Tony Iommi: "Iron Man: My Life With Black Sabbath And Beyond"; New Autobiography

According to the unofficial Black Sabbath web site Black-Sabbath.com, Black  Sabbath`s  Tony Iommi has set "Iron Man: My Life With Black Sabbath And Beyond" as the title of his memoir. In the U.S., the book will be distributed by Da Capo (Simon & Schuster in the U.K.), which reportedly paid a six-figure amount at auction for the rights.

Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan, who completed the North American rights deal for the book, described Iommi's autobiography - which has not yet been completed - as: "'Angela's Ashes' meets 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet' meets 'Spinal Tap'."

In a March 2010 interview with the Birmingham Post, Iommi stated about his upcoming memoir, "I've been working on it for a long time. We've been so busy for the last couple of years it's been difficult finding the time to do it. But it's coming on and hopefully it will be out (soon)." He added, "I'm not going out to blast at everybody, that's for sure. That's for the next book!"

The name "Tony Iommi" sends shivers down the spines of guitarists around the world. As lead guitarist and songwriter of Black Sabbath, Iommi is considered to be one of the most influential musicians of the past four decades and the inventor of heavy metal. From working class, Midlands roots, his unique playing style - a result of a disfiguring hand injury he suffered working in a sheet metal factory - created a dark and gothic sound unlike anything that had been heard before and which captured the mood of its time. Sabbath went on to become a superband, playing to massive audiences around the world and selling millions of records, and Iommi led the life of a rockstar to the fullest - with the scars from all the drug-fuelled nights of excess and wildness to show for it.

"Iron Man: My Life With Black Sabbath And Beyond" will chronicle the story of a band that that Rolling Stone has dubbed "The Beatles of heavy metal." It's all here. Every escapade associated with hard rock happened to Black Sabbath first: the drugs, the debauchery, the drinking, the dungeons, the pressure, the pain, the conquests, the company men, the contracts, the combustible drummer, the critics, the comebacks, the singers, the Stonehenge set, the sleazy managers, the music, the money, the madness, the metal.

In "Iron Man", Iommi goes on the record about Black Sabbath and recounts his life story in detail and depth.

This is the other side of the story, the exclusive account of the life and adventures of one of rock's greatest heroes.

"Iron Man" will reveal the man behind the icon, his humor, intelligence and warmth.