BLACK Sabbath’s Tony Iommi last released a solo album more than two decades ago.
And now, as he finally announces a new record, From The Dark, he reckons it might take just as long to get presented with his MBE.
The legendary axeman was in the Actress & Bishop boozer in his native Birmingham to celebrate the album’s release when asked when he’d be going to Buckingham Palace.
Tony was made an MBE in the King’s birthday honours last month, for his services to music and charity. But he joked: “I’d forgotten about that. They have probably changed their minds now.”
From The Dark, out on October 23, is Tony’s first album since 2005’s Fused, when he teamed with former Deep Purple, Sabbath and Trapeze singer and bassist Glenn Hughes.
Queen’s Brian May plays a guest solo on Death Wake, and the blistering lead single, the upbeat but punchy World Alone, confirms why he earned the nickname The Master Of The Riffs.
That moniker’s all the more impressive when Tony reminds us that he lost the tips of the middle and ring fingers of his fret hand as a teen, while working in a sheet metal factory in the city.
He recalled: “I went to different doctors and they said, ‘You might as well give up and find another profession’.”
So he made replacement fingertips. He said: “I got a Fairy Liquid bottle, melted it down into a ball and then got a soldering iron and made a hole in it, so it fit on my finger.
“I tried to play and it slipped off. I had to find a material that would grip the strings like skin, so I cut one of my old rocker leather jackets up, and it worked.”
Iommi fans are in for a treat with From The Dark — which has eight tracks, with two additional songs, Scent Of Dark and Deified on the deluxe version.
It was two years in the making, with Tony enlisting Jorn Lande on vocals, bassist Becky Baldwin and Robbie Williams’ longtime drummer Karl Brazil.
The process was slowed by the loss of Tony’s Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne last July, with Tony stepping back from recording for a while.
The pair exchanged text messages the night before Ozzy died. He said: “I didn’t expect him to go overnight. It was a hell of a shock.”
On returning to work on the record, Tony added: “We’ve done it casually really, because there was no pressure.
The album is steeped in his home city’s history. He said: “The whole record is designed around Birmingham. The T-shirts have been made in Birmingham, the merchandise has been made in Birmingham.”
In front of a small group of guests, with Frank Skinner taking on the interviewing duties, Tony unveiled the dystopian video for World Alone, which was filmed in Cornwall.
“I hate doing videos, I’ve never liked them,” he said.
“This one is more like a film and I am in it but not wanting to be.”
Despite his reticence at getting in front of the cameras, it sounds likely Tony will return to the stage.
Asked whether fans will hear him play the record live, he smiled and said: “You may do.
“Anything’s a possibility.”
MARS FINAL AT WEMBLEY
BRUNO MARS brought the curtain down on his six huge Wembley Stadium shows with a low-key bash at a Mayfair private members’ club.
My moles tell me the singer hosted the do at George on Mount Street, arriving with his entourage at 1am.
A source said: “Bruno shut down an area inside George to celebrate his six Wembley gigs.
“He only invited a handful of people to join him and kept it very casual and chic. There was a great atmosphere though, and Bruno was the life and soul of the party.
“He was blown away by the reception to his Romantic Tour from British fans and was grinning from ear to ear.
“It’s been huge for him to play six headline shows there and he’s ready for a break before he heads back out in the US.”
It’s little wonder Bruno is ready for some time off.
He’s been on tour for four months now and, after three weeks away, he’ll get back to it with dates in the US and Asia, eventually finishing in Japan on January 28.
Tate shapes up for comeback
TATE McRAE gets fighting fit for her comeback as she prepares to release new music.
The Canadian pulled on her skintight workout clobber and pumped iron for an Adidas Originals Sport campaign.
It comes ahead of a return to the stage this weekend, almost nine months after her last concert.
Tate will headline the Osheaga Festival in Montreal on Saturday, and Lollapalooza in Chicago the following night, as teasers on social media suggest she might debut new songs.
Previous album So Close To What became her most successful yet when it peaked at No2 in the charts last year.
But with her star power continuing to rise, I’m sure she’s got her sights set on turning the next record into a chart-topper.
BTS SNUB GRAMMYS IN PROTEST
K-POP megastars BTS are boycotting the Grammy Awards after an Asian-only category was introduced.
The group won’t submit any of their music to be considered for any awards at the 2027 ceremony, in protest over the change.
In a statement, they said: “We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year.
“I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”
The Grammys last month announced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance award, where songs must contain “meaningful use” of an Asian language.
But many have criticised the move, saying it pigeon-holes artists from that region.
BTS, whose latest album Arirang is largely in English, had been expected to rack up several nominations after it became one of 2025’s best sellers.
It’s Olivia RodLego
OLIVIA RODRIGO has recreated her latest album cover in Lego form – and will hide versions of the record around the world.
She posed in this plaid mini-dress at a pop-up event in Los Angeles, where it was revealed 333 toy-brick vinyl versions of You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love will be available.
The album is in the UK Top Three for a sixth week.
Olivia and Lego will drop clues on social media, hinting at record shops where fans might be able to get the special versions.
I expect to see them popping up on eBay for astronomical sums any day now.
SHANIA’S LACK OF VISION
IT doesn’t sound like Shania Twain is very likely to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027.
Her native Canada will be joining for the first time. But asked if she’d be tempted to give it a go, she said: “It hasn’t entered my mind. It’s a fair question, though. I don’t know what my pull would be for that, but I would certainly be curious to see how that comes together. There is a lot of talent there.”
The contest will take place in Bulgaria.
But Shania has enough on her plate, having released album Little Miss Twain, which looks like entering the Top Five on Friday.
She’s also planning 30th-anniversary celebrations for her album Come On Over.
Ruben’s hol alone
RUBEN Dias has made sure everyone knows he’s one of football’s most eligible bachelors, following his split from Maya Jama.
The Manchester City defender broke up with the Love Island host at the end of April.
Three months on, and following his appearance at this summer’s World Cup with Portugal, he has jetted off on a lads’ holiday to Ibiza.
Judging by the photos of his rippling six-pack he shared on Instagram, Ruben got his mates to take thirst trap pictures for him while they were there.
But hinting that he’s still not totally over the split with Maya, he captioned the post: “Feelings on silent.”
With pictures like this, there will be plenty of people offering him a shoulder to cry on.
MACCABEES ALBUM
THE Maccabees are working on their first album since 2015, after reuniting last year.
They have been playing fresh tunes during live shows.
Asked if an album was any closer, singer Orlando Weeks told Radio X: “We have some songs, and we have one we’re really confident about and we’re enjoying playing.
“That’s the aim – to try and do it, make it good enough, and then it’ll happen.”
lMILEY CYRUS’ rocker fiancé Maxx Morando popped the question on holiday in Japan last autumn.
He told Wonderland mag it happened in “this little outer garden”.
Maxx added: “She was taking videos, and was turned away. I got on one knee and tapped her on the shoulder.”