Sharon Osbourne has publicly responded to claims made by Black Sabbath’s former manager Jim Simpson regarding early band recordings. Her statement was shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Osbourne’s statement directly addressed Simpson’s press release from November 14, 2025. She disputed several of his claims about Big Bear Records and its distribution partnerships.
“In response to Jim Simpson’s press release of 14 November 2025, I am enclosing his original email to Tony Iommi and my subsequent emails to Mr. Simpson,” Osbourne said. “As you can see, my emails to Mr. Simpson were not threatening. I was clearly stating the facts about Black Sabbath’s legal position.”
Osbourne challenged Simpson’s assertion that Big Bear Records is the longest-running independent record label in the UK. She cited Topic Records—a British folk music label founded in 1939—as the oldest independent record label in the world. She also noted that Big Bear Records is not even registered as a Limited company and does not file public accounts.
“Simpson also states that he is ‘….in the process of relaunching Big Bear Records in a new distribution partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment Ltd (director being John Cooper), a well-established company with a huge catalogue including the likes of Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Marlene Dietrich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Digby Fairweather and hundreds of other artists,” Osbourne stated. “I seriously doubt that the artists he mentions, or their estates, would have authorized them to be sold in the USA.”
Osbourne provided financial details about Trapeze Music, describing it as an out-of-copyright UK-based label carrying significant debt. She also referenced a previous entity under the Trapeze banner, Discovery Records Limited, which entered liquidation in 2018 with an estimated deficiency of over £1.4 million.
“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,” Osbourne said. “We would never have allowed any BLACK SABBATH product to be released through Big Bear Records or Trapeze Music. 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.”
Osbourne concluded by addressing Simpson’s claim of inviting her for coffee on July 4, 2025. She stated she was unavailable due to a soundcheck at Villa Park and that Simpson was conducting a paid Q&A session about his time managing Black Sabbath at a pub in Dudley.
The conflict between Osbourne and Simpson represents a broader dispute over ownership and control of Black Sabbath’s early recordings. This public disagreement has been ongoing for approximately 18 months, as reported by The PRP. The core issue centers on rare recordings from the band’s pre-fame era when they were known as Earth.
Simpson, who managed Black Sabbath from 1968 to 1970, claims to personally own the rights to these early recordings. He asserts that he paid for the original studio sessions himself. Ultimate Guitar reported that Simpson has maintained he always intended for the band to receive full royalties from any release. If the band refused the royalties, he stated the proceeds would go to charity.
The dispute intensified when Simpson announced plans to release restored and remastered versions of these recordings through Big Bear Records in partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment Ltd. However, Osbourne and the band made it clear they wanted nothing to do with the release, as noted by AOL. Osbourne publicly protested on social media and through official statements.
A critical moment in the conflict occurred when MVD, a US domestic import distributor working with Trapeze, inadvertently made Black Sabbath recordings available online in the USA. According to Osbourne’s statement, these recordings were quickly withdrawn after Simpson’s lawyers were informed that the Black Sabbath material is not out of copyright in the United States. This action violated prior agreements requiring 14 days’ notice before any public release.
The fundamental disagreement centers on three key issues: ownership of the recordings, royalty arrangements, and the band’s control over their artistic legacy. Simpson maintains his legal and moral right to release the recordings. Osbourne’s position reflects the band’s desire to protect their early work and ensure proper compensation and creative control over how their history is presented to the public.
