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Mixing equal parts bone-crushing volume, catatonic tempos, and ominous pronouncements of gloom and doom delivered in Ozzy Osbourne's keening voice, Black Sabbath was the heavy-metal king of the '70s. Despised by rock critics and ignored by radio programmers, the group sold over 8 million albums before Osbourne departed for a solo career in 1979 [see entry]. The band's original lineup reunited for a two-year tour in 1997.
The four original members, schoolmates from a working-class district of industrial Birmingham, first joined forces as the Polka Tulk Blues Company, a blues band. They quickly changed their name to Earth, then, in 1969, to Black Sabbath; the name came from the title of a song written by bassist Geezer Butler, a fan of occult novelist Dennis Wheatley. It may also have been an homage to a Boris Karloff film. The quartet’s eponymously titled 1970 debut, recorded in two days, went to #8 in England and #23 in the U.S. A single, “Paranoid,” released in advance of the album of the same name, reached #4 in the U.K. later that year; it was the group’s only Top 20 hit.
The single didn’t make the U.S. Top 40, but the Paranoid LP, issued in early 1971, eventually sold 4 million copies despite virtually no airplay. Beginning in December 1970 Sabbath toured the States relentlessly. Despite the band members’ intense drug and alcohol abuse, the constant road work paid off, and by 1974 Black Sabbath was considered peerless among heavy-metal acts, its first five LPs all having sold at least a million copies apiece in America alone.
In spite of their name, the crosses erected onstage, and songs dealing with apocalypse, death, and destruction, the band members insisted their interest in the black arts was nothing more than innocuous curiosity (the sort that led Ozzy Osbourne to sit through eight showings of The Exorcist), and in time Black Sabbath’s princes-of-darkness image faded. Eventually, so did its record sales. Aside from a platinum best-of, We Sold Our Soul for Rock ’n’ Roll (1976), not one of three LPs from 1975 to 1978 went gold. Osbourne, racked by drug use and excessive drinking, quit the band briefly in late 1977 (ex–Savoy Brown–Fleetwood Mac vocalist Dave Walker filled his shoes for some live dates). In January 1979 he was fired. Ronnie James Dio, formerly of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, replaced Osbourne.
Although Dio could belt with the best of them, Sabbath would never be the same. Its first album with Dio, Heaven and Hell (1980), went platinum; its second, Mob Rules (1981), gold. But thereafter, the group’s LPs sold fewer and fewer copies, as Black Sabbath went through one personnel change after another. Ill health forced Bill Ward out of the band in 1980; Carmine Appice’s brother Vinnie took his place. Friction between Iommi and Dio led the singer to quit angrily in 1982; he took Appice with him to start his own band, Dio. Vocalists over the years have included Dave Donato; Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan; Glenn Hughes, another ex-member of Purple; Tony Martin; and Dio again.
By 1986’s Seventh Star, only Iommi remained from the original lineup. He had to wince when Geezer Butler teamed up with the phenomenally successful Osbourne in 1988, though the bassist did return to the fold three years later. Despite bitterness expressed in the press between Osbourne and Iommi, the original foursome reunited in 1985 at the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia, and again in 1992, at the end of what was supposedly Osbourne’s last tour. Throughout 1993 word had it that Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, and Ward would tour, but by year’s end Osbourne had backed out, allegedly over money. The indefatigable Tony Iommi went right back to work with Butler, rehiring vocalist Tony Martin and adding former Rainbow drummer Rob Rondinelli. That lineup proved as unstable as the previous one, with drummers coming, going, and returning over the following years. Despite hiring Body Count’s Ernie C to produce 1995’s Forbidden (and inviting guest vocalist Ice-T to sing on a track), Black Sabbath seemed increasingly out of touch with the times, and at the end of the Forbidden Tour, the band unofficially went on hiatus.
But not for long, as Iommi, Butler, and Osbourne reunited to headline Ozzfest 1997. Ward was not invited (he was replaced by Faith No More’s Mike Bordin), but he did participate in two shows in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England, in December 1997. The resulting live album, Reunion (#11, 1998), also featured two new studio tracks, including the single “Psycho Man.” The album went platinum in the U.S., and the live version of “Iron Man” earned the band its first Grammy for Best Metal Performance - nearly 30 years after the song was originally released. The ensuing tour lasted two years and ended in December 1999. (Ward, who suffered a heart attack in May 1998 before the European tour kicked off, rejoined the group in December 1998; Appice sat in for him while he recuperated). Tony Iommi released his first solo album in 2000; a prestigious roster of guest singers (Osbourne, Billy Corgan, Henry Rollins, Dave Grohl) handled the vocals. Among metalheads, Iommi is something of a guitar god, due in part to the fact that he plays spectacularly despite having lost the tips of two right fingers in a welding accident at age 17. His hero was the great jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, who also lost two fingers and yet continued to play. In mid-2001 it was announced that all original members were writing material for a new Black Sabbath album.
