Black Sabbath were an English heavy metal band from Aston, Birmingham. Formed in September 1968 under the initial name Earth, the group's first lineup included lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. They changed their name to Black Sabbath in August 1969 and the lineup remained stable until April 1979, when Osbourne was fired. Subsequently, the band went through numerous personnel changes over the years, with Iommi remaining the only constant member. The original lineup reunited in 2011, although Ward soon exited and was replaced on tour by Tommy Clufetos until the band's retirement in 2017.