Steven Wilson Reveals Why Only Black Sabbath’s ‘Volume 4’ Got a Remix

Steven Wilson opens up about the missing tapes behind Black Sabbath remixes and the challenges remixing the legendary heavy metal catalog.

If you’re a fan of Black Sabbath and Steven Wilson’s masterful remix work, you might have wondered why Wilson hasn’t tackled the band’s entire catalog. Well, the man himself finally spilled the beans—and it’s a tale of lost tapes, near misses, and what could have been.

Only ‘Volume 4’ Got the Steven Wilson Remix Treatment—Here’s Why

Steven Wilson, the iconic frontman of Porcupine Tree and a revered remixer of classic rock albums, has lent his mixing talents to bands like Tears For Fears, Chic, The Who, and Van Morrison. Among these projects, his remix of Black Sabbath’s 1972 album Volume 4 stands out as a rare dive into the heavy metal giant’s vault.

But why Volume 4 alone? During a candid interview with Noise11, Wilson shared, “The tapes were lost. So, that’s a classic example. And this has happened a few times over the years with me. The will to do it was there. The record company wanted to do it, the manager wanted to do it, I wanted to do it, and then they couldn’t find the tapes.”

This missing tape saga isn’t just a minor hiccup—it’s a roadblock that’s kept much of Sabbath’s catalog from being given a fresh remix polish.

Making the Most of What Was Found

Despite the lost master tapes, Wilson and the team discovered some outtake reels—raw, rough cuts of the band running through various takes. “What they did find was some outtake reels of the band running through different takes of the songs. So, we did what we could, which is basically I mixed these outtakes, which I think are fascinating if you’re a fan of that record, to go back and hear the band running through many different takes of ‘Supernaut’ or ‘Wheels of Confusion’. There’s some great, great stuff there.”

For fans yearning to peek behind the curtain of Sabbath’s studio magic, these outtakes are like a treasure trove—capturing the band in a raw, unvarnished state that’s rarely heard.

However, Wilson lamented that the multi-track tapes for the other albums had “pretty much disappeared, sadly,” making any further remix projects impossible for now.

Watch Steven Wilson Discuss Black Sabbath and More

For those interested in hearing the full story and Wilson’s thoughts on touring and other classic rock legends, here’s the full interview with Noise11:

More Black Sabbath News: BBC’s Last-Minute Documentary Pull

Not all is serene in Sabbath-land. The BBC abruptly pulled the one-off documentary Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home from its scheduled August 18 broadcast on iPlayer, without any public explanation. Originally set to air at 9pm, the documentary vanished from listings and was replaced by an episode of Fake or Fortune.

A BBC spokesperson noted that “the film has moved in the schedules” and that new premiere details would be announced “in due course.” This sudden disappearance has left fans scratching their heads, eager for a glimpse into the iconic frontman’s last chapter.

Steven Wilson and the Guns N’ Roses Remix Saga

Switching gears, Wilson also shared some bitter news about his recent remix efforts for Guns N’ Roses. On the Scars And Guitars podcast, he revealed that his spatial audio remixes were shelved because the band simply “didn’t like what I was doing.”

“I did it all, and then the band basically vetoed it all,” Wilson said. The only remix to see daylight was his version of November Rain, which featured a real orchestra added to the mix.

Wilson described the project as a missed opportunity: “That’s a lot of music on those records — I think I worked on about 40 songs, including outtakes, B-sides, and God knows what else. And then the band basically turned around and decided they didn’t like it.”

He added, “They didn’t like [Dolby] Atmos, they didn’t like the idea of their music being in spatial audio. So that project is kind of just sitting on my hard drive, unreleased and unheard. It’s such a shame. Amazing, amazing records.”

Why These Remix Projects Matter

Remixing classic albums isn’t just about improving sound quality—it’s about breathing new life into legendary music and offering fresh perspectives for listeners. Steven Wilson has become a trusted name in this niche, skillfully balancing respect for the original material with modern audio techniques.

That his remixing of Black Sabbath’s catalog stalled due to missing tapes is a poignant reminder of how fragile music history can be. It also highlights how much work and passion go into preserving and celebrating these classic works.

Wrapping Up the Tale of Lost Tapes and Unheard Music

So, if you’ve ever wondered why Steven Wilson hasn’t remixed more of Black Sabbath’s albums, it’s not for lack of desire or skill—it’s simply because the master tapes aren’t around. As Wilson puts it, “We did what we could.”

And as for Guns N’ Roses fans, there may be some unheard sonic treasures lying dormant on Wilson’s hard drive, waiting for a future day when band politics take a backseat to the music.

FAQ

• How many Black Sabbath albums has Steven Wilson remixed?
  Only Volume 4 has been remixed by Steven Wilson due to the unavailability of the other albums’ master tapes.
• Why can’t the other Black Sabbath albums be remixed?
  The multi-track master tapes for the rest of the catalog have been lost or disappeared, making remixing impossible.
• Did Steven Wilson remix any Guns N’ Roses albums?
  Wilson worked on about 40 Guns N’ Roses songs, but only his remix of November Rain was officially released.
• Why were the Guns N’ Roses remixes shelved?
  The band didn’t like the remixes or the idea of spatial audio, leading to the project being shelved.
• What happened to the Ozzy Osbourne documentary on BBC?
  The documentary Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home was pulled from the BBC schedule without explanation and will premiere at a later date.

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