Ozzy Osbourne is suing his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi over a dispute about the ownership of the band's name.

The dithering rocker believes that Iommi has wrongfully claimed the sole rights to the band's names and therefore has profited from royalties and merchandise sales.

Ozzy is suing for damages over the alleged unpaid royalties and also wants to be instated as the co-owner of the Black Sabbath name.

Iommi, who trademarked 'Black Sabbath' in 2000, alleges that Ozzy gave up his rights to the name in the 1980s.

An apologetic statement from Ozzy, released on Friday (May 29), reads: "Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you.

"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."

The 60-year-old continued he hoped all four members of the band would have the same rights to the name.

(by Scott Colothan)