Black Sabbath
The original and present Black Sabbath, picture taken in 1970. From left to right: Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler
Background information
Origin	Birmingham, England
Genre(s)	Heavy metal
Years active	1968–present
Label(s)	Vertigo, Warner Bros., Sanctuary, I.R.S., Reprise, Epic
Associated acts	Deep Purple, Heaven and Hell, GZR, Rainbow, Dio, Electric Light Orchestra
Website	www.blacksabbath.com
Members
Ozzy Osbourne Tony Iommi Geezer Butler Bill Ward
Former members
See: List of Black Sabbath band members

Black Sabbath are an English rock band from Birmingham, England. Bill Ward (born William Thomas Ward, May 5, 1948, Aston, Birmingham England) is the drummer for the pioneering British heavy John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer Frank Anthony "Iommi (born February 19 1948, in Aston, Birmingham England) is an English Guitarist and Songwriter Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the sixties for its Record label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI (with Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. Sanctuary Records is a Record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. IRS (International Record Syndicate Records was a Record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg Reprise Records is an American Record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, which is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated Epic Records is an American Record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Heaven and Hell is a musical collaboration featuring Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with former members Ronnie James Dio and GZR is a band led by Black Sabbath bassist/lyricist Geezer Butler. Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. Dio is an American heavy metal band led by Vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who formed it in 1982 after leaving Black Sabbath. John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer Frank Anthony "Iommi (born February 19 1948, in Aston, Birmingham England) is an English Guitarist and Songwriter Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for Bill Ward (born William Thomas Ward, May 5, 1948, Aston, Birmingham England) is the drummer for the pioneering British heavy Black Sabbath is a heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1969 by vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Formed in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass guitar), and Bill Ward (drums & percussion), the band has since experienced multiple lineup changes, with a total of twenty-two former members. John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer The lead vocalist (or lead singer) is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song Frank Anthony "Iommi (born February 19 1948, in Aston, Birmingham England) is an English Guitarist and Songwriter The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the Bill Ward (born William Thomas Ward, May 5, 1948, Aston, Birmingham England) is the drummer for the pioneering British heavy A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells Originally formed as a heavy blues-rock band named Earth, the band began incorporating occult and horror-inspired lyrics with tuned-down guitars, changing their name to Black Sabbath and releasing multiple gold and platinum records in the 1970s. Blues-rock is a hybrid musical genre combining Bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended Boogie jams with Rock

As one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath helped define the genre with releases such as 1970's quadruple-platinum Paranoid. Paranoid is the second album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ^[1] Black Sabbath has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide,^[2] and were ranked number one on MTV's Greatest Metal Bands countdown. ^[3] Ozzy Osbourne was fired from the band in 1979, and while initially replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio, Black Sabbath would see a revolving lineup in the 1980s and 1990s that included vocalists Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen and Tony Martin. Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy Ian Gillan (born 19 August, 1945 in Hounslow, London) is an English Rock music Vocalist and Songwriter Glenn Hughes (born in Cannock, Staffordshire, England on August 21, 1951) is a Bassist and Vocalist Ray Gillen ( May 12 1959 – December 1 1993) was a singer best known for his work with the bands Black Sabbath, Badlands Anthony Martin Harford, (born April 19 1957) is a heavy metal vocalist best known for his work with Black Sabbath from 1987 to 1991 and The original lineup reunited with Osbourne in 1997 and released a live album, Reunion, which spawned the Grammy Award winning single "Iron Man" in 2000, thirty years after the song's initial release on Paranoid. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences "Iron Man" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their second studio album Paranoid released in 1970

Currently, the early 1980s line-up featuring Iommi, Butler, Dio, and Vinny Appice are touring under the moniker Heaven and Hell, a title taken from the 1980 Black Sabbath album of the same name. Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock Drummer, best known for his work Heaven and Hell is a musical collaboration featuring Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with former members Ronnie James Dio and Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in 1980

History

Formation and early days (1968–1969)

Following the breakup of their previous band Mythology in 1968, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward sought to form a heavy blues band in Aston, Birmingham, England. Mythology were an English Blues band based in Carlisle in the late 1966 with Neil Marshall bass Mike Gillan vocals Frank Kenyon Frank Anthony "Iommi (born February 19 1948, in Aston, Birmingham England) is an English Guitarist and Songwriter Bill Ward may refer to Bill Ward (musician (born 1948 drummer for Black Sabbath Bill Ward (actor (born 1967 Bill Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The group enlisted bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, who had played together in a band called Rare Breed. Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer The new group was initially named The Polka Tulk Blues Company, and also featured slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips and saxophonist Alan "Aker" Clarke. After shortening the name to Polka Tulk, the band changed their name to Earth, and continued as a four-piece without Phillips and Clarke. ^[4][5]

Earth played club shows in England, Denmark, and Germany, with sets consisting of cover songs by Jimi Hendrix, Blue Cheer, and Cream; as well as lengthy improvised blues jams. In Popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition ( Performance or Recording) of a previously recorded commercially released James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter Blue Cheer is a San Francisco -based rock group that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and again from the mid-1980s to the present Cream were a 1960s British rock band Improvisation (also called extemporization) is the practice of acting singing talking and reacting of making and creating in the moment and in response to the stimulus of In December 1968, Tony Iommi abruptly left Earth to join Jethro Tull. Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967-1968 Their music is marked by the distinctive vocal style and lead Flute work of front man ^[6] Although his stint with the band would be short-lived, Iommi made an appearance with Jethro Tull on the The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus TV show. The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is a film released in 1996 of a December 11, 1968 event put together by The Rolling Stones. Unsatisfied with the direction of Jethro Tull, Iommi returned to Earth in January 1969. "It just wasn't right, so I left", Iommi said. "At first I thought Tull were great, but I didn't much go for having a leader in the band, which was Ian Anderson's way. Ian Scott Anderson, MBE (born 10 August 1947 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland) is a Scottish Singer When I came back from Tull, I came back with a new attitude altogether. They taught me that to get on you got to work for it". ^[7]

While playing shows in England in 1969, the band discovered they were being mistaken for another English group named Earth, and decided to again change their name. A movie theater across the street from the band's rehearsal room was showing the 1963 Boris Karloff horror film Black Sabbath. Boris Karloff ( 23 November, &ndash 2 February,) was an English actor who emigrated to Canada in the 1910s Black Sabbath ( Italian title I Tre volti della paura) is a 1963 Italian Horror film directed by Mario Bava While watching people line up to see the film, Osbourne noted that it was "strange that people spend so much money to see scary movies". ^[8] Butler wrote a song titled "Black Sabbath" after reading a book by occult writer Dennis Wheatley, and seeing a black-hooded figure standing at the foot of his bed. "Black Sabbath" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Dennis Yates Wheatley (8 January 1897 &ndash 10 November 1977 was a British Writer born in London. ^[9] Making use of the musical tritone, also known as "The Devil's Interval", the song's ominous sound and dark lyrics pushed the band in a darker direction, a stark contrast to the popular music of the late 1960s, which was dominated by flower power, folk music, and hippie culture. The tritone ( Tri - or three and tone) is a Musical interval that spans three whole tones. Flower power was a Slogan used by Hippies (aka Flower Children) during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of Non-violence Ideology Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world Inspired by the new sound, the band changed their name to Black Sabbath in August 1969, and made the decision to focus writing similar material, in an attempt to create the musical equivalent of horror films.

