The Story of a Great ... Black Sabbath
You know that the great heavy metal band Black Sabbath was called before Tulk polka and has had more than twenty-five members ...
Grounded in the blues-rock and influenced by bands like Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience or Blue Cheer, the British band Black Sabbath is one of the key names in the configuration of heavy metal with its sonic steelmaking, iteration in its rhythmic essences and thematic base in gloomy and mystical satanic universes. It emerged in 1967 in the English city of Birmingham, John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3, 1948), guitarist Tony Iommi (born February 19, 1948), bassist and lyricist Terry "Geezer" Butler ( born July 17, 1949) and drummer Bill Ward (born May 5, 1948) began his musical career under the initial name Polka Tulk, rebautizándose soon after as Earth, a name with which kicked a number of local in their country and on the continent playing its first samples located in classic patterns of blues-rock.
In 1969, to avoid legal problems with another formation of the same name and indicating its representative Jim Simpson, Earth became Black Sabbath, a name that perfectly epitomized his approach to matters of magic, fantasy and occult. The genesis of this new appellation has different origins according to several sources, derived from a given in England to the horror film Mario Bava "The Three Faces of Fear" (1963) or emanating from the eponymous song written by Geezer Butler title.
They signed with Fontana and recorded the single "Evil Woman / Wicked World" that went unnoticed by the general public, quite the opposite of his LP debut produced by Rodger Bain. "Black Sabbath" (1970) showed from his gloomy cover the thematic support its stony and atmospheric sound that gave us masterpieces as "The Wizard", "N.I.B." Or the eponymous title.
The album had an excellent commercial reception despite the bad reviews received reaching number 8 in UK charts. Their concerts began to exhaust tickets in much of the world.
"Paranoid" (1970), his second album directly reached number 1 with superb songs like "Iron Man", "War Pigs", the psychedelic ballad "Planet Caravan" or the eponymous cut itself "Paranoid".
This is one of the best albums of the band and an LP key in the development of heavy metal, like "Master of Reality" (1971), both characterized by powerful riffs of Iommi, the perverse vocalism of Ozzy and obscurantist linking Butler in his lyrical works with texts by Dennis Wheatley.
"Master of Reality" LP highest sound diversity contained songs like "Sweet Leaf", "Children Of The Grave" or "Into The Void", he failed to climb to the top of the shopping lists as its predecessor but garnered excellent sales reaching ranked No. 4.
In "Vol. 4 "(1972) attempted to broaden its sound leaning toward a trend close to rock-progressive. LP includes the important issues of the band like "Changes", "Supernaut", "Wheels of confution" or "Snow Blind".
With "Sabbath Bloddy Sabbath" (1973) the group now represented by Patrick Meeham and lawsuits with Simpson, got another success with the album's title track.
Disputes with his first manager caused a temporary absence from the recording studio two years, returning with the representation of Don Arden and the album "Sabotage" (1975), an album that showed Black Sabbath trying to spread its offer heavy with progressive scraps in one of his most memorable despite the controversy provoked among his followers jobs.
The publication of a compilation and LPs "Technical Ecstasy" (1976) and "Never say die" (1978), less satisfactory than his early works discs, prompted the departure of its charismatic singer Ozzy Osbourne, who undertake an irregular solo career including the representation of his wife Sharon. His debut work was the great "Blizzard of Ozz" (1980).
His replacement before recording "Heaven and hell" would be Ronnie James Dio (former member of Elf and Rainbow). "Heaven and hell" (1980), an album produced by Martin Birch, revitalized the band's music thanks to songs like "Neon Knights", "Lonely is the word," and of course "Heaven and hell".
The arrival of Dio Black Sabbath seemed to breathe new verve and energy, but his second LP with the group and first with new drummer Vinnie Apice, "Mob Rules" (1981), was a disappointment for fans of the band.
