Original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward — who in May announced again that he was declining to join his former bandmates for their scheduled 2012 dates, as well as the recording of a new album, due to a contractual dispute — was interviewed for "Black Sabbath And The Birth Of Heavy Metal", a six-part series presented by Vice.

Speaking about his relationship with the other members of SABBATH and his future plans, Ward told EAGLES OF DEATH METAL frontman Jesse Hughes, who is presenting the show (see video below), "There have been some very uncomfortable situations in the last six months. We'll see how that works out. But I stand for myself today. As much as I love them…

"I'll always play; that's my life."

He added, "If there's some longevity with BLACK SABBATH, then I'd like to be a part of it.

"I wanna play hard rock music. I wanna play loud drums. I love playing with Terry [SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler], I love playing with Ozz [SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne] and I love playing with Tony [Iommi, SABBATH guitarist]. When Tony opens up with huge chords, I still get the same shiver up my back that I got when we were 18-year-old kids. It ain't gone away. It's still there.

"I feel really, really fortunate to have been able to have music in my heart and my soul."

Ward allegedly had his lawyers direct SABBATH to remove him from photos of the band posted at the official BLACK SABBATH web site "so as to not give the public the wrong impression about his involvement in the current BLACK SABBATH lineup," according to a statement issued by the band's publicist.

Bassist Geezer Butler issued a lengthy retort at his own web site, writing that Ward "hadn't told any one of us he was having contractual problems, and frankly those things are worked out between our representatives, and never between the four of us, let alone in public."

Until now, Iommi told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the members of SABBATH stayed friendly even when there were legal or other issues going on. "We've always been talking. We've always been in touch with each other," he said. "There might be a lawsuit in the thing between us, but we still talk to each other like nothing's happened, you know."

Ozzy, Iommi and Butler are working on their first new album together in 33 years.

The Vice series explores "the scuffed soul and frayed underbelly of 'Black Sabbath And The Birth Of Heavy Metal' as presenter Hughes meets the bands, roadies, journalists, groupies, designers and super fans who were all there the first time around."