Black Sabbath and Paranoid (1970–1971)

Black Sabbath were signed to Philips Records in December 1969, and released their first single, "Evil Woman" through Philips subsidiary Fontana Records in January 1970. Philips Records is a Record label that was founded by Dutch electronics giant Philips. " Evil Woman " is a song written and recorded by Minneapolis -based band Crow that appeared on their 1969 album Crow Music. Fontana Records is a Record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records. Later releases were handled by Philips' newly formed progressive rock label, Vertigo Records. Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the sixties for its Record label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI (with Although the single failed to chart, the band were afforded two days of studio time in late January to record their debut album with producer Rodger Bain. Rodger Bain was a producer in the 1970s known for producing heavy metal albums by bands such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Iommi recalls recording live: "We thought 'We have two days to do it and one of the days is mixing. ' So we played live. Ozzy was singing at the same time, we just put him in a separate booth and off we went. We never had a second run of most of the stuff. "^[10]

The eponymous Black Sabbath was released on Friday the 13th, February 1970. Black Sabbath is the self-titled debut album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Friday the 13th is superstitiously considered a day of bad Luck in English - French - and German -speaking countries as well as in other The album reached number 8 in the UK, and following its US release in May 1970 by Warner Bros. Records, the album reached number 23 on the Billboard 200, where it remained for over a year, selling a million copies. Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry ^[11][12] While the album was a commercial success, it was widely panned by critics, with Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone dismissing the album as "discordant jams with bass and guitar reeling like velocitised speedfreaks all over each other's musical perimeters, yet never quite finding synch". Leslie Conway Bangs ( December 13, 1948 &ndash April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, author and musician Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published ^[13]

To capitalise on their chart success in the US, the band quickly returned to the studio in June 1970, just four months after Black Sabbath was released. The new album was initially set to be named "War Pigs" after the track of the same name, which was critical of the Vietnam War. " War Pigs " is an Anti-war song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their 1970 Album, Paranoid The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia However Warner changed the title of the album to Paranoid, fearing backlash by supporters of the Vietnam War. Paranoid is the second album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. The album's lead-off single "Paranoid" was written in the studio at the last minute. " Paranoid " is a song by Black Sabbath that appears on the band's second album Paranoid. As Bill Ward explains: "We didn't have enough songs for the album, and Tony just played the (Paranoid) guitar lick and that was it. It took twenty, twenty-five minutes from top to bottom. "^[14] The single was released prior to the album in September 1970, and reached number four on the UK charts, remaining Black Sabbath's only top ten hit. ^[12]

Black Sabbath released their second full-length album, Paranoid in the UK in October 1970. Paranoid is the second album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Pushed by the success of the "Paranoid" single, the album hit number one in the UK. The US release was held until January 1971, as the Black Sabbath album was still on the charts at the time of Paranoid's UK release. The album broke into the top ten in the US in March 1971, and would go on to sell four million copies in the US, with virtually no radio airplay. ^[12] The album was again panned by rock critics of the era, but modern-day reviewers such as Allmusic's Steve Huey cite Paranoid as "one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time", which "defined the sound and style of heavy metal more than any other record in rock history". allmusic (previously All Music Guide) is a Metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ^[1] Paranoid's chart success allowed the band to tour the US for the first time in December 1970, which spawned the release of the album's second single "Iron Man". "Iron Man" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their second studio album Paranoid released in 1970 Although the single failed to reach the top 40, "Iron Man" remains one of Black Sabbath's most popular songs, as well as the bands highest charting US single until 1998's "Psycho Man". Psycho-Man is a fictional Supervillain from Marvel Comics, created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. ^[11]

Master of Reality and Volume 4 (1971–1973)

In February 1971, Black Sabbath returned to the studio to begin work on their third album. Following the chart success of Paranoid, the band were afforded more studio time, along with a "briefcase full of cash" to purchase drugs. ^[15] "We were getting into coke, bigtime", Ward explained. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant "Uppers, downers, Quaaludes, whatever you like. Methaqualone is a Sedative drug which is similar in effect to Barbiturates a general CNS Depressant. It got to the stage where you come up with ideas and forget them, because you were just so out of it. "^[16]

Production completed in April 1971, and in July the band released Master of Reality, just six months after the release of Paranoid. Master of Reality is the third album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1971 The album reached the top ten in both the US and UK, and was certified gold in less than two months, eventually receiving platinum certification in the 1980s. Master of Reality contained Black Sabbath's first acoustic songs, alongside fan favorites such as "Children of the Grave" and "Sweet Leaf". Children of the Grave is a song by Black Sabbath from their 1971 album Master of Reality. " Sweet Leaf " is a song by Black Sabbath from their album Master of Reality (1971 ^[17] Critical response of the era was again unfavorable, with Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone dismissing Master of Reality as "naive, simplistic, repetitive, absolute doggerel", although the very same magazine would later place the album at number 298 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, compiled in 2003. Leslie Conway Bangs ( December 13, 1948 &ndash April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, author and musician ^[18]

Following the Master of Reality world tour in 1972, Black Sabbath took its first break in three years. As Bill Ward explained: "The band started to become very fatigued and very tired. We'd been on the road non-stop, year in and year out, constantly touring and recording. I think Master of Reality was kind of like the end of an era, the first three albums, and we decided to take our time with the next album. "^[19]

