Geezer Butler has hinted that Black Sabbath’s current tour will “probably be the last” they play.

The band, who released their 19th studio album 13 earlier this year, and are also set to play a series of UK tour dates in December. However, speaking to the Chicago Sun Times, Butler said that he had “a feeling” that the band would not tour together again.

“I’ve always said as long as I can play, as long as I can do it to a good level, then I’ll keep doing it because I still really enjoy playing,” he said. “I’ll know when the day comes I can’t do anymore, can’t play to my usual standards.

“That’s when I won’t go anymore. I won’t do that to me self. But at the moment, I just love playing with the band. It probably will be the last time, will probably be the last tour. But I want to go out on a high. The band is playing really well at the moment.”

When asked why he didn’t think they’d tour again, he replied: “I don’t know. I just got a feeling. It’s getting tough, it really is. I can’t lie about that. I’m old now. It really is tough going on every night.

“You wake up next day, all the pains you never had before,” he continued.”I don’t want to go onstage for the sake of the money. You have to have a lot of pride in yourself, and I honestly think I’m coming to the end of the top of job.”

Earlier this month, Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne claimed that original drummer Bill Ward had been “too overweight” to join them on their reunion tour. “I don’t think he could have done the gig, to be honest. He’s incredibly overweight,” said the singer. “A drummer has to be in shape. He’s already had two heart attacks. I don’t want to be responsible for his life.”

However, Ozzy Osbourne has said he hopes Ward will appear on the next Black Sabbath album. Speaking to NME in LA earlier this year Osbourne said: “Maybe we can work things out by the next one. But it won’t take another 35 years. I’m 65 now. There’s no fucking recording studios in the afterlife. We’re all even closer for all this shit, so there’s one positive, one fucking silver lining.”

Black Sabbath tour the UK in December. They play:

London O2 Arena (December 10)

Birmingham LG Arena (20)

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