Smells Like Rock

When Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi turned his creative flair towards fragrance, the result was anything but predictable. Partnering with Italian luxury perfumer Xerjoff, he has composed a scent that bridges music and the olfactory world.

When Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi turned his creative flair towards fragrance, the result was anything but predictable. Partnering with Italian luxury perfumer Xerjoff, he has composed a scent that bridges music and the olfactory world. Now available at Scents On The Green in Broadway.

With a warm welcome and the low afternoon sun shining strongly into the lounge window of Tony Iommi's Cotswold home, we settled across from one another, Tony comfortably rested into his grey crushed-velvet sofa ready to talk. Between us, a weighty Iommi coffee-table book rests. The far side of his lounge proudly lined with trophies and framed records, serving as a reminder of the life he's lived, and the honour I had been given to sit down for this intimate conversation with rock royalty.

We weren't meeting to discuss guitars or riffs, but perfume. Specifically, the collaboration between Iommi and Italian luxury perfumer Sergio Momo and his brand, Xerjoff: a partnership that has produced one of the most intriguing crossovers in contemporary fragrance. The Tony Iommi Monkey Special, and second release, Deified, sits at the intersection of rock heritage and haute perfumery.

"I've always collected perfumes over the years," Tony told me, leaning back with an easy smile. "When I was touring, I'd pick up aftershaves and scents from around the world. Cartier, Tom Ford, and I'd try new ones as well. When I was in Los Angeles at the Four Seasons, they had a brand there, which I'd never heard of. I said, 'Oh, that's good!', and bought it. It became a bit of a ritual."

That ritual was the quiet start of something bigger. Fast forward to 2020, a box of Xerjoff fragrance arrived at Tony's home. "Sergio sent them after originally approaching me to do a charity concert and then discovering I liked perfumes," he explains. "I felt terrible because I couldn't do the project he'd originally asked about, so I rang to thank him. That's how it all started."

From that phone call grew not a business transaction, but a creative friendship built on shared passion. "Sergio asked, 'Would you be interested in doing your own perfume?'" Tony laughs. "I told him, 'I don't know anything about that!' And he said, 'Well, I do! Write down all the smells you like, whatever it might be.' So I did." Tony proceeds to share some of those scents from his long list, including: "That new car leather smell, chocolate, coffee... all the good stuff!"

The process that followed wasn't the typical celebrity perfume story. "This wasn't a quick thing. It went over almost nine months," Tony explained. "Sergio would fly over with a set of little testers. Ten or so each time, and we'd sit here, try them all. I'd say, 'That's good, but it needs something else.' Then he'd go back, change it, and every few weeks come again to repeat the process."

That parallel between crafting a scent and composing music isn't lost on him. "When I write music, I'll put an idea down. After I've lived with it for a week, I'll decide to change that bit, put a new bit in and so on. And we've done exactly the same with the perfume."

A Deep Commitment to Excellence

For Iommi, integrity is everything. "I didn't want to just stick my name on something," he says, matter-of-fact. "I've never been like that with anything I've done." Momo was equally committed. "Sergio, he's got the same enthusiasm as me. When I write stuff, it has to be right. And his packaging. Oh, it's beautiful. Everything he does is top notch, and I'm really impressed with it."

The final result for Monkey Special presents a rich, sensual, and deeply layered scent, which feels personal rather than branded. Notes of bergamot, rum and leather lean towards that rockstar appeal, whilst the caramel, sandalwood and vanilla, provide a smooth, solid grounding with a touch of sweetness. "We wanted to go back to that Sixties style of perfume, where patchouli was used, retain that and add it in with the other ingredients," Tony says.

What makes Xerjoff unique, and what drew Iommi in, is the way Momo sources his ingredients. He doesn't just order from wholesalers, Tony explained, admiringly. "He goes all over the world himself picking and testing plants, seeing how they grow and ordering them to be sent back. It's actually incorporating a lot of that natural side, none of that heavily synthetic stuff. He doesn't want that. And that's why it costs what it does."

It's that uncompromising approach that's made their collaboration such a success. "Sergio's got one perfume that's thirty-three thousand pounds," Tony quickly searches on his phone and finds the bottle he's referring to. IRISSS; a stunning limited edition carved amethyst quartz flacon from the 17/17 Collection, embossed with 18-karat gold and decorated with rubies, presented on an ebony base. A breathtaking piece in itself, as rare as the ingredients inside. "That is Sergio." Tony explains. "Everything's a work of art for him. It has to be right. That's what I love about him."