In June 1972, the band reconvened in Los Angeles to begin work on their next album at the Record Plant. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Record Plant Studios (also known as just " The Record Plant " were three famous Recording studios which were started and run by Gary Kellgren (who The recording process was plagued with problems, many due to substance abuse issues. Substance abuse is the overindulgence in and dependence of a Drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual's physical and mental health While struggling to record the song "Cornucopia" after "sitting in the middle of the room, just doing drugs",^[20] Bill Ward was nearly fired from the band. "I hated the song, there were some patterns that were just. . . horrible" Ward said. "I nailed it in the end, but the reaction I got was the cold shoulder from everybody. It was like 'Well, just go home, you're not being of any use right now. ' I felt like I'd blown it, I was about to get fired". ^[21] The album was originally titled "Snowblind" after the song of the same name, which deals with cocaine abuse. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant The record company changed the title at the last minute to Black Sabbath, Vol 4, with Ward stating "There was no Volume 1, 2 or 3, so it's a pretty stupid title really". ^[22]

Black Sabbath's Volume 4 was released in September 1972, and while critics of the era were again dismissive of the album, it achieved gold status in less than a month, and was the band's fourth consecutive release to sell a million copies in the US. ^[11] With more time in the studio, Volume 4 saw the band starting to experiment with new textures, such as strings, piano, orchestration and multi-part songs. ^[23] The song "Tomorrow's Dream" was released as a single - the band's first since Paranoid - but failed to chart. ^[24] Following an extensive tour of the US, the band traveled to Australia for the first time in 1973, and later Europe. Black Sabbath also appeared on England's Top of the Pops in 1973, sharing the stage with such diverse acts as Engelbert Humperdink and Diana Ross. Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, was a long-running British music chart Television programme, made and broadcast Engelbert Humperdinck (born Arnold George Dorsey, May 2 1936, Madras India) is a well-known British - American Diana Ross (born March 261944 is an American twelve-time Grammy and Oscar -nominated singer Record producer and actress whose musical repertoire

Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage (1973–1976)

Following the Volume 4 world tour, Black Sabbath returned to Los Angeles to begin work on their next release. Pleased with the Volume 4 album, the band sought to recreate the recording atmosphere, and returned to the Record Plant studio in Los Angeles, with producer and engineer Tom Allom. Tom Allom is an English Sound engineer and Record producer, mainly active in the 1970s and 1980s Although the album credits the band's manager Patrick Meehan as producer, Iommi says "Meehan's ego got involved, and he stuck his name down as producer". Patrick (Paddy Connolly Meehan (1928&ndash1994 was a man who was the victim of a controversial Miscarriage of justice in the UK. ^[25] With new musical innovations of the era, the band were surprised to find that the room they had used previously at the Record Plant was replaced by a "giant synthesiser". The band rented a house in Bel Air and began writing in the summer of 1973, but due in part to substance issues and fatigue, were unable to complete any songs. "Ideas weren't coming out the way they were on Volume 4 and we really got discontent" Iommi said. "Everybody was sitting there waiting for me to come up with something. I just couldn't think of anything. And if I didn't come up with anything, nobody would do anything. "^[25]

Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne on stage at the California Jam festival on April 6, 1974. California Jam was a Rock music festival concert held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario California on April 6, 1974. Portions of the show were telecast on ABC in the US, exposing the band to a new audience.

After a month in Los Angeles with no results, the band opted to return to England, where they rented Clearwell Castle in The Forest of Dean. The Forest of Dean is a geographical historical and cultural region in the western part of the County of Gloucestershire, England "We rehearsed in the dungeons and it was really creepy but it had some atmosphere, it conjured up things, and stuff started coming out again". ^[26] While working in the dungeon, Iommi stumbled onto the main riff of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", which set the tone for the new material. " Sabbath Bloody Sabbath " is a song by British rock band Black Sabbath. Building off the stylistic changes introduced on Volume 4, new songs incorporated synthesisers, strings, and complex arrangements. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman was brought in as a session player, appearing on "Sabbra Cadabra" and "Who Are You". Yes are an English Progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968. Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949 in Perivale, London) is an English Keyboard player best known as the Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is the fifth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1973. Who Are You is the eighth album by English rock band The Who. ^[27]

In November 1974, Black Sabbath released the critically-acclaimed Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is the fifth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1973. For the first time in their career, the band began to receive favorable reviews in the mainstream press, with Gordon Fletcher of Rolling Stone calling the album "an extraordinarily gripping affair", and "nothing less than a complete success". ^[28] Later reviewers such as All Music's Ed Rivadavia cite the album as a "masterpiece, essential to any heavy metal collection", while also displaying "a newfound sense of finesse and maturity". ^[29] The album marked the band's fifth consecutive platinum selling album in the US, reaching number four on the UK charts, and number eleven in the US. The band began a world tour in January 1974, which culminated at the California Jam festival in Ontario, California on April 6, 1974. California Jam was a Rock music festival concert held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario California on April 6, 1974. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Attracting over 200,000 fans, Black Sabbath appeared alongside such 70's pop giants as Emerson Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple, Earth, Wind & Fire, Seals & Crofts, and The Eagles. Emerson Lake & Palmer ( ELP) were an English Progressive rock supergroup. Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Earth Wind & Fire is an African - American Funk band led by Maurice White that achieved worldwide success in the 1970s Seals and Crofts are Jim Seals (born James Seals 17 October 1941, Sidney Texas) and Dash Crofts (born Darrell Crofts 14 August Portions of the show were telecast on ABC Television in the US, exposing the band to a wider American audience. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. In 1974 the band shifted management, signing with notorious English manager Don Arden. Don Arden (born Harry Levy, 4 January 1926, Manchester England – died 21 July 2007, Los Angeles) was an The move caused a contractual dispute with Black Sabbath's former management, and while on stage in the US, Ozzy was handed a subpoena that led to two years of litigation. ^[25]

Black Sabbath began work on their sixth album in February 1975, again in England at Morgan Studios in Willesden, this time with a decisive vision to differ the sound from Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath. Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. "We could've continued and gone on and on, getting more technical, using orchestras and everything else which we didn't particularly want to. We took a look at ourselves, and we wanted to do a rock album - Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath wasn't a rock album, really. "^[30] Produced by Tony Iommi, Sabotage was released in July 1975. Sabotage is the sixth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1975. Again the album initially saw favorable reviews, with Rolling Stone stating "Sabotage is not only Black Sabbath's best record since Paranoid, it might be their best ever",^[31] although later reviewers such as All Music Guide noted that "the magical chemistry that made such albums as Paranoid and Volume 4 so special was beginning to disintegrate". ^[32]

Sabotage reached the top 20 in both the US and the UK, but was the band's first release not to achieve platinum status in the US. Although the album's only single "Am I Going Insane (Radio)" failed to chart, Sabotage features fan favorites such as "Hole in the Sky", and "Symptom of the Universe". Sabotage is the sixth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1975. Hole in the Sky is a metal festival located in Bergen, Norway. ^[32] Black Sabbath toured in support of Sabotage with openers Kiss, but were forced to cut the tour short in November 1975, following a motorcycle accident in which Ozzy ruptured a muscle in his back. Kiss (also typeset as KISS) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972 MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. In December 1975, the band's record companies released a greatest hits record without input from the band, entitled We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll. A greatest hits album (sometimes referred to as a " best of " album is a Compilation album of successful previously released Songs by a particular We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll is a compilation album by Black Sabbath, originally released on December 1, 1975 in the UK and then in The album charted throughout 1976, eventually selling two million copies in the US.

Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! (1976–1979)

Black Sabbath began work for their next album at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, in June 1976. Criteria Studios is a music studio in Miami Florida started in 1958 by Mack Emerman. To expand their sound, the band added keyboard player Gerry Woodruffe, who also appeared to a lesser extent on Sabotage. Technical Ecstasy, released on September 25, 1976, was met with mixed reviews. Technical Ecstasy is a 1976 album from heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. All Music Guide gave the album two stars, and noted that the band was "unraveling at an alarming rate". ^[33] The album featured less of the doomy, ominous sound of previous efforts, and incorporated more synthesisers and uptempo rock songs. Technical Ecstasy failed to reach the top 50 in the US, and was the band's second consecutive release not to achieve platinum status, although it was later certified gold in 1997. The album included "Dirty Women", which remains a live staple, as well as Bill Ward's first lead vocal on the song "It's Alright". Dirty Women is the final track from Black Sabbath 's seventh album Technical Ecstasy. Touring in support of Technical Ecstasy began in November 1976, with openers Boston and Ted Nugent in the US, and completed in Europe with AC/DC in April 1977. Boston is an American rock band from Boston Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s Theodore "Ted" Nugent (born December 13, 1948) (aka AC/DC are an Australian Hard rock band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young.

In November 1977, while in rehearsal for their next album, and just days before the band was set to enter the studio, Ozzy Osbourne quit the band. "The last Sabbath albums were just very depressing for me", Ozzy said. "I was doing it for the sake of what we could get out of the record company, just to get fat on beer and put a record out. "^[34] Former Fleetwood Mac and Savoy Brown vocalist Dave Walker was brought into rehearsals in October 1977 and the band began working on new songs. Fleetwood Mac are a British / American Savoy Brown is a British Blues band formed in the 1960s Career Originally known as the Savoy Brown Blues Band their 1969 single This article is about the musician &ndash for the Formula One driver see David Walker (racing driver. ^[11] On January 8, 1978, Black Sabbath made their first and only appearance with Walker on vocals, playing an early version of the song "Junior's Eyes" on the BBC Television program "Look! Hear!". Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar)

Tony Iommi in 2005.

Osbourne initially set out to form a solo project, which featured ex-Dirty Tricks members John Frazer-Binnie, Terry Horbury, and Andy Bierne. In politics and business dirty tricks refers to unethical duplicitous Slanderous or illegal tactics employed to destroy or diminish the effectiveness of opponents As the new band were in rehearsals in January 1978, Osbourne had a change of heart and rejoined Black Sabbath. "Three days before we were due to go into the studio, Ozzy wanted to come back to the band," Iommi explained. "He wouldn't sing any of the stuff we'd written with the other guy, so it made it very difficult. We went into the studio with basically no songs. We'd write in the morning so we could rehearse and record at night. It was so difficult, like a conveyor belt, because you couldn't get time to reflect on stuff. 'Is this right? Is this working properly?' It was very difficult for me to come up with the ideas and putting them together that quick. "^[34]

The band spent five months at Sounds Interchange Studios in Toronto, Canada, writing and recording what would become Never Say Die!. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Never Say Die! is an album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath. "It took quite a long time," Iommi said. "We were getting really drugged out, doing a lot of dope. We'd go down to the sessions, and have to pack up because we were too stoned, we'd have to stop. Nobody could get anything right, we were all over the place, everybody's playing a different thing. We'd go back and sleep it off, and try again the next day. "^[34] The album was released in September 1978, reaching number twelve in the UK, and number 69 in the US. Press response was again unfavorable, with Ed Rivadavia of All Music Guide stating that the album's "unfocused songs perfectly reflected the band's tense personnel problems and drug abuse. allmusic (previously All Music Guide) is a Metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. "^[35] The album featured the singles "Never Say Die" and "Hard Road", both of which cracked the top 40 in the UK, and the band made their second appearance on the Top of the Pops, performing "Never Say Die". " Never Say Die " is the title track from the 1978 album Never Say Die! by Black Sabbath. Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, was a long-running British music chart Television programme, made and broadcast

Touring in support of Never Say Die! began in May 1978 with openers Van Halen. Van Halen is a Hard rock band formed in in 1972 They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978 Reviewers called Black Sabbath's performance "tired and uninspired", a stark contrast to the "youthful" performance of Van Halen, who were touring the world for the first time. ^[36] The band filmed a performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in June 1978, which was later released on DVD as Never Say Die. The Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainments and concert venue located in Hammersmith, London, England. The final show of the tour, and Osbourne's last appearance with the band (until later reunions) was in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 11.

Following the tour, Black Sabbath returned to Los Angeles and again rented a house in Bel Air, where they spent nearly a year working on material for the next album. With pressure from the record label, and frustrations with Osbourne's lack of ideas coming to a head, the band decided to fire Ozzy Osbourne in 1979. "At that time, Ozzy had come to an end", Iommi said. "We were all doing a lot of drugs, a lot of coke, a lot of everything, and Ozzy was getting drunk so much at the time. We were supposed to be rehearsing and nothing was happening. It was like 'Rehearse today? No, we'll do it tomorrow. ' It really got so bad that we didn't do anything. It just fizzled out. "^[37] Drummer Bill Ward, who was close with Ozzy, was chosen to break the news to the singer. "I hope I was professional, I might not have been, actually. When I'm drunk I am horrible, I am horrid," Ward said. "Alcohol was definitely one of the most damaging things to Black Sabbath. We were destined to destroy each other. The band were toxic, very toxic. "^[38]

Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules (1979–1982)

Sharon Arden, (later Sharon Osbourne) daughter of Black Sabbath manager Don Arden, suggested former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio to replace Ozzy Osbourne in 1979. Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, previously Arden; born 9 October 1952) is an English Music manager and promoter Don Arden (born Harry Levy, 4 January 1926, Manchester England – died 21 July 2007, Los Angeles) was an Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer Dio officially joined in June, and the band began writing their next album. With a notably different vocal style than Osbourne, Dio's addition to the band marked a change in Black Sabbath's sound. "They were totally different altogether", Iommi explains. "Not only voice-wise, but attitude-wise. Ozzy was a great showman, but when Dio came in, it was a different attitude, a different voice and a different musical approach, as far as vocals. Dio would sing across the riff, whereas Ozzy would follow the riff, like in "Iron Man". Ronnie came in and gave us another angle on writing. "^[39]