The formation of Black Sabbath was plunged from that moment in a continuous coming and going of members. The first to leave were the last to arrive, Dio and Apice left their site to Ian Gillan and Bill Ward, who returned to record "Born Again" (1983), a loose work that brought back the departure of several of its components, only remaining original member and guitarist Tony Iommi.
People like Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin, Bev Bevan, Eric Singer, Dave Spitz, Geoff Nichols, Cozy Powell, Terry Chimes or Bobby Rondinelli joined the training throughout the 80s and 90s,
leaving in the curriculum of Black Sabbath irregular discs on which their sound metalhead banalizaba, emphasizing works like "The Eternal Idol" (1987) or "Headless Cross" (1989).
Recent meetings and world tours are meeting points for the huge number of followers and admirers of this historic, essential and legendary group.
"13" (2013) is his latest studio work.
Discussed discs in AlohaPopRock-AlohaCriticón
Black Sabbath (1970)
Paranoid (1971)
Master of Reality (1971)
Vol 4 (1972)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Technical Ecstasy (1976)
13 (2013)
In an ideal map reconstruyese roots British hard rock Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath occupy a central place. Led Zeppelin represent the mixture of white with black blues rock'n'roll, combined with bold forays folk; Deep Purple are the first tangible incarnation of a group of hard rock, and Black Sabbath, with its "riff" swingeing accompanied by "dark" letters, are the archetypal heavy metal band. The four original members, guitarist Tony lommi, drummer Bill Ward, Geezer Butler bassist and singer Ozzy Osbourne (truly unclassifiable character), decided to leave school to form a rock band, Earth. The band, who ran a kind of fusion of jazz and blues, got a contract at the Star Club in Hamburg (local himself who gave fame to The Beatles), breaking the attendance record until then held the Liverpool quartet.
Turned into Black Sabbath (name taken from the title of one of the first group compositions), directed by Jim Simpson, her first manager, the four adopted a timely macabre image and increased much the sound volume in the execution of their subjects . Its roots blues were evident, especially in lommi, guitarist of Italian origin, and precisely to "mask" these roots, well away from heavy sound that was taking shape, Tony lommi and Geezer Butler immediately exploited the guitarrística "violence", redoubled by scores low. An original musical formula that would make them into hard rock mythology. The first testimony of Black Sabbath vinyl is 1969, year in which, after the successes at concerts by England and Germany, published a single company in Fontana. In March 1970, the day after the contract is signed with Vertigo Records, a company owned by Polygram, the same issue, 'Evil woman' became his first single.
Simultaneously his first album, 'Black Sabbath' was published. Recorded in just two days, with a total investment of 600 pounds, the LP clearly reflects the trends blues group, resulting, ultimately, quite distant future features heavy. A number of overdubs, carefully selected (rumors of rain and lightning, peals of bells insistent), makes an album with the intense "perfume" of the occult. Object of a strong promotion for their busy connections with the paranormal, the album stayed three months in the UK charts. The result encouraged Ozzy and company to get back into the studio to record a second album, 'Paranoid', whose eponymous single became the most notorious workhorse of the group. Published in September 1970, 'Paranoid' reached the fourth position in the UK charts and stayed 65 weeks in the US. Black Sabbath no longer a minority group and transformed into a group with strong commercial potential; on the other hand had invented a new musical current.
Since then Black Sabbath focused mainly touring with Osbourne Follies strong point of the show. A year after the start of the third album, Master of Reality ', apparently dedicated to lord of darkness in 1972' Black Sabbath volurne 4 'showed the world that the group was also able to progress technically, desarrolando more broadly a particular acoustic atmosphere, perfectly adapted to the dark, dark end of the band. often identified as one of his best albums, "Volume 4 'was conceived as the album that should mark the progressive withdrawal of Black Sabbath from those subjects who had distinguished themselves in their first steps; first the cover itself entered the rock classics schemes: a simple design represents Ozzy clapping and jumping like photo.
