Sharon Osbourne Responds to Ex-Black Sabbath Manager’s Press Release

During a recent episode of The Osbournes podcast, Sharon Osbourne accused ex-Black Sabbath manager Jim Simpson of planning to put out the band’s initial demos (when they were called Earth) without the involvement of Black Sabbath or the Osbournes. Simpson quickly issued a press release refuting her “inaccurate and unfair criticisms,” and now, Sharon has responded to the press release.

What Sharon Osbourne Said About Simpson’s Press Release

We’ll go into more detail about this below, but in a nutshell (and as Loudwire reported on Nov. 12), Sharon stated that Simpson “has tapes” from over 50 years ago “of Sabbath [as Earth] when they went into demo and get a record deal. . . . And he’s kept it quiet for all these years because they’re now out of copyright . . . so he’s been holding, holding and holding.” She also said that he “claims ownership” of the demos and wants to release them for profit.

Two days later, Loudwire covered Simpson’s press release (in which he called Sharon's accusations “inaccurate and potentially defamatory” before clarifying that since he “did pay for the Earth recordings,” they “belong” to him).

Yesterday (Nov. 15), Sharon shared a lengthy response to Simpson via social media.

In it, she included her “original email to Tony Iommi” and her “subsequent emails to Mr. Simpson.” She adds: “As you can see, my emails to Mr. Simpson were not threatening. I was clearly stating the facts about Black Sabbath’s legal position.”

Regarding Simpson’s notion that his label, Big Bear Records (who were originally going to issue Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes this past July), is “the longest-running independent record label in the UK,” Sharon says that the claim is “false.” She continues:

“Topic Records” is a British folk music label. It began as an offshoot of the Workers' Music Association in 1939, making it the oldest independent record label in the world. It still operates today. Big Bear is not even a Limited company and does not file open accounts in public.

Next, she comments on him saying that he’s “in the process of relaunching Big Bear Records in a new partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment Ltd, a well-established company with a huge catalogue including the likes of Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, . . . and hundreds of other artists”:

I seriously doubt that the artists he mentions, or their estates, would have authorized them to be sold in the USA. Let it be known that Trapeze Music is an “out-of-copyright” UK based label that is in debt for £539,000 and the entertainment division is in debt for £1.442 million. . . . These artist recordings he mentions appear NOT to be out of copyright in the USA, but Trapeze sells through a us domestic import distributor called MVD who they claim inadvertently put the BLACK SABBATH recordings online digitally in the USA and then quickly withdraw them when Simpson’s lawyers were told the Black Sabbath material is not out of copyright, despite the fact they had agreed not to release them to the public without giving us 14 days prior notice.

A full legal opinion from Kings Council was provided to their UK lawyer. Trapeze’s owner previously ran several companies that ended up in bankruptcy. We would never have allowed any BLACK SABBATH product to be released through Big Bear Records or Trapeze Music, and at no time did Simpson ever offer the band royalties, and he has continuously refused to let Black Sabbath hear the recordings that he claims are his. Their integrity is dubious.

Sharon then remarks that Simpson “may claim that he invited [her] to have coffee with him” this past July, but that she was “out of contact” because she was at Villa Park “at soundcheck [for Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning farewell show] all day.” She also writes that she “later heard” that Simpson was “busy that day doing a Q&A about his time managing Black Sabbath from ’68-’70 at a pub called ‘Ye Olde Foundry’ in Dudley for personal commercial gain.”

Afterward, Sharon shares a series of emails, with the earliest being a September 2024 email sent to Iommi from Simpson (via Iommi’s manager, Ralph Baker).

In it, Simpson asks Iommi to remember that late’60s tracks they recorded “with Earth at Zella Studio” that Simpson “initially” used to “get the band a record deal” before he convinced “David Platz of Essex Music to pay for those recordings . . . that were eventually released as the ‘Black Sabbath’ album.”

The message continues:

With all the media coverage over the past 55 years or so, one unarguable fact has, in my opinion, been overlooked – just how terrific Earth and then Black Sabbath were as a band, even before we had those hits.

We are now about to fill that gap, creating what I believe to be an authentic historical document that clearly demonstrates the quality of your playing, even back then, as youngsters.