Geezer Butler temporarily left the band in September 1979, and was initially replaced by Geoff Nicholls of Quartz on bass. Geoff Nicholls is a musician and Keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Quartz are a British Heavy metal band History Quartz dates back to as early as 1974 when they were known as Bandy Legs The new lineup returned to Criteria Studios in November to begin recording work, with Butler returning to the band in January 1980, and Nicholls moving to keyboards. Produced by Martin Birch, Heaven and Hell, was released on April 25, 1980, to critical acclaim. Martin Birch is a British rock and Heavy metal Music producer. Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in 1980 Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) All Music Guide said the album was "one of Sabbath's finest records, the band sounds reborn and re-energized throughout". ^[40] Heaven and Hell peaked at number 9 in the UK, and number 28 in the US, the band's highest charting album since Sabotage. The album would eventually sell a million copies in the US, and the band embarked on an extensive world tour, making their first live appearance with Dio in Germany on April 17, 1980. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar)

Black Sabbath toured the US throughout 1980 with Blue Öyster Cult on the "Black and Blue" tour, with a show in Uniondale, New York filmed and released theatrically in 1981 as Black and Blue. Blue Öyster Cult is an American rock band formed in New York in 1967 and still active in 2008 Uniondale is a hamlet (and Census-designated place) as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States On July 26, 1980, the band played at a sold out Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles with Journey, Cheap Trick, and Molly Hatchet to 100,000 fans. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports Stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles California at Exposition Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1973 Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford Illinois, that gained popularity in the late 1970s Molly Hatchet is an American Southern rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1971 The next day, the band appeared at the 1980 Day on the Green at Oakland Coliseum. Day On The Green was the name of a Concert series in Oakland, California, presented by Bill Graham and his company Bill Graham Presents While on tour, Black Sabbath's former label in England issued a live album culled from a five-year old performance, entitled Live at Last without any input from the band. Live at Last is a live album by Black Sabbath The album reached number five on the British charts, and saw the re-release of "Paranoid" as a single, which reached the top 20.

Vocalist Ronnie James Dio

On August 18, 1980, after a show in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bill Ward was fired from Black Sabbath. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) "I was sinking very quickly", Ward later said. "I was an unbelievable drunk, I was drunk twenty-four hours a day. When I went on stage, the stage wasn't so bright. It felt like I was dying inside. The live show seemed so bare, Ron was out there doing his thing and I just went 'It's gone'. I like Ronnie, but musically, he just wasn't for me. "^[41] Concerned with Ward's declining health, Iommi brought in drummer Vinny Appice, without informing Ward. Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock Drummer, best known for his work "They didn't talk to me, they booted me from my chair and I wasn't told about that. I knew they'd have to bring in a drummer to save the (tour), but I'd been with the band for years and years, since we were kids. And then Vinny was playing and it was like 'What the fuck?' It hurt a lot. "^[42]

The band completed the Heaven and Hell world tour in February 1981, and returned to the studio to begin work on their next album. Again produced by Martin Birch, and recorded at John Lennon's old house in Ascot, England, Black Sabbath's second album with Dio, Mob Rules was well received by fans, but received mixed reviews from critics. Martin Birch is a British rock and Heavy metal Music producer. John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born Ascot is a small town within the Civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, Mob Rules is Black Sabbath 's tenth studio album released in 1981 following the success of Heaven and Hell. All Music's Ed Rivadavia called Mob Rules "a magnificent record",^[43] while Rolling Stones J. D. Considine gave the album one star, claiming "Mob Rules finds the band as dull-witted and flatulent as ever". ^[44] The album was certified gold, and reached the top 20 on the UK charts. The album's title track "The Mob Rules" was also featured in the 1981 animated film Heavy Metal, although the film version is an alternate take, and differs from the album version. Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian Animated film from executive producer Leonard Mogel who was also the publisher of Heavy Metal

The chart success of the unauthorised live album Live at Last prompted the band to record their first official live album titled Live Evil on the Mob Rules world tour, in Dallas, Texas on May 12, 1982. Live at Last is a live album by Black Sabbath Live Evil, released in 1982 (see 1982 in music) and in January 1983 in the UK is the first "official" live album by British heavy metal band Black Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) During the mixing process for the album, Iommi and Butler had a falling out with Dio. Iommi and Butler accused Dio of sneaking into the studio at night to raise the volume of his vocals. In addition, Dio was not satisfied with the pictures of him in the artwork. ^[45] "Ronnie wanted more say in things," Iommi said. "And Geezer would get upset with him and that is where the rot set in. Live Evil is when it all fell apart. Ronnie wanted to do more of his own thing, and the engineer we were using at the time in the studio didn't know what to do, because Ronnie was telling him one thing and we were telling him another. At the end of the day, we just said, 'That's it, the band is over'". ^[46] "When it comes time for the vocal, nobody tells me what to do. Nobody! Because they're not as good as me, so I do what I want to do," Dio later said. "I refuse to listen to Live Evil, because there are too many problems. If you look at the credits, the vocals and drums are listed off to the side. Open up the album and see how many pictures there are of Tony, and how many there are of me and Vinny". ^[47]

Ronnie James Dio left Black Sabbath in November 1982 to start a solo project, and took drummer Vinny Appice with him. Dio is an American heavy metal band led by Vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who formed it in 1982 after leaving Black Sabbath. Live Evil was released in January 1983, but was overshadowed by Ozzy Osbourne's Speak of the Devil, a platinum selling live album that contained only Black Sabbath songs, released five months earlier. John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer Speak of the Devil is an Album by Ozzy Osbourne, featuring only Black Sabbath covers ^[48]

Born Again and Seventh Star (1983–1986)

Left with just two original members, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler began auditioning new singers for the band's next release. After failed attempts with the likes of Whitesnake's David Coverdale, Samson's Nicky Moore, and Lone Star's John Sloman, the band settled on former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan to replace Ronnie James Dio in 1983. Whitesnake are an English Hard rock band founded in 1977 by David Coverdale (formerly of Deep Purple) David Coverdale (born September 22 1951 in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire) is an English rock vocalist most famous for Samson was a British Hard rock band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. Lone Star was a rock band formed in Cardiff, Wales, in 1975 by Paul 'Tonka' Chapman Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Ian Gillan (born 19 August, 1945 in Hounslow, London) is an English Rock music Vocalist and Songwriter Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy ^[11] While the project was not initially set to be called Black Sabbath, pressures from the record label forced the group to retain the name. The band entered The Manor Studios in Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, England, in June 1983 with a returned and newly-sober Bill Ward on drums. The Manor Studio (aka The Manor) was a Recording studio in the manor house at the village of Shipton-on-Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England Shipton-on-Cherwell is a village in Oxfordshire, England near Kidlington just north of the city of Oxford, on the River Cherwell History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the Bill Ward may refer to Bill Ward (musician (born 1948 drummer for Black Sabbath Bill Ward (actor (born 1967 Bill Born Again was met with mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Born Again is Black Sabbath 's eleventh studio album released in 1983 All Music's Ed Rivadavia called the album "dreadful", noting that "Gillan's bluesy style and humorous lyrics were completely incompatible with the lords of doom and gloom". ^[49] The album reached number four on the UK charts, and number 39 in the US. ^[24]

Ian Gillan in 2005.

