarian who first managed the legendary rockers, finds himself at odds with Sharon Osbourne over his plans to release Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes - rare studio recordings from 1969 when the future metal icons performed under the name Earth.
The conflict escalated dramatically following Sharon Osbourne's recent appearance on The Osbournes podcast, where she launched what Simpson describes as "inaccurate and unfair criticisms" regarding his intentions for the historic material.
Simpson, who funded the original studio sessions costing approximately £500 in 1969, has spent years restoring and remastering the tapes. His efforts to release them have been met with legal threats from Sharon, causing the album's release to be postponed indefinitely.
Clashing Accounts and Legal Threats
During the explosive podcast episode, Sharon challenged Simpson's claim to the recordings, stating he wouldn't have had the money to pay for studio time in those days. She further alleged he had kept the material quiet until it was out of copyright after 50 years.
Simpson vehemently denies these claims, explaining: "How can Sharon possibly know what I could afford back then? The fact is that I did pay for the Earth recordings, and they belong to me."
The former manager, who remains active in the Midlands music scene through his Big Bear Music enterprise, detailed his extensive career since Black Sabbath walked out of his management contract in September 1970. He has since worked with 35 neglected black American blues musicians, launched the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, and produced over 80 albums.
Sharon's most serious allegation concerns royalties, claiming Simpson planned to keep all profits. "He's never said you'll get a royalty, not one penny," she stated during the podcast. "You are a pig, you want it all."
Simpson counters that he always intended for band members to receive royalties in the usual way, and has correspondence dated 21 January 2025 with homelessness charity St Basils, agreeing to donate royalties if the band refused them.
Historical Significance and Future Prospects
The lost Earth recordings represent a crucial missing chapter in rock history, capturing Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward in their formative years, barely out of their teens but already showing remarkable musical ability.
The album includes previously unreleased studio recordings that document the band's evolution toward the heavy metal sound that would revolutionise rock music. Highlights include three blues interpretations and two arrangements of a composition entitled Song For Jim, paying direct tribute to Simpson.
Despite the acrimony, Simpson remains open to resolution. In an email to Sharon on 4 July 2025, he suggested meeting for coffee to discuss the issue. He maintains that releasing this album would be "a great gift to the music world and to millions of Sabbath fans."
As legal threats loom over these historic recordings, music historians and Black Sabbath fans worldwide await the outcome of this bitter dispute that pits the band's original manager against the woman who has guided Ozzy's career for decades.