But the images of otherworldly and nightmarish (like the original cover of their debut album, with that disconcerting and macabre figure, an ectoplasm opposite the ruins of an abandoned house, perfect representation of that which contained the album) seemed mate While the sound of Black Sabbath, to the point of forcing them to return to its origins on the cover of his next LP, 'Sabbath bloody Sabbath'. The album was a great success, and then undertook a series of European and American tours. But with success also came the first obstacles to the point of separating from his manager Jim Simpson, first replaced by Patrick Meehan and then by Don Arden, with consequent legal complications; and to make matters worse, Osbourne had to face a subpoena in full US tour.
The next step could be none other than trying to manage themselves. The thing could have run if the most difficult obstacle to Black Sabbath were not themselves. Ozzy was practically a slave to alcohol, and conflicts between the various personalities of the group did nothing but increase. They seemed happy to finally change that grim and otherworldly image that had hitherto cultivated by a more typical real band rhythm and blues band, perfectly integrated into a whirlwind of "riotous living". But what determined the end of the group was the growing interest of Tony lommi by increasingly complex arrangements, an interest that collided with the intentions of Ozzy Osbourne. 'Sabotage' the weight of the decisions of the singer even warned clearly, but in the next LP, 'Technical Ecstasy', taking advantage of his absence, guitarist imposed his personal stamp to product experiencing technical overdubbing and adding a section flute!
At that time the first separation of Ozzy band separation that lasted until the point was to start thinking about replacing it arose. Dave Walker, former Savoy Brown singer, seemed to have been installed on the throne of "king of excess," when suddenly Osbourne returned to the group's ranks. With 'Never say die', disc prophetic title in 1979 Ozzy and his colleagues threw one last well above the average of the most recent productions, but insufficient to recover the fame note. After a sarabande of reciprocal insults, Ozzy on one hand, and lommi, Ward and Butler on the other, went their separate ways; while the three Sabbath were launched to search for a valid substitute, Ozzy created his Blizzard of Ozz. Most fans of Black Sabbath saw in this division to Birmingham group, but if they had not been separately would have had little lasting business survival; Ozzy was a vital part of the band, but the quality of the productions had declined in recent years.
While Osbourne continued to develop the macabre side of your image. Black Sabbath found his replacement in Ronnie James Dio, former head of Elf and "turncoat" of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. Ronnie Dio the Sabbath, by ironies of fate, were again the undisputed kings of a trend of dark rock called doom metal, and Tony lommi (whose main point of disagreement with the former singer had been his preference to move away from satanic cliché had already exploited too) it became the "black messiah" that the new generation of thrashers admired. The abandonment of Ozzy Osbourne marked the beginning of a sad succession of changes of formation that has lasted until today: Bill Ward, who had to resign his post for health reasons, he was replaced by Vinnie Appice, brother of Carmine Appice, the famous former drummer of Vanilla Fudge; lommi met for the first time looking for another bass player after a momentary abandonment (later reiterated) Geezer Butler Pacific.
But with the "little big man" Ronnie James Dio, the renewed Black Sabbath had "caught an ace": now their music was a perfect blend of hard rock and dark, enveloping cadences sound dark Black Sabbath, updated in an updated version. 'Heaven and Hell' (1980) and 'Mob Rules' (1981) are undoubtedly two of the best albums ever recorded by the group and two of the best in the genre. Meanwhile, the controversy with Osbourne, whose solo career did not know dark moments, continued, fueled by record labels clearly opportunistic publications. 'Live at last', for example, recorded in 1973 contained recordings that would never have seen the light if the group had not separated. But tensions also grew inside Black Sabbath, especially among lommi and Dio, whose personalities were too strong.
