Geezer Butler served as Black Sabbath's primary lyricist in the first decade with Ozzy Osbourne up front. Constant running themes across the band's work include darkness and the occult as well as isolation, loneliness and depression. The bassist recently opened about about this mental state in a new interview.

"I used to be a cutter," Butler revealed to Team Rock. "I'd cut my arms, stick pins in my fingers, that kind of thing. I used to get really depressed and it was the only thing that could bring me out from it." The icon went on to make the startling declaration that the band wound up saving his life. "If Sabbath hadn't made it, I'd have been long dead. I'd have killed myself," he affirmed.

The all-time Black Sabbath classic "Paranoid" was written in haste as the band met demands to write another tune since they did not have enough for a full album. Less than a half hour later, the song was completed along with Butler's depression-centric lyrics.

While Black Sabbath may have saved his life, Butler has been waving goodbye with his bandmates on their 'The End' farewell trek. The world tour began early in 2016 and no final performance date has been locked down as of yet, though the clock appears to be ticking.

Frontman Ozzy Osbourne is expected to retire not only from Sabbath, but as a solo artist as well within the next two or three years. Ozzy's estranged wife and manager Sharon Osbourne recently announced that she doesn't foresee the Prince of Darkness hitting the stage past 70 years old. The singer will turn 68 this December.

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