During a candid interview, Geezer Butler revealed that he actually found some enjoyment in the unexpected two-week period when he was dismissed from Black Sabbath back in 1977. This surprising admission sheds light on the chaotic environment surrounding the band at the time, which was heavily influenced by rampant drug use and deep-seated distrust towards their management.

At that juncture, tensions within the band were palpable, particularly after Ozzy Osbourne had recently quit only to make a hasty return. Butler recounted this tumultuous phase in a recent interview with LifeMinute, discussing the circumstances that led to his firing from the iconic rock group.

“Everybody was totally out of their brains all the time,” he reflected. “Despite having sold millions of albums and filling venues around the globe, we struggled financially and began to suspect that the management was taking advantage of us.”

He elaborated further: “I believe that the band members were looking for someone to blame for our mishaps, and it just so happened that I was the one at the receiving end that day. When Bill Ward came to my house, he casually told me, ‘Oh, by the way, you’re fired.’ I was stunned and asked, ‘Why?’ His response was simple, ‘You don’t seem into it anymore.’”

Unexpected Reunion: Black Sabbath’s Amnesia Over Geezer Butler’s Firing

Butler candidly admitted that, surprisingly, he felt relieved by the decision, given the immense pressure the band was under during that time. He described those two weeks as possibly the most peaceful he had experienced in years, free from the burdens of managing album production and the pressures of the music industry.

However, this brief respite was short-lived. “Just a couple of weeks later, Bill called me, asking, ‘Where are you?’ I was confused and replied, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘We’re here, rehearsing!’”

“I reminded him, ‘I thought I was fired… You told me I was out of the band!’ To which he casually responded, ‘Oh, yeah – I completely forgot about that.’”

So, I decided to head down to the rehearsal space, and interestingly, no one mentioned my temporary dismissal. We simply resumed our routine as if nothing had happened.”

Listen to Geezer Butler’s Interview