I have had these original acetates and mono tapes on my shelf for 55 years, and thanks to my new relationship with Trapeze Records, we have put a lot of work at the best of technical facilities, to clear up those recordings and put them in pristine [mono] condition.

The resultant album “Black Sabbath: The Lost Tapes: The Original Earth Recordings” is set for release on Record Store Day in April.

It will be on vinyl with very special packaging.

I hope that you will be as proud of it as I am.

The track listing is:

Side One

Blue Suede Shoes

Evenin’

Wee Wee Baby

[untitled]

Free Man

Side Two

Song For Jim [Tony guitar]

Song For Jim [Tony flute]

Wicked World

Warning

Over the next few days I will be able to send you the cover artwork and tracks to listen to, and I’m sure that you will be pleased with the quality of the music and the artwork.

I have just seen the photograph you posted today with Bill, It’s good to see you together. I had a lengthy and pleasant breakfast with Bill and Walter yesterday, and he probably told you that he is very pleased that these early Earth recordings will at last be properly heard.

Regards,

Jim

Chronologically, the next email (from a month later) is from Sharon to Simpson. She begins:

I refer to your email below [mentioned above]. As you will appreciate, the existence of these recordings and the suggestion that you intend to release them has come as a great shock to the members of the group given that, in many years of contact, you have never once mentioned these tapes to any of them.

Afterward, she states:

It is not accepted that you are the rightful owner of these recordings nor have any right or authority to exploit them. You say in your note that Ozzy, Tony, Geezer [Butler] and Bill [Ward] were contracted to you from 1968 until late 1970 and ‘The contract included management and recording’. Neither Ozzy nor I have any record of any such contract so please provide a copy if, as you suggest, one ever existed. You also assert that you ‘.. paid for and produced all these recordings.’ but have provided no evidence of this. Neither have you provided the band members with copies of these tracks and artwork as promised in your recent email to Tony Iommi.

Whether you own the recordings (which, for the record, is not accepted) or not, all four members are in agreement that these recordings were never intended for commercial release, they should not now be released and, they do not agree or consent to any such release. You can rest assured that they will take all steps necessary to prevent this release if you seek to proceed with it all and rights and remedies the band may have, are formally reserved.

Yours sincerely,

Sharon Osbourne

The third email (from January of 2025) is also from Sharon to Simpson, and she starts by writing that she’s “disappointed” because he hasn’t replied to the October 2024 email and because he hasn’t “provided the materials” she requested. “I’m guessing you think that if you do not respond we will just let the matter lie. Rest assured, we will not,” she also comments.

She explains:

Your story is manufactured to suit your purpose and is untrue. You are aligning yourself with the Trapeze companies, which seem to be under the control of John Cooper. If you are now standing behind him, maybe you should check out his many entities. I will give you another 14 days to respond in full to my email and to provide the materials requested. If you have not replied satisfactorily by 22nd January, we will have no alternative but to escalate matters, including issuing proceedings.

Please acknowledge receipt of this email.

Thank you,

Sharon Osbourne

The latest email included in her post is from July of 2025 and directly concerns the planned Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes compilation:

Jim,

Your lawyers have informed ours that you intend to release the Earth tapes around 11 July 2025. As you know, the Band do not want these tapes released, not least as they haven’t heard them despite you saying you would provide copies long ago.

You know that, as a band, Black Sabbath don’t take things lying down and you can be assured that if you go ahead with this against the Band’s wishes we will take any action we can where their rights are infringed, both here and in America.

We will also be making it clear to all Black Sabbath fans that this is not material the Band ever wanted released, that they should not buy it, and that you are going against the Band’s wishes in releasing demo recordings that were never intended for release, and in doing so you are riding on the back of the upcoming farewell charity concert. I am sure the fans, people in the industry, and people of Birmingham will see this for what it is.

I hope you see sense, otherwise it seems we are likely to end up in Court.

Sharon

You can see Sharon Osbourne’s full post below:

READ MORE: Sharon Osbourne Reveals How Much Money Ozzy's Back to the Beginning Concert Raised

More About the Ongoing Dispute Between Sharon Osbourne + Jim Simpson

As previously mentioned, the latest episode of The Osbournes podcast (uploaded to YouTube on Nov. 12) saw Sharon, Jack and Kelly reflecting on the death of Ozzy and how they've been doing since then.

