Los Angeles (E! Online) – 'Tis a dark day for Black Sabbath.

Frontman Ozzy Osbourne has filed a federal trademark-infringement suit against fellow founding member Tony Iommi, accusing the guitarist of illegally laying sole claim to the band's name.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, states that it was Osbourne's "signature vocals" that accounted for the group's "extraordinary success"—and that Black Sabbath's popularity took a dive when the bat-biting Prince of Darkness left the band from 1980 to 1986.

"It is with great regret that I had to resort to legal action against my long term partner, Tony Iommi, but after three years of trying to resolve this issue amicably, I feel I have no other recourse," began Osbourne's lengthy statement explaining his decision.

"Throughout the last 12 years, it was my management representatives who oversaw the marketing and quality control of the 'Black Sabbath' brand through Ozzfest, touring, merchandising and album reissues," he continued.

"The name 'Black Sabbath' now has a worldwide prestige and merchandising value that it would not have had by continuing on the road it was on prior to the 1997 reunion tour. Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you. I don't have the right to speak for [bandmates Geezer Butler and Bill Ward], but I feel that morally and ethically the trademark should be owned by the four of us equally.

"I hope that by me taking this first step that it will ultimately end up that way. We've all worked too hard and long in our careers to allow you to sell merchandise that features all our faces, old Black Sabbath album covers and band logos, and then you tell us that you own the copyright. We're all in our 60's now. The Black Sabbath legacy should live on long after we have all gone. Please do the right thing."

Osbourne is requesting a 50 percent stake in the trademark profits and a cut of the proceeds from when Iommi toured as Black Sabbath without him in the 1990s.

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Now if I see Ozzy in court in an expensive suit, with a business like haircut like Lars from Metallica did, I might have to die a horrible death.

sort of like the Roger Waters/Pink Floyd lawsuits

Ozzie might as well be dead as far as I am concerned. Anyone who does a duet with Miss Piggy can no longer carry the title of Prince of Darkness and is total sell out.

Sad it had to come to this but Ozzy is right to claim some ownership. Ozzy IS Black Sabbath. They are a band but are nothing much without him.

I like Ozzy...even if I can't understand anything but "SHARON"

Not that Ozzy would have gotten anywhere without Tony Iommi.

Yep. But then Ozzy is only after his fair share. They all deserve their fair share.

But he wants 50%, which if he wanted to be fair, should be split evenly. Even though it was his lack of understandability that led them to greatness.

you maybe riding a F***ing crazy train but I've been the prince of darkness since 1979

I never read it close enough before

Ozzy said this

"The name 'Black Sabbath' now has a worldwide prestige and merchandising value that it would not have had by continuing on the road it was on prior to the 1997 reunion tour. Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you. I don't have the right to speak for [bandmates Geezer Butler and Bill Ward], but I feel that morally and ethically the trademark should be owned by the four of us equally.



I guess the others arent persuing for their equal share so Ozzy is going for 50%