Involvement With Tony Iommi/Black Sabbath
Fenholt built his career as a TBN personality based mostly upon his involvement with Jesus Christ Superstar, and Black Sabbath. In the publication Never Say Die, Fenholt states that Black Sabbath manager Don Arden informed him he was singing for Black Sabbath.
The Never Say Die book, authored by Garry Sharpe-Young and updated as Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - The Battle for Black Sabbath, states that a substantial number of recordings were made during Fenholt's time with the group. It is acknowledged that this was a confusing time in the band history, as singer David Donato had left the band after six months only having recorded demos. Geezer Butler and Bill Ward had also left, leaving Tony Iommi as the sole original member.
Manager Don Arden suggested Iommi use Fenholt and tracks were written, in the main by Iommi and Nicholls, for a proposed new album. The book Never Say Die voices opinion from other band members that Fenholt might have been kept in the dark about plans to make an Iommi solo album. Geoff Nicholls has stated Iommi wanted to use different singers, including David Coverdale, Steve Marriott, Glenn Hughes and Rob Halford.
Fenholt says several of his melodies were used in songs that appeared on Seventh Star (and subsequently did not receive credit for them). None of his lyrics was used, as confirmed by comparing the Fenholt demos with the album. Rumors suggesting he only left the project because of supposed personal conflicts with the lyrical material being written and his religious faith are denied by Fenholt and Geoff Nicholls, who wrote the lyrics. Fenholt claims it was in fact a physical argument with Don Arden that caused his departure. However, Iommi has stated that Fenholt was never an official member of Black Sabbath, but that he merely tried out for a position amongst Iommi's solo band. Iommi went on to say that he thought Fenholt had a good voice, but it didn't work, due to Fenholt having difficulty improvising any coherent lyrics during jam sessions.
After his time with Iommi, Fenholt would briefly replace Jeff Scott Soto in Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge's new project, Driver. Upon recording several demos with Driver (One of which is in common circulation amongst fans, "Rock the World") Fenholt left the project and was replaced by his successor in Joshua, Rob Rock. Following a legal dispute with another band of the same name, the Driver project would change its name to M.A.R.S., upon the recruitment of guitarist Tony MacAlpine. Only one album was released, 1986's Project: Driver, before the band officially disbanded.
Read more about this topic: Jeff Fenholt
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