Lita Ford says her ex-partner Tony Iommi will always be her hero – despite claiming he abused her in her memoir.
The former Runaways member claims in her book Living Like A Runaway that Black Sabbath guitarist Iommi assaulted her on at least two occasions while he battled drug addiction.
She tells Eddie Winters: “Tony Iommi was my idol. When I was growing up, the first concert I ever saw was Black Sabbath. He was a god in my eyes, a hero to me, and still is. But he was abusive, and that almost killed me, literally.
“I didn’t expect that from my superhero. When your superhero turns around and is not the person you hoped him to be, he hurts you.
“If you go up to Spiderman and say, ‘I love you Spiderman. I think you’re the best thing, I just want to be like you’, and he turns around and hits you on the mouth, you’re going to be like, ‘Woah. You’re not the Spiderman I thought you were.’”
It was previously reported that Ford’s book claims she was invited to England to meet Iommi’s mother and that the first abusive incident took place onboard the flight. She said that he “out of nowhere…hauled off and punched me in the eye.”
On another occasion, she alleged that he choked her unconscious in a drug-fuelled rage and attempted to hit her with a “big leather chair.”
But Ford now says she’ll always remember Iommi for “his great riffs and music,” adding: ”Tony will always be a superhero in my mind – he will always be that guitar-playing God.
“I don’t have to live with him and I don’t have to see him anymore. I know what kind of person he is – musically and personally. And the personal side never has to exist again. I don’t have any hard feelings.”
Her memoir also describes drink and drug-fuelled encounters with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Eddie Van Halen and Dee Dee Ramone.
The book is out in the US and will be released in the UK on April 7.
Lita Ford Living Like A Runaway book tour dates
Feb 24: Ridgewood Bookends, NJ
Feb 25: Naperville Anderson’s Bookshop N.Central College, IL
Feb 27: Austin BookPeople, TX
Feb 28: San Francisco BooksInc, CA
Mar 01: Santa Monica Diesel A Bookstore, CA
Mar 02: Los Angeles Bootleg Theater/LiveTalkes, LA
Mar 03: Tempe Changing Hands, AZ
Mar 04: Denver Tattered Cover Book Store, CO
Lita Ford show dates 2016
Mar 04: Beverley Hills Saban Theatre, CA
Mar 06: Las Vegas Brooklyn Bowl, NV
Mar 18: Cleveland Odeon Concert Club
Mar 19: Toledo Savage Arena, OH
Apr 01: Reading Eagle Theatre, PA
Apr 03: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Apr 04: Huntington Big Sandy Superstore Arena, WV
Apr 06: Lexington Singletary Center, KY
Apr 07: Raleigh Ritz, NC
Apr 09: Biloxi Hard Rock Live, MS
Apr 11: Springfield Gillioz THeatre, MO
Apr 12: Tulsa Club Brady, OK
Apr 13: Wichita Cotillion Ballroom, KS
Apr 15: Fargo Civic Center, ND
Apr 16: Sioux City Hard Rock Live, IA
Apr 17: Dubuque Diamond Jo Casino/Mississippi Moon Bar, IA
Apr 19: Huntsville Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, AL
Apr 20: Spartanburg Spartan Memorial Auditorium, SC
Apr 21: Johnson City Freedom Hall Civic Center, TN
Apr 23: State Theater St Petersburg, FL
Apr 24: Ladson Exchange Park Fairgrounds, SC
Jun 10: Solvesborg Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
Aug 14: Kortrijk Alcatraz Festival, Belgium
