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Gibson TV Set to Release Tony Iommi Documentary Series This Fall, Brings Back Signature Pickup

This fall, Gibson TV will unveil Tony Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal on its YouTube platform. The limited series digs into the musical legacy of Black Sabbath’s guitar master, Tony Iommi.

Music giants share their thoughts throughout the series. Queen’s Brian May, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, and Black Label Society’s Zakk Wylde tell their stories. Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, Steve Vai, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, and Pantera’s Rex Brown add their voices as well.

“He’s the Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart of the riff,” said Zakk Wylde, a longtime guitarist with the late Ozzy Osbourne, according to Louder Sound. “You know, between all of us that play guitar, that’s like the meeting ground for everybody.”

The film traces metal’s birth in Birmingham, England’s industrial heart, after the Summer of Love. Viewers will see how Iommi’s raw sound sparked a musical wave that swept across the globe. His work with Black Sabbath changed music forever.

Gibson is making Iommi’s signature humbucker pickup available on some guitars. It combines ceramic and Alnico 2 magnets with special wire wraps. The mix creates the dark, thick sound that made Iommi famous.

“I’m really excited that Gibson’s bringing back my signature humbucker, they were getting pretty hard to find!” added Tony Iommi, according to Bravewords. “This pickup came about after a lot of time spent in Nashville, just experimenting with different setups to get that perfect tone and sustain from my favourite guitars.”

The guitar master keeps working on fresh solo tracks. His last album, Fused, came out in 2005. What started as pure instrumental work now includes vocals. He recently participated in Birmingham’s Back To The Beginning event, marking Black Sabbath’s final live performance with the original lineup. The exact date isn’t set yet, but fans can catch the series on Gibson TV’s YouTube channel in the fall.

Laura Adkins

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