BLACK SABBATH TODAY
In mid 1996 it appeared that Tony Iommi was once more working with vocalist Rob Halford for an album project, although the former JUDAS PRIEST vocalist still had commitments to his new Industrial project TWO. These discussions were subsequently put on hold, no sessions eventuated, and Iommi began recording solo material with his old ally GLENN HUGHES, the veteran keyboard player DON AIREY, longstanding colleague Geoff Nicholls and former TRAPEZE and JUDAS PRIEST drummer Dave Holland for a projected solo album.
Before this project was finalised however, and from out of the blue, BLACK SABBATH with its classic line-up relented to fan pressure and reunited.
OZZY OSBOURNE wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, had put together a touring extravaganza in America, modestly titled 'Ozz-fest'. The bill included his own band together with PANTERA, COAL CHAMBER and POWERMAN 5000 to which the classic BLACK SABBATH were due to headline. Osbourne, Iommi and Butler forged the reunion, but Ward felt unable to commit himself citing health reasons, both physical and mental. BLACK SABBATH undertook the tour, which established itself as one of the biggest draws on the American touring circuit that year, aided by OZZY OSBOURNE and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin.
Whilst the American dates were under full steam Butler put out his second, and highly commendable, solo affair with his band now dubbed GEEZER, in the form of ‘Black Science’. Enterprising bootleggers had also got hold of the Iommi / Hughes / Holland studio recordings and cheekily issued them as 'Eighth Star'.
The BLACK SABBATH legend was kept alive by the release of Ozzy's compilation album, 'The Ozzman Cometh'. Alongside more familiar solo Ozzy outings the CD also boasted four early unreleased BLACK SABBATH tracks with demo versions of ‘Fairies Wear Boots’, ‘Behind The Wall Of Sleep', 'War Pigs’ and ‘Black Sabbath’.
The band, fronted by Ozzy, announced two shows at the Birmingham NEC in early December 1997, bringing FEAR FACTORY as support. Both shows sold out with a live album issued in October 1998 titled ‘Reunion’. However, on May 19th during pre-European tour rehearsals, Ward, who had been suffering chest pains for some time, suffered what was later discovered to be a mild heart attack. With Ward’s health still a subject of concern Vinny Appice was pulled from the ranks of DIO to occupy the drum stool. As BLACK SABBATH gigged across Europe and embarked upon further summer US 'Ozzfest' shows, Ward took most of the summer out recuperating after checks in order to resume his rightful position. ‘Ozzfest’ was back bigger and better, spanning the United States from its inception in New Jersey on the 5th of July to its grand finale in the nation’s capitol Washington D.C. on the 2nd of August. The drummer did attend the BLACK SABBATH headlined 'Ozzfest' at Milton Keynes in June, joined by such contemporaries as the FOO FIGHTERS, KORN, PANTERA, SOULFLY, SLAYER, FEAR FACTORY, COAL CHAMBER, LIFE OF AGONY, LIMP BIZKIT, ENTOMBED, HUMAN WASTE PROJECT, PITCHSHIFTER and NEUROSIS. To everyone's amusement Osbourne welcomed him on stage then pulled Ward's trousers down in front of 60'000 bemused onlookers.
BLACK SABBATH put in their, supposed, last ever live gigs dubbed ‘The last Supper’ at Birmingham’s NEC in late December 1999 with Ward back behind the kit. Appice created his own act HUNGER FARM.
