Black Sabbath are a legendary British rock band that pioneered the musical subgenre of heavy metal and were instrumental in the development of doom metal and other styles. The musicians drew their inspiration from blues-rock but took it in a much darker direction, slowing down the tempo, amplifying the bass, and swapping typical love lyrics for themes of horror and the occult. More at birminghamski.
The Original Line-up and Choosing a Name
The band was founded by a group of young men from Birmingham in 1968.
Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne decided to form a new group after his previous one failed to find success. He placed an ad in a local music shop that read: “Ozzy Zig Needs Gig – Has Own PA.” Several musicians responded to the ad, and a band soon took shape. The core line-up consisted of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, though other young musicians were occasionally involved. The members of the “Birmingham four” were fans of various music genres. Ozzy Osbourne loved The Beatles, especially John Lennon. Tony Iommi, who attended the same school as Osbourne, was an admirer of Hank Marvin and jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. For Geezer Butler, the bassist Jack Bruce was an idol, while Bill Ward was a fan of jazz drummers Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. Despite differing accounts of who exactly brought the band together, all four are generally credited as the founders.
The band went through a few name changes before settling on Tony Iommi’s suggestion to call themselves Black Sabbath, after the 1963 horror film of the same name. Tony recalled noticing long queues of people waiting to see the horror movie and shared a thought with his friends: “Isn’t it strange that people pay to be scared?” This perspective appealed to everyone. They reasoned that not just the name, but a menacing image and sinister style would make them stand out dramatically from the “hippie bands” prevalent in England at the time. And so it proved. From then on, all of Black Sabbath’s creative output—their music, lyrics, look, and actions—was designed to evoke an encounter with the supernatural world and its inhabitants.
Developing Their Signature Style
Throughout 1968 and 1969, the rock group performed in Birmingham clubs, often playing improvised compositions and joining other bands for jam sessions. Soon, the musicians began writing their own songs. For instance, “The Wizard” was written by Ozzy and Geezer, inspired by the strange movements of a young man outside a pub, which the pair saw as an “elf’s dance.” The lyrics for the song “Black Sabbath” were penned by Ozzy, based on a story Geezer told him after reading a 16th-century book about black magic, demons, and Satan. The music utilised an unusual rhythm known as the tritone, or the “devil’s interval.” Comprising three whole tones, it was forbidden in medieval music. The song became a hit and has stood the test of time. In 2023, the track “Black Sabbath” topped Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time.” All four band members are credited as its authors.
In total, nearly 10 songs were written during the band’s first two years, among which “Evil Woman” stands out. The track was a cover of a hit by the American band Crow, a one-hit-wonder in music history. The idea to record a cover came from the fact that the young musicians didn’t want to rely entirely on their own talent; they felt their repertoire needed something that was already popular. “Evil Woman” became Black Sabbath’s first studio recording and has also stood the test of time. In 2011, it was ranked 9th on Metal Hammer magazine’s list of the best cover songs.
In 1969, the rock group was invited to national radio, where they performed four songs on the “Top Gear” programme. Sometime later, the band recorded several singles and played their first European show, notably in Hamburg. During their concerts, the musicians tried every trick to draw as much attention as possible. Ozzy dyed his hair purple, and Tony Iommi would deliberately hold his flute incorrectly, producing rather unpleasant sounds. The lads burst onto the thrilling world of show business with their unpredictable and sometimes shocking antics on and off the stage.
The Debut Album
During one of Black Sabbath’s performances, they were spotted by the well-known DJ Tony Hall, who offered them a recording contract. The first experience was challenging; the musicians tried to record their parts separately, and when they heard all the tracks mixed together, they were astonished by the chaotic sound. They had to learn how to interact musically during performances. The band worked on the album for only three days, as their gigging schedule was packed, and they were completely absent during the final sound mixing stage. The recording engineers suggested adding the sound of a bell and a thunderstorm, using a photo with film effects for the cover, and placing an inverted cross on the gatefold sleeve. This later caused the band a great deal of trouble, with some even starting to believe they were Satanists.
Finally, on Friday, 13 February 1970, their first album, titled “Black Sabbath,” was released. It featured 7 tracks. In March 1970, the album entered the UK Album Chart, peaking at number 8, and reached number 23 on the Billboard 200. Over a million copies were sold within a year, making the album platinum. However, it was met with considerable scepticism by music critics. Yet, Black Sabbath’s work resonated strongly with audiences; in their first ten years, over 8 million of the band’s records were purchased. The debut album is often called “the very first heavy metal album” in music history.
The Band’s Subsequent Career
In September 1970, the band’s second album, Paranoid, was released and quickly topped the British charts. Critics panned it once again, only to admit years later that it was “ahead of its time.” In 1971, the album became popular in the US, especially the anti-war song “War Pigs.” In August 1971, the new album “Master of Reality” was released and went platinum. The musicians experimented with their sound and performance, and the band’s fame grew. Their fifth album, “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” from 1973, finally won over not just listeners but also music critics, who praised the band’s “progressive styles.”
In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne sank into a depression following his father’s battle with cancer and began abusing alcohol and drugs, which led to him being fired from the band. He was replaced by Ronnie James Dio, who became the band’s second most significant vocalist. The musicians worked tirelessly in studios and on concert stages. The constant pressure took its toll, leading to friends fighting and making up, and the band’s line-up changed frequently.
Throughout its history, the rock group recorded 19 studio albums, 5 live albums, 44 singles, and 8 video albums. Due to a legal settlement over copyrights, the official Black Sabbath discography includes only those albums created with Ozzy Osbourne. Over 60 other releases are considered “unofficial.”
In February 2017, Black Sabbath played their final show on stage in their hometown of Birmingham. After the concert, the musicians issued an official statement announcing they were disbanding. The band became a legendary, iconic act, had a profound influence on the development of rock music, and received numerous accolades from critics.