An afternoon with Tony Iommi at the Gibson Garage London was time well spent as the venue hosted the press launch for the new Gibson TV docuseries Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal and the new Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker. With the champagne flowing, Tony Iommi shared stories and revealed that he is currently working on a new solo album.
The event was curated by Liz Barnes from BBC Radio 2, who questioned Tony on his history with Gibson. “When we were recording the first [Black Sabbath] album,” Tony said, “on the song Wicked World, I had been using a Strat, and the pickup went out. I grabbed the Gibson SG, and liked the sound of it, and from that day on, that first album, I have always used a Gibson SG.”
For Tony, this was the beginning of a quest to develop his sound with many hours spent improving his weapon of choice with technical changes and customisations.
From fret changes to experiments with lacquers and stinking a caravan out when dipping his pickups in beeswax to limit taxi radio interference, Tony entertained a thrilled audience.
Tony spoke of his early use of lighter banjo strings and how he persuaded a Welsh string manufacturer to produce strings to his specifications years before other companies caught on.
You had the real feeling of innovation, as Tony spoke of working with John Birch to produce a 24-fret Gibson SG, even though he had been told by others that it was not possible. The developments also included the first version of locking nuts.
“The story of my life” was how Tony described the resistance to his ideas, as they were thought to be impossible to achieve. Tony grabbed and played a Gibson with a tremolo system, another seemingly impossible innovation.
Tony was full of praise for how Cesar Gueikian has shaped the company in recent years, with the release of the Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker a case in point.
“We first made these pickups 28 years ago,” Tony said, “to solve the interference from the volume we were using and the turbo booster, and they have continuously evolved since to be better. I hope my pickup will help the guitar players of today get my sound; it is the Sabbath sound off of these pickups, and with the right combination and amp, they are fantastic.”
Tony spoke of how Cesar and Gibson were very receptive to supporting him in developments, a big change from many, many years ago.
“This pickup came about after a lot of time spent in Nashville,” Tony said, “just experimenting with different setups to get that perfect tone and sustain from my favourite guitars. We had to make sure it worked with my light gauge strings and low tunings, but still pack a punch, and the result has got some serious output.
“They’re on my signature guitars too, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how they turned out.”
Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson, had earlier shared his excitement of the pickups. “I’d personally installed these on one of my Gibson guitars 15 years ago,” he has said, “and I was blown away with the distinct Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath sound I was able to get out of them.
“They have such a great, clean look with the unique pickup cover, and we are excited to bring the Rifflord’s signature humbucker back as we continue to pay tribute to Tony.”
“It’s great to have the first signature pickup from Gibson back,” Lee Bartram, Head of Commercial and Marketing EMEA at Gibson, told us. “There really isn’t a more fitting artist than Tony Iommi. Tony is synonymous with the Gibson SG, but now the volume, presence, and overall power he produces through his playing can be experienced in other models too, whether at home, in the studio, or on stage.
“Thanks to Tony for his continued support and trust. These pickups are the result of our constant collaboration, and we look forward to what’s next for our partnership.”
What’s next includes the new Gibson TV docuseries Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal, and press in attendance at Gibson Garage were treated to a mouthwatering preview.
“Tony Iommi remains the undisputed godfather of Heavy Metal,” Todd Harapiak, Media Director at Gibson and Producer for the new series, told us. “Through his iconic riffs and uncompromising vision, he gave birth to a sound that was rooted in darkness and became the foundation for generations of musicians.
“The Godfather Of Heavy Metal not only celebrates the story of Lord Iommi and Black Sabbath but also shines a light on the stories of the countless bands who carried their torch forward.”
The new series is a career-spanning deep dive into Tony’s music history and his massive influence on countless other luminaries of heavy music. There are in-depth interviews with Tony himself, as well as Brian May, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Dave Mustaine, Kirk Hammett, Steve Vai, Scott Ian, Rex Brown, and many more.
On a wonderful afternoon, we heard Tony play some riffs, including Iron Man, and chat and laugh with us all. He still has that drive and, “usually on Mondays and Tuesdays,” is working on his new solo album. Originally intended as an instrumental album, the album will now feature an undisclosed vocalist on all the songs except for one solitary instrumental track.
And for guitar hardware in the future, Tony says he will always try to see if he can improve something. A true legend and icon who never seems to rest.
Gibson Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker is available from here. You can find more on Gibson TV here.