Although he performed on the album, drummer Bill Ward was unable to tour due to the pressures of the road, and quit the band in 1984. "I fell apart with the idea of touring," Ward later said. "I got so much fear behind touring, I didn’t talk about the fear, I drank behind the fear instead and that was a big mistake. "^[50] Ward was replaced by former Electric Light Orchestra drummer Bev Bevan for the Born Again world tour, which began in Europe with Diamond Head, and later in the US with Quiet Riot and Night Ranger. Bev Bevan (born Beverley Bevan on 24 November 1944 in Sparkhill, Birmingham, England) is an English rock Diamond Head are a British heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. Quiet Riot was an American heavy metal band whose 1983 & 1984 success contributed to launching the 1980s Glam Night Ranger is an American Hard rock band from San Francisco California that gained significant popularity during the 1980s with a series of successful The band headlined the 1983 Reading Festival, adding the Deep Purple song "Smoke on the Water" to their set list. " Smoke on the Water " is a song by the British Hard rock band Deep Purple.

The tour in support of Born Again included a giant set of the Stonehenge monument. Stonehenge is a Prehistoric Monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury In a move that would be later parodied in the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap, the band made a mistake in ordering the set piece. This Is Spın̈al Tap (officially spelled with a non-functional umlaut over the letter 'n' and dotless 'i' is a 1984 mock Rockumentary As Geezer Butler later explained:

We had Sharon Osbourne's dad, Don Arden, managing us. Don Arden (born Harry Levy, 4 January 1926, Manchester England – died 21 July 2007, Los Angeles) was an He came up with the idea of having the stage set be Stonehenge. He wrote the dimensions down and gave it to our tour manager. He wrote it down in meters but he meant to write it down in feet. The people who made it saw fifteen meters instead of fifteen feet. It was 45 feet high and it wouldn't fit on any stage anywhere so we just had to leave it the storage area. It cost a fortune to make but there was not a building on earth that you could fit it into. ^[51]

Following the completion of the Born Again tour in March 1984, vocalist Ian Gillan left Black Sabbath to re-join Deep Purple. Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 The band enlisted Los Angeles vocalist David Donato. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Tom David Donato is an American singer known for his involvement in Black Sabbath. The new lineup wrote and rehearsed throughout 1984, and eventually recorded a demo with producer Bob Ezrin in October. Bob Ezrin (born 1949 in Toronto Ontario) is a Musician and Record producer. Unhappy with the results, the band parted ways with Donato shortly after. ^[11]

Disillusioned with the band's revolving lineup, bassist Geezer Butler quit Black Sabbath in November 1984 to form a solo band. Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for "When Ian Gillan took over that was the end of it for me", Butler later said. "I thought it was just a joke and I just totally left. When we got together with Gillan it was not supposed to be a Black Sabbath album. After we had done the album we gave it to Warner Bros. and they said they were going to put it out as a Black Sabbath album and we didn’t have a leg to stand on. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and I got really disillusioned with it and Gillan was really pissed off about it. That lasted one album and one tour and then that was it. "^[51]

Following Butler's exit, sole remaining original member Tony Iommi put Black Sabbath on hiatus, and began work on a solo album with keyboardist Geoff Nicholls. Geoff Nicholls is a musician and Keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. While working on new material, the original Black Sabbath lineup were offered a spot at Bob Geldof's Live Aid benefit concert on July 13, 1985. Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof, KBE, known as Bob Geldof (born 5 October 1951, is an Irish singer Live Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The band agreed, performing a three song set at the New York show. The event marked the first time the original lineup appeared on stage since 1978, and also featured reunions of The Who, Led Zeppelin and Neil Young with Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend Led Zeppelin were Neil Percival Young OM (born November 12, 1945, Toronto Ontario) is a Canadian Singer-songwriter, Musician Crosby Stills & Nash ( CSN) is a Folk rock / rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash Although there were rumours of a full Black Sabbath reunion following Live Aid, Ozzy Osbourne was enjoying success as a solo artist, having released three top 20 albums, and selling nearly ten million albums since his firing from Black Sabbath. John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer

Returning to his solo work, Iommi enlisted bassist Dave Spitz and drummer Eric Singer, and initially intended to use multiple singers, including Rob Halford of Judas Priest, ex-Deep Purple and Trapeze vocalist Glenn Hughes, and ex-Black Sabbath vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Dave "The Beast" Spitz (born 1 April, 1955 in New York) is a musician who played the Bass guitar for Black Sabbath from Eric Doyle Mensinger (born May 12, 1958 in Cleveland Ohio) better known as Eric Singer, is a Hard rock and Heavy Metal Robert John Arthur Halford (born August 25, 1951) is an English singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969 by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley (who named the band with guitarist Mel Glenn Hughes (born in Cannock, Staffordshire, England on August 21, 1951) is a Bassist and Vocalist Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy "We were going to use different vocalists on the album, guest vocalists, but it was so difficult getting it together and getting releases from their record companies. Glenn Hughes came along to sing on one track and we decided to use him on the whole album. "^[52]

Glenn Hughes in 1995.

