Today's vegetarian birthday

Today’s vegetarian or in this case Vegan birthday is none other than rock drummer Bill Ward.

William Thomas "Bill" Ward

born 5 May 1948 in Aston, Birmingham England.

Bill started to play drums as a child, listening to the big bands of the 1940s and his major influences were Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson. In the mid-1960s Ward sang and played drums in a band called The Rest.Bill Ward and guitarist Tony Iommi played together in a band called Mythology, and on that band's break up he joined vocalist Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler, who had played together in a band called Rare Breed. The new band called them selves Earth, soon to be renamed Black Sabbath.

Bill was Drummer with Black Sabbath from the bands outset until 1983 although he did return in briefly in the mid 80s, Ward and the original Sabbath had re-united twice for short sets, first for Live Aid in 1985 and then at a Costa Mesa, California Ozzy Osbourne show on 15 November 1992.

Ward made a brief return to the band for a South American tour in 1994, before finally rejoining the band for the two shows at the Birmingham NEC, England on 4 and 5 December 1997, which made up the Reunion album. Ward then had to skip all but the last two band appearances in 1998 while he recovered from a heart attack suffered during the tour rehearsals that May. although this time it was always intended to be a temporary absence for Ward, health allowing. He was well enough to return for good in 1999 and had remained with Sabbath until 2012.  

In an interview for the Rock n Roll cook blog Bill said ” The doctor asked me if I was on a special diet afterwards when I was in intensive care and I told him I didn't eat meat or fish. He said that my diet may have helped save my life and got me through my heart attacks as my cholesterol levels were so good. He told me to stick with this lifestyle.

Happy birthday Bill ward 67 today