Battling for Ozzy: Sharon Osbourne Fires Back at Former Black Sabbath Manager Jim Simpson Over Early Demo Dispute
Sharon Osbourne publicly criticized Jim Simpson, Black Sabbath’s first manager, for attempting to release early demo recordings by the band.
Nov. 15 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
Sharon Osbourne has issued a blistering response to Jim Simpson, the first manager of Black Sabbath, after he publicly objected to remarks she made on a recent episode of "The Osbournes" podcast regarding his attempts to release early demo recordings by the band, RadarOnline.com can report.
Simpson's Claims
Sharon shared emails between Simpson and Tony Iommi, as well as her own emails to Simpson.
The dispute escalated after Simpson released a statement condemning what he called "inaccurate and unfair criticisms" from Osbourne about his intent to make the early recordings public. According to Simpson, Osbourne's depiction of his actions misrepresented both his role in the band's early history and his rights to the material.
"It's such a shame Sharon has decided to go all out on the attack without sitting down to talk about this," Simpson said in the press release. "It's also very unfair of her to make such inaccurate and potentially defamatory comments."
On the podcast, Osbourne questioned whether Simpson ever legitimately owned the demos he claims he paid to record. "He claims ownership because he says he paid the bill for the studio, which he says was ($658). Now if ($39,504) today is worth (six or eight thousand), what's ($658)? He would have never had that money to pay for a studio in those days," she said.
Simpson disputed the characterization, asserting that he regularly funded recording sessions for the acts he managed in the late 1960s. "At the time, Earth were just the newest of the bands I managed. During those years, I regularly recorded and paid for recording sessions with bands I managed or played in," he said. He added that his prior success in the industry made Osbourne's suggestion implausible: "I'd already had a hit single with Locomotive and record deals with major labels like EMI Harvest and Parlophone. How can Sharon possibly know what I could afford back then? The fact is that I did pay for the Earth recordings and they belong to me."
Sharon Osbourne's Response
Sharon challenged Simpson’s claim that Big Bear Records is the UK’s longest-running independent label.
In response to Simpson's public statement, Osbourne released his original email to Tony Iommi along with her email exchanges with Simpson. She argued that her communications were direct but not threatening. "As you can see, my emails to Mr. Simpson were not threatening. I was clearly stating the facts about Black Sabbath's legal position."
Osbourne also challenged several claims made by Simpson, including his assertion that his company, Big Bear Records, is the longest-running independent label in the UK. She countered that Topic Records, founded in 1939, holds that distinction, writing: "Big Bear is not even a Limited company and does not file open accounts in public."
Heated Battle Over Black Sabbath Demos
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Sharon said Trapeze Music is an “out-of-copyright” UK label.
The grieving widow further disputed Simpson’s description of a new partnership with Trapeze Music & Entertainment, questioning the legitimacy of its catalog and its financial stability. “I seriously doubt that the artists he mentions, or their estates, would have authorized them to be sold in the USA,” she wrote, adding that Trapeze is “in debt for ($709,755)” and its entertainment division “in debt for ($1.898 million).”
Osbourne said Trapeze had allowed Black Sabbath recordings to appear online in the U.S. through distributor MVD despite an agreement requiring 14 days’ notice before any public release.
The conflict now appears poised to continue, with both sides insisting they hold the rightful claim to the vintage recordings at the center of the dispute.