The band spent the remainder of the year in the studio, recording what would become Seventh Star. Seventh Star is the twelfth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in 1986. Warner Bros. refused to release the album as a Tony Iommi solo release, instead insisting on using the name Black Sabbath. Pressured by the band's manager, Don Arden, the two compromised and released the album as "Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi" in January 1986. Don Arden (born Harry Levy, 4 January 1926, Manchester England – died 21 July 2007, Los Angeles) was an "It opened up a whole can of worms really," Iommi explained, "because I think if we could have done it as a solo album, it would have been accepted a lot more. "^[53] Seventh Star, which sounded little like a Black Sabbath album, incorporated more hard rock elements popularised by the 1980s Sunset Strip hard rock scene, and was panned by the critics of the era, although later reviewers such as All Music gave the album favorable reviews, calling the album "often misunderstood and underrated". Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile and a half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood California. ^[54]

The new lineup rehearsed for six weeks, preparing for a full world tour, although the band were again forced to use the Black Sabbath name. "I was into the 'Tony Iommi project', but I wasn't into the Black Sabbath moniker," Hughes said. "The idea of being in Black Sabbath didn't appeal to me whatsoever. Glenn Hughes singing in Black Sabbath is like James Brown singing in Metallica. James Joseph Brown Jr (May 3 1933 – December 25 2006 commonly referred to as "The Godfather of Soul" the "King of Funk" and "The Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. It wasn't gonna work". ^[52][55] Just four days before the start of the tour, vocalist Glenn Hughes got into a bar fight with the band's production manager John Downing which splintered the singer's orbital bone. The injury interfered with Hughes' ability to sing, and the band brought in vocalist Ray Gillen to continue the tour with W.A.S.P. and Anthrax, although nearly half of the US dates would eventually be cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Ray Gillen ( May 12 1959 – December 1 1993) was a singer best known for his work with the bands Black Sabbath, Badlands WASP is an American heavy metal band formed in 1982 and emerged with the L Anthrax is a New York City -based heavy metal band that released its first full-length album in 1984 ^[56]

The Eternal Idol, Headless Cross, and Tyr (1986–1990)

Black Sabbath began work on new material in October 1986 at Air Studios in Montserrat with producer Jeff Glixman. Associated Independent Recording (AIR, an independent recording company was founded in London in 1965 by Beatles producer George Martin and his partner Montserrat (ˌmɒntsəˈræt is British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles The recording was wrought with problems from the beginning, as Glixman left after the initial sessions, and was replaced by producer Vic Coppersmith. Bassist Dave Spitz quit due to "personal issues", and ex-Rainbow bassist Bob Daisley was brought in. Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. Robert "Bob" Daisley (born February 13, 1950 In Sydney Australia is a Hard rock Bass guitar player and Lyricist who Daisley re-recorded all of the bass tracks, and wrote the album's lyrics, but before the album was complete, he left to join Gary Moore's solo band, taking drummer Eric Singer with him. Gary Moore (born Robert William Gary Moore, 4 April 1952, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish Guitarist. Eric Doyle Mensinger (born May 12, 1958 in Cleveland Ohio) better known as Eric Singer, is a Hard rock and Heavy Metal ^[11] After problems with second producer Coppersmith, the band returned to Morgan Studios in England in January 1987 to work with new producer Chris Tsangarides. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Chris Tsangarides is a Greek Cypriot-British Grammy nominated music producer sound engineer and mixer While working in the UK, new vocalist Ray Gillen abruptly left Black Sabbath to form Blue Murder with John Sykes. John Sykes (born July 29 1959 in Reading, Berkshire) is an English Heavy metal / Hard rock Guitarist The band enlisted ex-Alliance vocalist Tony Martin to re-record Gillen's tracks, and former drummer Bev Bevan to complete a few percussion overdubs. Anthony Martin Harford, (born April 19 1957) is a heavy metal vocalist best known for his work with Black Sabbath from 1987 to 1991 and Bev Bevan (born Beverley Bevan on 24 November 1944 in Sparkhill, Birmingham, England) is an English rock ^[57]

Prior to the release of the new album, Black Sabbath accepted an offer to play six shows at Sun City, South Africa during the apartheid. Sun City is a luxury South African Casino resort situated in the North West Province. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The band drew criticism from activists and artists involved with Artists United Against Apartheid, who had been boycotting South Africa since 1985. Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activist and performer Steven Van Zandt to protest Apartheid in South Africa Drummer Bev Bevan refused to play the shows, and was replaced by Terry Chimes, formerly of The Clash. Terry Chimes (born 25 January 1955, Stepney, London) was the original Drummer of Punk rock For the debut album by The Clash see The Clash (album The Clash were ^[57]

After nearly a year in production, The Eternal Idol was released on December 8, 1987, to mixed reviews. The Eternal Idol is the thirteenth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in 1987. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) All Music said that "Martin's powerful voice added new fire" to the band, and the album contained "some of Iommi's heaviest riffs in years". ^[58] Blender gave the album two stars, claiming the album was "Black Sabbath in name only". ^[59] The album would be Black Sabbath's first release not to chart in the UK, while peaking at 168 in the US. ^[24] The band toured in support of Eternal Idol in Germany, Italy and for the first time, Greece. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Unfortunately, due in part to backlash from promoters over the South Africa incident, other European shows were canceled. ^[60] Bassist Dave Spitz left the band shortly before the tour, and was replaced by Jo Burt.

Following the poor commercial performance of Eternal Idol, Black Sabbath were dropped by Vertigo Records and Warner Bros. Records, and signed with I.R.S. Records. IRS (International Record Syndicate Records was a Record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg ^[57] In January 1988, the band began rehearsals for a planned upcoming US tour, but with low ticket sales, the tour was cancelled. The band took time off in 1988, returning in August to begin work on their next album. As a result of the recording troubles with Eternal Idol, Tony Iommi opted to produce the band's next album himself. "It was a completely new start", Iommi said. "I had to rethink the whole thing, and decided that we needed to build up some credibility again". ^[61] Iommi enlisted ex-Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell, and session bassist Laurence Cottle, and rented a "very cheap studio in England". Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. Colin Flooks ( December 29, 1947 - April 5, 1998) better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer Laurence Cottle is an electric bassist probably best known for his session work for Black Sabbath in 1989 on the Headless Cross album ^[61]

Black Sabbath released Headless Cross in April 1989, to favorable reviews. Headless Cross is the fourteenth album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1989. All Music gave the album four stars, calling Headless Cross "the finest non-Ozzy or Dio Black Sabbath album". ^[62] Anchored by the top 40 single "Headless Cross", the album reached number 31 on the UK charts, and number 115 in the US. ^[24] Queen guitarist Brian May, a friend of Iommi's, played a guest solo on the song "When Death Calls". Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian Harold May, CBE Following the album's release, the band added touring bassist Neil Murray, formerly of Whitesnake. Philip Neil Murray (born 27 August 1950 in Edinburgh Scotland is a British bass player best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath Whitesnake are an English Hard rock band founded in 1977 by David Coverdale (formerly of Deep Purple) ^[11]

