# In 1978, Black Sabbath took Van Halen on tour. Tony Iommi thought they were learning a little too much

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1978-black-sabbath-took-van-halen-on-tour-tony-iommi-thought-they-were-learning-a-little-too-much/
- Published: 2026-10-23T17:56:19+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T18:25:16+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1978-black-sabbath-took-van-halen-on-tour-tony-iommi-thought-they-were-learning-a-little-too-much/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Iommi thought Van Halen were picking up too much from Sabbath.
- The bands shared the 1978 ‘Never Say Die!’ tour.
- Geezer Butler recalled changes to Van Halen’s solos and stage style.

## Summary

On Black Sabbath’s 1978 ‘Never Say Die!’ tour, Tony Iommi felt that support act Van Halen was borrowing too heavily from Sabbath’s sound and stage show. The episode also highlighted the contrast between a veteran band whose energy was flagging and a younger group building momentum, which some accounts suggest left Sabbath feeling upstaged.

Iommi said Van Halen watched Sabbath from the side of the stage and picked up on what worked with audiences. Geezer Butler recalled Eddie Van Halen’s solos getting longer, David Lee Roth echoing Ozzy Osbourne’s stage antics, and bassist Michael Anthony adding a wah pedal; Iommi joked to Eddie that he should play tracks from Sabbath’s new album.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.