Creative Explorations

Over months of work, the duo built something more than a fragrance line. "We built a great friendship and partnership," Tony smiles. "He'd bring his wife over, we'd go out for dinner. He comes to shows when he's in the UK." It's not just a business relationship, but two people who truly love what they do.

Their partnership then extended to a second scent, Deified, with notes of warming saffron and spiced apple, the familiar leather, and woody papyrus and patchouli, and even a pair of cinematic music videos to accompany both of the launches. "It was a great way of connecting with my fans," Tony says. "When the videos went on YouTube, people saw there was a perfume as well. Introducing music lovers to scent, and fragrance lovers to the music. It worked both ways."

"When we did the video, that had to be right, too. Sergio was there. He's been involved in everything, and he even played on the track with me. We wanted to bring as much of an amalgamation together as possible." Tony reflects on Sergio's commitment to honing a skill, "I was surprised that he could play, but he could. That's the thing with him: once he decides to take something on, he'll see it through, you know."

The projects have taken Tony well beyond the realms of what he is used to, but that, he insists, is the point. "After finishing touring and everything over the last couple of years, and with Ozzy, I thought I'd take it easy," he admits. "But it never happens. I've got a studio next door; I'm always working on something or being asked to collaborate on new and different projects." He shares a smile which alludes to something else on the horizon.

On Choosing Collaborations

Tony's choices of who to collaborate with are selective and instinctive. "I've always said yes only when it feels right," he says. "I recently did a track with Robbie Williams. A bit different for me, but I liked that." It was the same with the Black Sabbath – The Ballet project with Birmingham Royal Ballet. "When their Director, Carlos Acosta, first asked me, I thought, 'Who's going to dance to Black Sabbath?' But it turned out to be incredible: a proper collaboration between disciplines."

As with Tony's fans discovering his Xerjoff collaboration, through the music videos for Monkey Special and Deified, it brings a totally different audience that may have never considered going to the ballet. "That's what keeps things interesting," Tony marvels at how his eyes have been opened to something totally different, spellbound first watching the dancers rehearse. "Another challenge that worked – It's sold out everywhere!"

Whether it's performing for ballet, experimenting with perfume, or composing music for unexpected collaborations, Tony's underlying philosophy is the same: passion and authenticity first. "Whatever it is, it has to be right from both sides. That's why Sergio and I get on. He won't let something go until it's as good as it can be, and I respect that."

From Harrods to the Cotswolds

Found at the Xerjoff boutique in Harrods and other prestigious retailers across the UK, including Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, the Tony Iommi Monkey Special and Deified fragrances now have an equally refined home in the Cotswolds. Scents On The Green in Broadway is proud to be the region's exclusive stockist, bringing Xerjoff's artistry to the heart of the Cotswolds.

"It's great that it's there," Tony says, clearly delighted. "I didn't even know at first. Sergio arranged it as a surprise with my wife, Maria, for me to see when walking past one day." But it makes sense. Broadway's got that mix of heritage and finesse that fits the perfume perfectly.

Inside the boutique, the display is a show-stopper: gleaming black bottles of Deified set among deep velvet red roses, gold accents, and bold musical touches, echoing Iommi's legacy. Sergio's guitar from the music videos, flown over especially from Italy and signed by Tony, sitting proudly alongside. Even the tagline 'Smells Like Rock' captures the playful sophistication of the partnership.

As our conversation winds down, the parallels between music and fragrance feel increasingly clear. Both are sensory and emotional, a passion for exquisite craftsmanship, refined through iteration and instinct. It's evident that Tony loves being involved with, and thrives on, the things that excite and challenge, yet wholly resonate with him. For visitors to Broadway this season, the Tony Iommi Monkey Special and Deified perfumes offer a glimpse into the meeting point of two worlds: Italian artistry and British rock.

Available at Scents On The Green 8 The Green, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7AA The Cotswold stockist for the Xerjoff collection including the Tony Iommi Monkey Special and Deified fragrances.

www.scentsonthegreen.co.uk

01386 852 191