He thinks the three-drummer lineup would be a fitting way to mark the band's final performances, even though he accepts it's unlikely to happen. Appice - who played with Sabbath during their Ronnie James Dio era and later spin-off Heaven And Hell - can see why he might not be invited to take part.

He tells One On One With Mitch Lafon: "They're using, probably, Tommy. It's a different band, there's different people around them, different managers. It's a whole different family. Then we played with Ronnie - it was me, Tony, Geezer Butler and Ronnie.

"If I was in the band it's like me, Tony, Geezer and Ozzy. Some people take that as weird: 'It's Heaven And Hell with Ozzy.'" But Appice is ready to roll into action if the call ever comes. "I would love to play with them," he says. "I think what they should do is have everybody play.