2000 found Iommi taking time out to perform with impromptu club act BELCH, a band that featured his ex-SABBATH friend Bev Bevan and comedian Jasper Carrott on vocals. Osbourne himself was hard at work on a further solo album. Tony Iommi, after three decades, finally got around to issuing his first solo album proper simply credited to IOMMI. Both Osbourne and Ward were included on the track 'Who's Fooling Who'. The Iommi solo album also featured a multitude of guest artists including Osbourne, PANTERA's Phil Anselmo, SMASHING PUMPKINS Billy Corgan, FOO FIGHTERS Dave Grohl, HENRY ROLLINS, TYPE O NEGATIVE's Pete Steele, ex-SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron and former WHITE ZOMBIE drummer John Tempesta. Ward meantime was still endeavouring to complete his third solo album provisionally titled 'Beyond Aston'. A projected reissue of his first album 'Ward One- Along The Way' was shelved when two songs that featured Ozzy on lead vocals created business complications.
BLACK SABBATH did reunite for a summer 2000 show although after the event they probably wished they hadn’t. A surprize performance after an OZZY OSBOURNE gig at the Anaheim ‘Weenie Roast’ festival ended in debacle when a revolving stage snagged the band’s gear resulting in a long embaressing silence and lengthy delays. Undaunted, BLACK SABBATH would rise yet again during 2001 demonstrating renewed vigour as the main act at the California ESPN Action, Sports & Music Awards ceremony on April 7th.
This showing would provide a taster for another fullblown 'Ozzfest' global touring festival. Backing up the steadfast brummies were contemporary acts such as SLIPKNOT, TOOL, PAPA ROACH, AMEN, SOULFLY, DISTURBED and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. MARILYN MANSON would also figure but only for the American dates. Even Geezer Butler's son got involved with his act APARTMENT 26. Also announced was that Ozzy's plans for a solo album would be put on hold whilst recording of a brand new BLACK SABBATH album was undertaken.
A warm-up show just prior to the UK Ozzfest was held at the Birmingham Academy on May 22nd with the band donating all proceeds from the gig to the homeless persons charity St. Basils. Another display of nostalgia came in October with the long overdue officially sanctioned release of archive live material. Divine Recordings, the label established by Sharon Osbourne, would announce the release live tapes culled from the 'Sabotage' world tour entitled suitably 'Live in '75'. However, just after a track listing and release had been set the album was cancelled.
May of 2001 also witnessed a treat for fans when ex BLACK SABBATH men TONY MARTIN and Neil Murray joined RONDINELLI, the band spearheaded by another Sabbath veteran Bobby Rondinelli. Martin also found time to tour the Britisch clubs fronting BAILEY'S COMET as well as promote the 'Cage 2' album, his second in league with Italian guitarist Dario Mollo. Meantime BLACK SABBATH keyboard player donated two of his compositions, 'Facing Hell' and 'Black Illusion', to OZZY OSBOURNE's 2001 album release 'Down To Earth'.
Quite surreally an Estonian outfit RONDELLUS made quite an impact upon the BLACK SABBATH faithful in March of 2002. The group of classically trained medieval folk artists re-interpreted an entire album of Sabs classics sung in operatic style, played on original medieval instruments with lyrics translated into Latin!
BLACK SABBATH would hit the music TV shows once again in the summer of 2002 courtesy of ex-member Ronnie James Dio and the video for his current single 'Push' from the DIO album 'Killing The Dragon'. A lavish Bill Schacht directed promo film would include appearances from the unlikely TENACIOUS D duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gass. TENACIOUS D had already signalled their respect for the band with the inclusion of the track 'Dio' on their current album. The video concept, in which a multitude of special effects would be employed, involved TENACIOUS D jamming BLACK SABBATH's 'Heaven And Hell' as an intro. The Dio era BLACK SABBATH would be kept in the media too with the announcement that artist Greg Hildebrandt's 'Mob Dream', used as the cover art for the classic 1981 album 'Mob Rules' was up for sale at a cool $35'000.
The previously mooted live album would also rear its head again, re-titled 'Past Lives' and now set for for release through Sanctuary Records. The album would comprise the 'Live At Last' album alongside further archive recordings.
Following in the wake of the enormous underground success of medieval music act RONDELLUS' radical re-interpretations of BLACK SABBATH music the CZECH STRING QUARTET weighed in with a classical tribute in September. Yet another BLACK SABBATH tribute album gave a unique spin on the genre, with Martin Atkins of KILLING JOKE's project OPIUM JUKEBOX publishing 'Bhangra Bloody Bhangra', giving classic tracks a distinct Indian flavoured slant, mixing traditional Eastern instrumentation with trance beats and electro. BILL WARD returned to solo action, making available his new single 'Straws' in October.