The cause of the definitive rupture were the final mixes fascinating double live album 'Live Evil', his first official work live after twelve year career. lommi claimed that the singer had sought mixtures are more fully his voice, and James Dio stated in interviews that the guitarist had used studio tricks to correct themselves ... Such valuable band deserved a better ending. In November 1982, Ronnie James Dio left Black Sabbath Vinnie Appice taking with him: his new group took its name and had a sound very similar to "their" Sabbath. Black Sabbath terminated the contract that bound them to Sandy Pearlman, a former producer and manager of Blue Oyster Cult, and temporarily returned to his former boss, Don Arden. But in the first months of 1983 he broke the most sensational news in recent years in the world of hard rock: Ian Gillan, the legendary former lead singer of Deep Purple, joined Black Sabbath, entering the group and recording 'Born again' .
Produced hastily and ill-treated by critics and the public, the album, whose cover, incidentally, was the most satanic ever offered by the quartet, was not a disappointment to an attentive listener: the fusion of the macabre and rhythmic elements of Black Sabbath with the hard core of Deep Purple Gillan was carrying was a fascinating mix, and a great concert on stage at the Reading festival was the demonstration. It is a pity that criticism and the warm welcome of the public have prevented this training (which also had former Electric Light Orchestra, Bev Bevan, drums) continue: a group that could play either 'Paranoid' and 'Smoke on the water' could have given much of himself. The mishap 'Born again' main result was the final dissolution of the group; finally, Butler and lommi they eventually separated, with Butler in search of an unlikely record deal for a Geezer Butler Band of very brief existence.
With Iommi alone at the head of the band, while many began to wonder whether you could still talk about Black Sabbath when there were three quarters of training, pressures from the record company, coupled with overconfidence by the mustachioed soloist, They led to the publication of 'Seventh star', an album sarcastically attributed to "Black Sabbath featuring Tony lommi". In this album, which lommi blues roots he was even more evident, also participated Glenn Hughes, the vagabond singer / bassist former Deep Purple and former collaborator of other groups. Beyond any judgment on the decision to continue exploiting the name of the old band for commercial conveniences, 'Seventh Star' was not bad at all, and much of European critics pointed out as a worthy successor to the times of 'Heaven and hell '. The tour that followed was the most anticipated of ever undertaken by Black Sabbath, but after a few days everything was blocked and the tour was suspended.
Glenn Hughes, certainly one of the best singers of "classical" school of hard Anglo, getting not exceed his alcoholism, creating untenable situations. In the usual lottery names of the unknown prevailed Ray Gillen; the name of this singer has always been linked to this period of history of Black Sabbath, although there is not a single legal or illegal collaborations testimony. Gillen after his experience with lommi ended in Phoenomena, group devised and protected by Mel and Tom Galley brothers, musicians who had previously been part of the Whitesnake David Coverdale. Despite the good reception of criticism, 'Seventh Star' was not a great commercial fortune. In an increasingly confusing environment, with subsequent formation changes that led to a disastrous European tour, the band, led by Tony Iommi survived laboriously to another controversy: despite the boycott of rock concerts promoted and organized in the field of the fight against apartheid, by Little Steven and associates, Black Sabbath came to play precisely to Sun City, the strength of whites in Johannesburg, South Africa. The uproar that ensued forced to cancel more than half of the shows planned in the tour and the manager Patrick Meeham had to officially apologize through newspapers.
The new album, 'Eternal Idol', despite its partial commercial success, is the umpteenth confirmation that the sound of Black Sabbath in the late eighties, is still very current and sharp. The surprise here was Tony Martin, singer from dark, like them, Birmingham, Iommi had caught a local formation called Alliance. Martin is a singer "to Ronnie Dio", perhaps with less emphasis than the Californian singer, and their vocalization is very suitable for the intriguing epic and intelligently texts of Black Sabbath 1988. Lost version, or at least postponed, hope to see together to the original Black Sabbath for now are stuck with to see play together, occasionally, some members of the group. Ozzy Osbourne in 1989 in his band welcomed his old friend Geezer Butler. However, the "solo" Iommi continues his way, and perhaps the only real impediment to sponsored and historic meeting. Iommi called in 1989 for the album "Headless Cross", the very powerful battery Cozzy Powell who guarantees a torrential Black Sabbath rhythmic support that is evident especially in live performances.
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