Bill Ward Biography and Timeline

Birth of William Thomas Ward

Birth of William Thomas Ward, later drummer and founding member of Black Sabbath.

Role range: 1948-

Polka Tulk

Tony Iommi & Bill Ward were in a band called Mythology and Geezer Butler with Ozzy in a band called Rare Breed, these groups broke up and form the Polka Tulk Blues Band

Mythology

Joins Mythology

Mythology

Leaves Mythology with Tony Iommi and helps build a new heavy blues band in Birmingham.

Role range: 1967-1968

Polka Tulk Blues Band

Drums in Polka Tulk Blues Band as the future Black Sabbath sound begins to form.

Role range: 1968-1969

Polka Tulk Drums

Ward brings jazz-influenced drumming to the developing Polka Tulk line-up.

Role range: 1968-1969 – 1948-

Formation of Black Sabbath

Ward helps establish Black Sabbath after playing with Iommi in Mythology and Polka Tulk.

Black Sabbath Rhythm Section

Ward develops the jazz-influenced drumming heard on Black Sabbath's early recordings.

Role range: 1968-1980

Black Sabbath

Drums on the debut album Black Sabbath, helping establish the band's slow, heavy power.

Role range: 1968-1980

Paranoid

Drums on Paranoid, anchoring one of heavy metal's foundational albums.

Role range: 1968-1980

Volume 4

Drums on Volume 4 as Black Sabbath expands its sound beyond the first three albums.

Role range: 1968-1980

Never Say Die

Drums on Never Say Die, the last studio album of the original Ozzy-era line-up.

Role range: 1968-1980

Born Again

Returns to record drums on Born Again before leaving again due to personal problems.

Role range: 1968-1980