Black Sabbath (music group)
Black Sabbath is a pioneering English heavy metal band that emerged in the late 1960s and gained prominence in the 1970s. Formed by Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, and Geezer Butler, the band initially adopted the name Earth before rebranding as Black Sabbath, inspired by a horror film. Their self-titled debut album was released on February 13, 1970, and after achieving significant success with their follow-up, "Paranoid," the group became synonymous with a heavy, dark sound that would shape the heavy metal genre. Over the years, Black Sabbath's lineup underwent numerous changes, particularly with Osbourne’s departure and subsequent solo career, which saw him return to the band intermittently. The group released a total of nineteen studio albums, with their final one, "13," arriving in 2013, and concluded their final world tour in 2017. Known for their heavy themes and innovative sound, Black Sabbath has influenced countless artists and was inducted into both the UK Music Hall of Fame and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, solidifying their legacy in music history.
Black Sabbath (music group)
Black Sabbath is an English heavy metal band. The band came to prominence in the 1970s and was made famous by its dark, heavy sound and frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who became known for his onstage antics. Osbourne later left the band and enjoyed a successful solo career, but he reunited with Black Sabbath several times throughout the years. Black Sabbath frequently changed its lineup and released its nineteenth studio album in 2013. The band's original lineup announced that its final world tour would end in early 2017.
Background
Black Sabbath originated in 1968 as the Polka Tulk Blues Band. Guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward, from Birmingham, England, had left the blues band Mythology and had an idea for a new musical group. They added singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler, both of the former band Rare Breed. The quartet changed its name to Earth at the end of 1968.
In 1969, the band adopted the name Black Sabbath, which came from an idea for a song inspired by the 1963 horror film of the same name. The band released its debut album, Black Sabbath, on Friday the thirteenth in February 1970. It hit number eight on the musical charts in the United Kingdom but did not fare as well in the United States. The band toured, and record sales rose, pushing the album to platinum status.
The same year, Black Sabbath released the single "Paranoid" ahead of its sophomore effort of the same name, which came in 1970 in the United Kingdom and 1971 in the United States. It spawned the hit singles "Iron Man" and "War Pigs," and the album hit the top of the British charts. The album netted the band some controversy after an American nurse killed herself listening to it. Many began to associate Black Sabbath with Satanism.
The band's third album, Master of Reality, debuted in 1971 and reached double-platinum status. Its single "After Forever" confused fans and critics alike with its Catholic-themed lyrics from Iommi and Butler. Vol. 4 came in 1972. At this time, several of the band's members were addicted to alcohol and drugs. While Vol. 4 was not as popular as other albums were, it did reach platinum status and spawned the single "Supernaut."
In 1973, Black Sabbath released Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, which featured Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman for the song "Sabbra Cadabra." The album's fan favorite, however, was "Killing Yourself to Live," which garnered positive reviews, propelling the album to platinum status in the United States and silver in the United Kingdom.
In 1975, the band released its sixth album, Sabotage, which was recorded while Black Sabbath was dealing with the legal wrath from its former manager Patrick Meehan. The album became the first that did not reach platinum status in the United States; however, it did go silver in the United Kingdom.
Around this time, frontman Osbourne was heavily addicted to alcohol and drugs, and his addiction began to affect the band. These tensions influenced the next two albums, Technical Ecstasy (1976) and Never Say Die! (1978), both of which failed to reach platinum status. Heavy metal was also losing favor during this time as punk bands such as the Clash and the Sex Pistols emerged. Osbourne eventually quit the band, only to return a short time later. Black Sabbath fired Osbourne in 1979.
Continued Career
Osbourne embarked on a solo career, but Black Sabbath remained together. It had a new manager, Sharon Arden (who would later marry Osbourne), and hired a new lead singer, Ronnie James Dio, from the band Rainbow. In 1980, the new Black Sabbath lineup released Heaven and Hell, which became its highest-selling album after Paranoid and Master of Reality. The band then toured, but Ward, who was addicted to alcohol, announced he was leaving the group. Drummer Vinny Appice, who worked on Black Sabbath's tenth album, Mob Rules (1981), replaced Ward. The band then released the concert album Live Evil in 1983. Dio and Appice left the group over differences with Iommi and Butler to form the band Dio. By this time, Osbourne had become a star on his own, known for theatrics such as biting the head off a bat at a concert.
Iommi and Butler quickly regrouped along with the sober Ward and Ian Gillan on vocals. This lineup of Black Sabbath released Born Again (1983), which was a commercial failure. The band again split. Ward began drinking again and was replaced by drummer Bev Bevan. This was short-lived; Bevan departed the band, Butler pursued a solo career, and Gillan rejoined Deep Purple.
Black Sabbath underwent many changes in the years that followed. Iommi released Seventh Star in 1986 under the Black Sabbath moniker. He and vocalist Tony Martin worked on Eternal Idol in 1987, and then the duo teamed with drummer Cozy Powell for 1989's Headless Cross and 1990's Tyr.
To the dismay of Iommi, Butler joined Osbourne in 1988; however, the original lineup (Iommi, Ward, Osbourne, and Butler) teamed throughout the early 1990s for several performances, sparking rumors of a reunion. Iommi then joined former members Dio, Appice, and Butler for the 1992 album Dehumanizer. After Dio and Appice left, Butler and Iommi welcomed back Martin for Cross Purposes in 1994 and Forbidden in 1995. Martin then exited Black Sabbath.
In 1997, Iommi, Butler, and Osbourne reunited to headline Ozzfest, the music festival founded by Osbourne. The performance resulted in the live album Reunion (1998), which included a few new songs. The album hit platinum status and earned the band its first Grammy Award for the live version of "Iron Man." Black Sabbath then toured until the end of 1999.
Osbourne again departed Black Sabbath to continue his solo career and pursue other interests, including a stint on a reality television show featuring his family. Iommi debuted his first solo album in 2000. The band was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2013, the original lineup for Black Sabbath released 13, which earned the band a second Grammy for the single "God Is Dead?" Two years later, Osbourne, Iommi, and Butler embarked on a final Black Sabbath world tour. The band played its last US concert in late 2016, and its last UK date was in early 2017. Two years later, the group received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bibliography
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"Black Sabbath." AllMusic, 2024, www.allmusic.com/artist/black-sabbath-mn0000771438. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
"Black Sabbath." Billboard, 2024, www.billboard.com/artist/288497/black-sabbath. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
"Black Sabbath." Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, www.rockhall.com/inductees/black-sabbath. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
"Black Sabbath." Rolling Stone, www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
Grow, Kory. "Black Sabbath on Sixties Origins: 'We Were Rejected Again and Again.'" Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2016, www.rollingstone.com/music/news/black-sabbath-on-sixties-origins-we-were-rejected-again-and-again-20160225. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.