image: black-sabbath.com

Bill Ward is making some overtures towards getting back together with Black Sabbath. The drummer, who bowed out of this year's reunion owing to what he called contractual issues, held out hope that he could still join mates Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Terry "Geezer" Butler in making a new album. Speaking to Vice's online program "Black Sabbath and the Birth of Heavy Metal," Ward said that, "There have been some very uncomfortable situations in the last six months. We'll see how that works out. But I stand for myself today, as much as I love them. I'll always play -- that's my life. If there's some longevity with Black Sabbath, then I'd like to be a part of it. I love playing with Terry, Oz and Tony. When Tony opens up with huge chords I still get the same shiver up my back that I got when we were 18-year-old kids. It ain't gone away; it's still there." Black Sabbath played several shows without Ward this year (Detroit-born Tommy Clufetos from Osbourne's band played in his place), although plans for a full tour were scrapped when Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma. The new album is being produced by Rick Rubin and will be Sabbath's first studio set with Osbourne since 1979.