'Don't Do This' — Sharon Osbourne Calls Out Ex-Black Sabbath Manager

In the aftermath of Ozzy Osbourne's death, Sharon Osbourne has called out Jim Simpson, the onetime manager of Black Sabbath, who she claims is planning to release the band's early demos without the group or the Osbourne family's involvement.

Within a recent episode of The Osbournes Podcast (viewed below) in which Sharon, Jack and Kelly Osbourne reflect on the death Ozzy and what's happened in the months since his passing, there's a section in which they discuss some of the vulturistic behavior that has taken place with people trying to profit from Ozzy's death.

One specific instance that Sharon addresses in great detail concerns Black Sabbath's onetime manager Jim Simpson, who she claims is currently attempting to take alleged demos recorded by the band while they were under his management and distribute them while claiming the profits.

What Sharon Osbourne Said About Black Sabbath's Former Manager

Within the podcast, the discussion shifted from all the great tributes that have come from fans and people from all walks of life to those less sincere in their actions toward the Osbourne family.

Sharon brings up Jim Simpson, Black Sabbath's early manager, who guided the band early in their career. She claims at one point that Simpson had reached out to Ozzy seeking an $8,000 loan which the singer turned down. But that eventually led to a bigger discussion about some of Simpson's recent actions.

“Now, 56 years later, he has tapes, he claims, of Sabbath when they went into demo and get a record deal. They are the Earth demos he claims," says Sharon.

"He claims ownership because he says he paid the bill for the studio which he says was 500 pounds. Now if 30,000 pounds today is worth five or six thousand, what’s 500 pounds? He would have never had that money to pay for a studio in those days,” she adds while questioning Simpson's claim of ownership. “Anyway, he claims that he paid so therefore he owns them. And he’s kept it quiet for all these years because they’re now out of copyright, which is 50 years. So he’s been holding, holding and holding."

Sharon says that at any point over the last five decades, Simpson could have reached out with what he had and would've been financially compensated very well. But instead, he chose to keep quiet until the copyright ran out so that he could lay claim to the demos for himself.

"He keeps it totally quiet, finds a little record company, cause no major record company would have taken it. He finds this little record label which the guy who runs it has gone seven times bankrupt, which is fine, but it just shows you the [decision making]. And he does a deal with this little record label to take the tapes and now distribute them,” says Osbourne.

How Did The Osbournes Respond After Hearing of Jim Simpson's Plan for the Earth Demos?

According to Sharon, the family has spent the last 18 months going back and forth with Simpson over the demos with the threat of a lawsuit should the demos be distributed.

"He’s never said you’ll get a royalty, not one penny. He thinks he’s going to put out these tapes and he’s going to get 100 percent of everything for himself,” she shares. “In his mind, he’s going back 56 years to when they started. For the first 10 years of their career, they made millions and never got a penny. So he’s treating them the same way. And it’s like, ‘No.’ I’m sorry, I don’t care what the fuck your name is or where you come from. You are a pig, you want it all and you’re trying to get away with this."

"He could have had it so differently. He could have come to us with the tapes and he would have made a lot of money and Sabbath would have done well," she adds. "But you cannot, cannot take this work and do this to Sabbath again. The second time it would have happened to them.”

What Sharon Osbourne Is Saying to Black Sabbath Fans About the Earth Demos

“I’m putting it out there to every Sabbath fan. If these tapes come out, please don’t buy them," says Osbourne. "Don’t support him because he’s taking 100 percent. He’s lying and saying he will give money to charity. He’s never said what charity or how much money."

She concludes with a public plea to Simpson: "What I want to say to him is let it go to a proper record company and be properly distributed, properly produced. You will get money. Don’t do this."

The Osbourne Family Reflects on Ozzy Osbourne's Death

Black Sabbath's History With Jim Simpson

Jim Simpson had been a promoter and band manager in 1968 when he set up a weekly Henry's Blueshouse club night at the Crown Hotel in Birmingham. It was there that he met Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi and agreed to let their band Earth play. Eventually, he agreed to come on board as their manager.

During his time with the group, they changed their name to Black Sabbath and eventually found success in 1970 with their Paranoid album before eventually moving on to find other management.

Simpson meanwhile shifted his focus more toward backing and managing bands in the blues and jazz world while Black Sabbath went on to establish themselves as one of the biggest names in heavy rock music.