Black Sabbath’s Iommi scores Shaun the Sheep film
When a request lands on the desk of a musical legend, especially one as iconic as Tony Iommi, it often involves the most sought-after sounds in the world. This is why the chance to compose the theme music for the animated hit Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom was less a dream and more a polite, yet firm, rejection.
Despite the opportunity, the guitarist had to decline, not due to a lack of interest, but simply because his schedule was impossibly packed. Iommi was deep in the throes of several high-profile creative pursuits at the time. He was busy crafting a track with Robbie Williams, preparing for his own solo album From The Dark, and diving into a heavy metal project alongside William Shatner.
The demands of these commitments meant there was simply no capacity to jump into the hugely successful world of animation scores. When asked about the most bizarre project he had ever been approached to work on, Iommi offered a wry response, highlighting the sheer breadth of his musical life. He noted that besides Black Sabbath, he had even been asked to contribute to the Shaun the Sheep soundtrack, but he had wisely turned it down.
“We just had too much on,” he joked. “I’d done the Robbie thing, tried to make my own album, and handled the William Shatner project. That was enough for now!”
The lighthearted refusal underscored the incredible demands placed upon a figure of such stature. Iommi even joked that if he ever did find the time, the next project would likely involve even younger audiences, adding that the next request would probably be for Peppa Pig.
Beyond the celebrity antics, Iommi also reflected on his band’s legacy. He discussed the 1983 album Born Again, which featured vocals from Ian Gillan. While the album remains widely considered one of the band’s most controversial releases, fans and Gillan himself have consistently spoken about the quality of the record’s production.
Iommi confirmed that there is a plan to bring that classic material into the modern era, mentioning that they found the original tapes after a period of disappearance, and they are now ready to begin the process of remixing the album.
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