Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler has been diagnosed with pneumonia. The bassist’s wife, Gloria Butler, confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing photos of her husband in the doctor’s office with the caption: “After day 1 at Dr with my husband & was told he was negative for flu, Covid, strep & tonsillitis; I said…well, he’s positive for being a pain in my arse. Day 2 at Dr, he was told he has pneumonia. Although, still positive for being a pain; I now feel guilty for thinking that.”

Butler himself has not yet addressed his illness, though he has been active online, sharing a Christmas message of his own on Instagram, writing: “Wishing everybody a very Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year.”

Butler has been keeping busy this year; in March he linked up with Apocalyptica to perform on their standalone single ‘I’ll Get Through It’. He later appeared at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in Los Angeles, performing two Sabbath tracks – ‘Supernaut’ and ‘Paranoid’ – with Sebastian Bach, Lars Ulrich and the surviving Foo Fighters.

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