On his early guitar influences, as told to Guitar World (2008): I liked John Mayall's Blues Breakers. I thought they were really good. Of course Eric Clapton was a part of that. I liked the work that Clapton did later with Cream, but I really liked what he was playing with John Mayall.

I listened to all kinds of blues records. I really can't remember any names of the players because I listened to a lot of different things. From that I got into bluesy jazz, and it was the same thing.

On being credited for inventing heavy metal guitar, as told to Cosmik Debris (2000): I never called our music heavy metal. It was always "heavy rock" or just "heavy." It's just pure power, really. My term, "heavy," comes more when I'm on stage. It's hard to come across on record with a real power, you know? Not so much these days, but it was years ago. It was hard to get that power out. Sabbath was always a very live band.

On not switching to right-handed playing after losing the tips of two fingers, as told to Guitar World (2008): If I knew what I know now I probably would have switched. At the time I had already been playing two or three years, and it seemed like I had been playing a long time. I thought I'd never be able to change the way I played.