In a recent interview with Mike Stark of the LA Radio Sessions show, drummer Bill Ward looked back on that day on July 5 with deep reverence. To him, it was a chance to thank everyone that made his storied career possible.

Bassist Terence “Geezer” Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, lead singer Ozzy Osbourne, and drummer Bill Ward were all between the ages of 18 and 20 when they began playing together in Birmingham. Naming themselves after an Italian horror film in early 1969,

As Ward issues a heartfelt thank you to his bandmates and fans, Sabbath’s guitarist admits he likened the drummer’s appearance when topless to an emaciated hobbit