At one point, the family start discussing people who’ve not exactly treated the Osbournes well, with Sharon eventually bringing up Simpson. As Loudwire wrote, 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.”

She specified:

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 also mentioned that Simpson could’ve let her know what he had and received compensation, but he chose instead to wait until the copyright expired so he could fully benefit from saying he owns the demos.

“He keeps it totally quiet, finds a little record company, cause no major record company would have taken it,” she said, adding: "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.”

As demonstrated by the aforementioned emails, Sharon also clarified that the Osbourne family have spent 18 months trying to settle the dispute with Simpson (including the threat of a lawsuit if the demos are ever released).

She explained:

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. 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. But you cannot, cannot take this work and do this to Sabbath again. The second time it would have happened to them.

Plus, she asked Black Sabbath fans not to buy “these [Earth] tapes” if they ever come out. “Don’t support [Simpson] 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.”

Lastly, she pleaded for Simpson to let the demos go “to a proper record company and be properly distributed, properly produced. You will get money. Don’t do this.”

In his press release, Simpson commented on Sharon’s “inaccurate and unfair criticisms,” remarking: "It's such a shame Sharon has decided to go all out on the attack without sitting down to talk about this. It's also very unfair of her to make such inaccurate and potentially defamatory comments."

He expounded:

At the time, Earth were just the newest of the bands I managed. During those years, I regularly recorded and paid for recording sessions with bands I managed or played in. I’d already had a hit single with Locomotive and record deals with major labels like EMI Harvest and Parlophone. 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.

As for the idea that he kept quiet about the demos until they were no longer under copyright, he said, “That’s not the case.” He added: “The truth is that when Black Sabbath walked out of my management contract, I turned my hand to re-discovering a total of 35 neglected black American blues men, touring them through U.K. and Europe, and recording them.”

He continued:

In the early 1980s I got more deeply involved in jazz, launching the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival and publishing The Jazz Rag – both still ongoing. I produced more than 80 albums for Big Bear Records, ran 23 festivals across Britain, and managed various other U.K. bands, including The Quads, who had a hit single. All in all, I’ve been pretty busy, although I always intended to release the Earth records. I approached members of the band about this on 24 Sept. 2024. The message I got back was that they didn’t want it released and wanted nothing to do with it. This included two very threatening emails from Sharon. But the band had every chance to be involved.

Furthermore, Simpson claimed that he in fact “wanted all band members to receive royalites from the album in the usual way,” as well as that he was planning to donate proceeds to “St. Basils, a charity for homeless young people in Birmingham” should “Black Sabbath refuse to accept royalties.”

Simpson also refuted Sharon’s suggestion regarding Black Sabbath’s early monetary troubles:

Under my management, we renamed Earth as Black Sabbath and they became one of the biggest names in heavy rock music, touring extensively and appearing on radio and TV. I was manager when we released their seminal debut eponymous album 'Black Sabbath' in February 1970 and followed it up with the equally adored 'Paranoid' in September 1970. Both charted worldwide and sold millions, with hit single 'Paranoid' reaching No. 4 in the charts. While under my management, which ended in September 1970, they received proper payments. It was when they broke their contract that it all went wrong for them.

Even with all of the disputes and accusations, Simpson said that he’s still willing to find a resolution with the Osbourne family:

In my email to Sharon on 4 July 2025, when she was in Birmingham, I suggested it might be fruitful for her and I to meet for coffee to discuss this issue. If they want to strike a deal with me to launch this album, I would therefore be delighted to discuss that with them. . . . If we can finally release this album, it will be a great gift to the music world and to millions of Sabbath fans.

Finally, he explained more about why he wanted to put out Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes in 2025:

My reason for launching this album now is because it will become a crucial segment of music history. It contains recordings that clearly demonstrate what fine music Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill were producing right from the very beginning in their pre-Sabbath days. It shows how these four young men from Birmingham, barely out of their teens, were already remarkable musicians when they existed as Earth, and that they fully deserved all the success that was to come their way as Black Sabbath.