Former BLACK SABBATH Singer TONY MARTIN Working On New Solo Album

In a brand new interview with Metalshrine.se, former BLACK SABBATH vocalist Tony Martin spoke about his work with the legendary British heavy metal band and his upcoming activities. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

Metalshrine.se: I can't really figure out where I have you musically. You've been on some really heavy albums like the SABBATH ones and THE CAGE, yet your solo album, "Back Where I Belong", showed a whole other, lighter, side of you. Which direction do you prefer and are you happy with that album in retrospect?

Tony Martin: "Great question! I've struggled with it, because I am a child of the '70s and grew up with every kind of band from SLADE to LED ZEPPELIN and, of course, SABBATH, so my influences were contaminated by EVERYTHING!!!! I've worked with reggae bands and rock bands.

"The 'Back Where I Belong' album was where I was THEN! The kind of BRYAN ADAMS-type thing was an inspiration. And since I left SABBATH, I have tried to leave those days behind, I wanted to move on again and forget the SABBATH thing. I didn't think I could ever take that sound with me. But the record companies and EVERYONE I speak to won't let me forget it. Nobody is really interested in a Tony Martin that doesn't do SABBATH, so recently I came around to the thinking that maybe 10 years associated with a band gives me the ideal direction to take. Now I'm writing with Geoff Nicholls of SABBATH and my solo album is going VERY much down that road. I have no regrets about 'Back Where I Belong' other than somehow my manger got the entire rights to it and not me! Still not sure how that happened but hey, that's the music business for ya! And when I rejoined SABBATH, Polydor deleated it from the catalogue and took it off the shelf! So in answer to your question, I'm afraid Tony Martin is ALL those things, but I have to focus on one thing at each time. For sure there will be stuff I do that will suprise you but I hope you'll give it a shot."

Metalshrine.se: While in SABBATH you were forced into the shadow by people who couldn't accept any other singer than Ozzy and, in some cases, Dio. Still, the albums you were on, and especially "Headless Cross", were so much better musically than any of the Ozzy albums. Wasn't it frustrating trying to convince an audience who was so narrow-minded and conservative?

Tony Martin: "I struggled with that too! I wasn't experienced enough to be able to walk into a MAJOR rock band and start throwing my weight around, I am 10 years younger than they are and they had all been in that position for many years already. So I was always the misfit in the band, they liked my voice, but I didn't fit in the circles. So not being able to demand that certain things went my way meant that I had to try and fit into theirs and that's the problem with steppin into other peoples shoes. You MUST make your own mark or you'll be lost in the struggle. I was never able to shake off the chains. Fortunately I was able to reach a certain following that began to see me and what I do and so all is not completely lost."

Metalshrine.se: I know you just finished with M3 and that you're doing som gigs with TWIN DRAGON. What does the future look like in terms of projects and albums?

Tony Martin: "I'm workin on my own stuff because I'm tired of singing for other people I want to do my own thing and thats taking a long time to put together, so in the mean time I'm working with TWIN DRAGONS and WHOLE LOTTA METAL and other people to pay the Reaper if you get my drift!"

Read Tony Martin's entire interview with Metalshrine.se at this location.