As OZZY OSBOURNE unveiled a somewhat more traditional flavoured 'Ozzfest', including the reformed JUDAS PRIEST, for the Summer of 2004 the rumour mill soon sparked up once more in regard to a full blown BLACK SABBATH reformation. By March Tony Iommi was in negotiation with Osbourne and as the month closed speculation arose that Geezer Butler had supplanted Rob Nicholson as bassist in Ozzy's band. On May 19th BLACK SABBATH announced the reformation, Osbourne, Iommi and Butler, seemingly once again being joined by Mike Bordin on the drums. However, an outpouring of protest and some heartfelt words from BILL WARD saw the original drummer soon re-instated. In a further surprise move it would be learned that keyboard player Geoff Nicholls was not being invited to play keyboards, thus ending his 24 year unbroken tenure with the band. In his place would be none other than Adam Wakeman, son of legendary YES keyboard player RICK WAKEMAN.
Marking the return of BLACK SABBATH to the live stage the Argentine label Blackstar Records issued a tribute album 'Sabbath Crosses: Tribute To Black Sabbath'. Besides donations from major South American acts such as NATIVO, BARILARI, SAURON, LOS NATAS, HORCAS and BETO VAZQUEZ INFINITY this collection would be noted for a take on 'No Stranger To Love' from veteran act RATA BLANCA featuring a guesting GLENN HUGHES on vocals.DISCOGRAPHY
Main Releases
Red Letter Days
2002
Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978)
2002
Past Lives
2002
Dexter's Laboratory: The Hip Hop Experiment
2002
Kenny Edwards
2002
Rock Champions
2001
The Best of Black Sabbath [Platinum Disc]
2001
International Music Series: Music of China
2000
International Music Series: Music of India
2000
The Best of Black Sabbath [Capitol Special Markets]
2000
Reunion
1998
The Ozzy Osbourne Years
1998
Under Wheels of Confusion: 1970-1987
1996
Forbidden
1995
Cross Purposes: Live
1995
Live + 1
1994
Cross Purposes
1994
Greatest Hits
1993
Dehumanizer
1992
TYR
1990
Headless Cross
1989
The Eternal Idol
1987
Seventh Star
1986
Born Again
1983
Live Evil
1983
Mob Rules
1981
The Dio Years
1980
Heaven And Hell
1980
Never Say Die
1978
Technical Ecstasy
1976
We Sold Our Soul For Rock & Roll
1976
Sabotage
1975
Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath
1974
Black Sabbath Vol.4
1972
Paranoid
1971
Master Of Reality
1971
Black Sabbath
1970
Singles
The Devil Cried
2007
Paranoid/Iron Man
2004
Compilations
Rhino Hi-Five: Bang Your Head
2006
Rhino Hi-Five: Metal
2006
Rhino Hi-Five: The Gods Of Metal
2006
Rhino Hi-Five: Bang Your Head 2
2006
Lords of Dogtown: Music From the Motion Picture
2005
Stand Up And Shout: The Dio Anthology
2005
Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978
2004
The Dio Anthology: Stand Up And Shout
2003
Britannia Infurnus: A History Of British Occult
2002
Sabbath In The Suburbs... Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne
2002
Awaken The Lair
2002
Feel the Noiz: The Best of Metal
2002
Hail to the Stonehenge Gods: Tribute to Black Sabbath
2002
You Will Be Rocked!
2001
Ozzfest 2001: The Second Millennium
2001
We Will Rock You [Crimson]
2001
Metal Madness
2001
Legendary Harley-Davidson Road Songs
2000
Wrestling Slams & Jams
2000
Tales From The Crypt: Monsters Of Metal
2000
Rock At Planet Earth
2000
Hell Rules 2: A Tribute To Black Sabbath
2000
Double Shot: Metal
2000
String Quartet Tribute to R.E.M.
1999
Metal Madness [EMI-Capitol Special Markets]
1999
Detroit Rock City
1999
Hell Rules: A Tribute To Black Sabbath
1999
Rock Giants Vol. 1
1999
No Boundaries: A Benefit For The Kosovar Refugees
1999
Chronicles
1998
Rock Progression
1998
18 Screamers from the 70s
1995
18 Headbangers From The 80's
1995
Dazed And Confused
1993
Killer Metal
1992
Wayne's World
1992
It's A-Live
1991
Thunder And Spice
1990
Heavy Metal
1981
Guest
Audio Biography CD
Black Sabbath
2000
The Ozzman Cometh
Ozzy Osbourne
1997
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