SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH: Word that Black Sabbath...

SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH: Word that Black Sabbath was participating in Ozzy Osbourne’s Pacific Amphitheatre shows Nov. 14 and 15--without Ronnie James Dio, the singer who replaced the Oz in Sabbath a decade ago--started rumors that: (a) Sabbath had broken up, and (b) there was bad blood between the two singers.

Rumor A is definitely not true, says Dio’s manager and ex-wife, Wendy Dio, noting that the band’s “Dehumanizer” U.S. tour is currently in progress.

As for rumor B, a warm and fuzzy press release from Sabbath indicated that Dio was graciously stepping aside to let Osbourne front the band for this special occasion (the tour is being billed as the end of the current Osbourne band).

But a letter to others in Sabbath’s management from Wendy Dio termed the Osbourne-Sabbath booking a “bad career move.” Nevertheless, once the other Sabbath members decided to do the show, Wendy Dio says, Ronnie wished them nothing but the best.

As for the rumors: “I think what you have here is a ploy from outside the Black Sabbath camp to cause some trouble here,” she says.