When you say rock, you also most certainly say Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne. The legends of rock, with a worldwide audience and raving fans. This Review is Not About The Re-Union Album but is more related to the story behind the album and the story of Black Sabbath.
Most people readily associate B.S. with Ozzy, which is easy because he is the legend that lived large. What few observe is that there was a different person who was more dedicated to B.S. than Ozzy and this was Tony Iommi and off course at the same time (Autumn 1967 - January 1969) there where Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward (who left a groups called Mythology and Cumbria along with Toni Iommi, possibly because of him also), as time passes and as B.S grew in fame Ozzy Osbourne left and rejoined B.S. many a time, but the soul of his music was definitely present in the groups releases, mostly because Ozzy with Iommi created a new genre within rock. Rebellious and renegade style lyrics where to be come the hallmark of the group. Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham, England in 1969 and the band was first called The Polka Tulk Blues Band (shortened to Polka Tulk) and then as Earth, but that changed when the band realised that there was a different local band with the same name (Earth) and thus was born the name Black Sabbath.
Also with time, the members of the band kept changing at frequent intervals :
Dave Walker (from Fleetwood Mac) replaced Ozzy Osbourne (who left due to alcohol problems and the demise of his father) and this was sometime between October 1977 - January 1978
Ian Gillan replaced Ozzy between January 1983 - January 1984
Vinny Appice (Ex Axxis, Derringer Drummer) replaced Bill Ward between August 1980 - November 1982
and there where lot more changes and lot of people who came and went. Most of the times it was not just thier personal habits or life styles but there was something between them which made them leave and come back. Especially Ozzy, as it was rumoured that he did not want to stay with B.S. but yet he kept returning. So what actually transpired I can’t say. Tony Iommi that way was always with B.S. and featured under every release under the band’s name.
On the other hand despite all this the band stuck a chord with the audience, mainly because of the music quality they released. For those of you who saw this late 70’s early 80’s period ( I was born in ’82 and probably heard of B.S. somewhere in ’97. I have mentioned their discography below :
Black Sabbath - 1970
Paranoid - 1970
Masters of Reality - 1971
Black Sabbath, Volume 4 - 1972
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - 1973
Sabotage - 1975
We Sold Our Souls For Rock ’N’ Roll - 1975
Technical Ecstasy - 1977
Never Say Die - 1978
Heaven and Hell - 1980
Mob Rules - 1981
Live Evil - 1983
Born Again - 1983
Seventh Star - 1986
The Eternal Idol - 1987
Headless Cross - 1989
Tyr - 1990
Dehumanizer - 1992
Cross Purposes - 1994
Forbidden - 1995
I might have missed a few, because I am posting this straight from my collection of songs and I guess it is sort of complete, though there are many unreleased singles, unofficial albums and even original sound tracks that I have not mentioned in that list.
Well what can I say, am just another rock freak feasting on music and B.S. always holds this place in my collection. All that hype and fame that went with the band might possibly what led to the preformance of Reunion
BLACK SABBATH REUNION : There is some sort of mist on the true story of the Reunion, some say it was just that they wanted a last album together, some say it was Ozzy’s last wish from Sabbath. A few say it was thier ultimate commemoration. Whatever be the reason they did perform and record live this one album like they had no ther day.
Tracklist:
CD 1
War Pigs
Behind The Wall Of Sleep
Fairies Wear Boots
Electric Funeral
Sweet Leaf
Spiral Architect
Into The Void
Snowblind
CD 2
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Orchid/Lord Of This World
Dirty Women
Black Sabbath
Iron Man
Children Of The Grave
Paranoid
Psycho Man (Studio Track)
Selling My Soul (Studio Track)
I can go on about B.S. for days but then this is supposed to be a tribute to a band that practically created Hard Metal Rock. The music they created will be heard for a long time and will stay in the hearts of rock fans. For a good rock collection, B.S. is a must have and a needed part of the collection.