Black Sabbath have teamed with Adidas to debut new shirts and shoes inspired by Birmingham football club Aston Villa.
The new merch drop includes shirts dedicated to singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler. The shirts will make their on-pitch debut today (October 30) and, limited to 250 units, will soon be available for purchase via the club’s webshop.
Adidas has also revealed Predator boots inspired by the Prince Of Darkness, with the singer’s logo and the term “Preds Of Darkness” featured on the design. They were hand-painted by artist Jordan Dawson and will not be released for purchase.
Dawson comments: “Hand-painting this design onto one of Adidas’ most celebrated boots allowed me to merge fine artistry, sport, and the spirit of heavy metal music, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind custom piece. This collaboration brings together creativity and craftsmanship, offering a unique expression that stands out in both the world of sports and art.”
Talking about the Sabbath x Adidas x Aston Villa team-up in general, Osbourne comments: “My absolute favourite colours in the world have always been purple and black. It’s been Black Sabbath colours for over 50 years. Tony [Iommi, guitars], Geezer, Bill [Ward, drums] and I look at this as a huge honour. Up the Villa!”
During the summer, Osbourne and Butler appeared in a trailer revealing Aston Villa’s home kit for the 2024 season. The trailer was soundtracked by legendary Sabbath song Paranoid.
Black Sabbath retired in 2017, but all of the ensemble’s classic members have recently expressed interest in reuniting.
Osbourne, who’s had to retire from touring due to health issues but hopes to play two farewell shows in the future, was the first to declare his interest in a Sabbath comeback. He called the band’s tenure “unfinished”, as they retired without Ward on the kit.
The singer was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this month by actor/musician Jack Black. He was honoured at the ceremony by an all-star tribute band featuring members of Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool and more.
Tony Iommi recently released his second scent with perfume company Xerjoff, named Deified.
