After 35 years, countless comings and goings, multiple health scares, and at least one aborted reunion attempt, (most of) the classic Black Sabbath lineup is finally back together and ready for the world to hear some new music.

Rolling Stone took a brief behind-the-scenes look at the progress on the band's upcoming album -- tentatively titled '13' -- its first with original singer Ozzy Osbourne since 1978's 'Never Say Die!,' and fans will be happy to hear that, as Osbourne put it, "I don't know what's going on in the music world. My wife mentions bands to me and I don't know what the f--- she's talking about. We just do what we always did."

According to guitarist Tony Iommi, the group's last attempt at a reunion -- which took place more than a decade ago with producer Rick Rubin at the helm -- "didn't gel at the time," perhaps due in part to Osbourne's new career as an MTV reality show star. "It drew Ozzy off. When he was going to do it, I thought, 'Hmmm, I don't know how this is going to be,'" Iommi admitted of the hit series 'The Osbournes.' "Obviously they did it, and it's too late now."

But with all that behind them now, Iommi says "Things are fairly good, dare I say, at the moment." That includes his health, which was complicated by the lymphoma diagnosis that derailed plans for a full world tour and kept him from being in the studio with band for extended periods. "I'm still here and it's okay. We had to do this album now," he added, laughing. "Christ, if it happened in another 10 years, I don't know if we'd be around."

More From US 103.1 FM