The ill-fated Headless Cross US tour began in May 1989 with openers Kingdom Come and Silent Rage, but due to poor ticket sales, the tour was cancelled after just eight shows. Kingdom Come is a Hard rock band fronted by Hamburg -born vocalist Lenny Wolf. Silent Rage is a 1982 action / Science fiction / horror movie starring Chuck Norris and directed by Michael Miller ^[63] The European leg of the tour began in September, where the band were enjoying chart success. After a string of Japanese shows, the band embarked on a 23 date Russian tour with Girlschool. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Girlschool are a long-running British all-female Heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene Black Sabbath was one of the first bands to tour Russia, after Mikhail Gorbachov opened the country to western acts for the first time in 1989. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician ^[60]

The band returned to the studio in February 1990 to record Tyr, the follow-up to Headless Cross. Tyr is the fifteenth studio album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1990 by I While not technically a concept album, some of the album's lyrical themes are loosely based on Norse mythology. In Popular music, a concept album is an Album which is "unified by a theme which can be instrumental compositional narrative or lyrical" Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland ^[63] Tyr was released on August 6, 1990, and reached number 24 on the UK albums chart, but was the first Black Sabbath release not to break the Billboard 200 in the US. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) ^[24] while Blender gave the album just one star, claiming that "Iommi continues to besmirch the Sabbath name with this unremarkable collection". ^[64] The band toured in support of Tyr with Circus of Power in Europe, but the final seven UK dates were canceled due to poor ticket sales. Circus of Power was a rock band from New York and Los Angeles, USA. ^[65] For the first time in their career, the band's touring cycle did not include US dates. ^[66]

Black Sabbath bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler

Dehumanizer (1990–1993)

While on his own Lock Up The Wolves US tour in August 1990, former Black Sabbath vocalist Ronnie James Dio was joined on stage at the Minneapolis Forum by former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler to perform "Neon Knights". Lock Up the Wolves was released May 15, 1990 and is Dio 's fifth Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for Following the show, the two expressed interest in rejoining Black Sabbath. Butler convinced Iommi, who in turn broke up the current lineup, dismissing vocalist Tony Martin and bassist Neil Murray. "I do regret that in a lot of ways", Iommi said. "We were at a good point then. We decided to [reunite with Dio] and I don't even know why, really. There's the financial aspect, but that wasn't it. I seemed to think maybe we could recapture something we had". ^[61]

Ronnie James Dio and Geezer Butler joined Tony Iommi and Cozy Powell in the fall of 1990 to begin working on the next Black Sabbath release. Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July, 1949 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the founding bassist for Frank Anthony "Iommi (born February 19 1948, in Aston, Birmingham England) is an English Guitarist and Songwriter Colin Flooks ( December 29, 1947 - April 5, 1998) better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer While rehearsing in November, Powell suffered a broken hip when his horse died, falling on the drummer's legs. ^[67] Unable to complete work on the album, Powell was replaced by former drummer Vinny Appice, and the band entered the studio with producer Reinhold Mack. Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock Drummer, best known for his work Reinhold Mack (aka Mack) is a German Record producer and Sound engineer, mostly known for his collaborations The year-long recording process was plagued with problems, primarily stemming from writing tension between Tony Iommi and Ronnie James Dio, as some songs were re-written multiple times. ^[68] "Dehumanizer took a long time, it was just hard work", Iommi said. "We took too long on it, that album cost us a million dollars, which is bloody ridiculous". ^[69] Dio later recalled the album as difficult, but worth the effort. "It was something we had to really wring out of ourselves, but I think that's why it works", he said. "Sometimes you need that kind of tension, or else you end up making the Christmas album". ^[70]

The resulting album, Dehumanizer was released on June 22, 1992. Dehumanizer is the sixteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1992. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) In the US, the album was released on June 30, 1992 by Reprise Records, as Ronnie James Dio and his namesake band were still under contract with the label at the time. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Reprise Records is an American Record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, which is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated Dio is an American heavy metal band led by Vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who formed it in 1982 after leaving Black Sabbath. While the album received mixed reviews,^[67][71] it was the band's biggest commercial success in ten years. ^[11] Anchored by the top 40 rock radio single "TV Crimes", the album peaked at number 44 on the Billboard 200. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard ^[11] The album also featured the song "Time Machine", which appeared in the 1992 film Wayne's World. Wayne's World is a 1992 Comedy film starring Mike Myers as Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar hosts of the Aurora

Black Sabbath began touring in support of Dehumanizer in July 1992 with Testament, Danzig, Prong, and Exodus. Testament is an American Thrash metal band from California. Testament has two Top 40 albums and one Top 50 album to its credit in the UK Gdańsk ( Polish pronunciation; 'Danzig', Gduńsk Gedania Dantiscum is the City at the centre of the fourth-largest Metropolitan area in Poland Exodus is an American Thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by guitarist Gary Holt, current Metallica While on tour, former vocalist Ozzy Osbourne announced his first retirement, and invited Black Sabbath to open for his solo band at the final two shows of his No More Tours tour in Costa Mesa, California. John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer No More Tears is an album by Ozzy Osbourne. It was released on September 17, 1991 and it was re-issued on August 22, Costa Mesa is a Suburban city in Orange County California, United States. The band agreed, aside from vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who said:

I was told in the middle of the tour that we would be opening for Ozzy in Los Angeles. And I said, "No. Sorry, I have more pride than that. " A lot of bad things were being said from camp to camp, and it created this horrible schism. So by [the band] agreeing to play the shows in L. A. with Ozzy, that, to me, spelled out reunion. And that obviously meant the doom of that particular project. ^[70]

Dio quit Black Sabbath following a show in Oakland, California on November 13, 1992, one night before the band were set to appear at Osbourne's retirement show. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Events 1002 - English king Ethelred orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford stepped in at the last minute, performing two nights with the band. Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. Robert John Arthur Halford (born August 25, 1951) is an English singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band ^[72] Iommi and Butler also joined Osbourne and former drummer Bill Ward on stage for the first time since 1985's Live Aid concert, performing a brief set of Black Sabbath songs. Bill Ward may refer to Bill Ward (musician (born 1948 drummer for Black Sabbath Bill Ward (actor (born 1967 Bill Live Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia

Cross Purposes and Forbidden (1993–1996)

Drummer Vinny Appice left the band following the reunion show to join Ronnie James Dio's solo band, later appearing on Dio's Strange Highways and Angry Machines. Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock Drummer, best known for his work Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy Strange Highways is the sixth studio Album by American heavy metal Angry Machines is the seventh studio album from the heavy metal band Dio. Iommi and Butler enlisted former Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli, and reinstated former vocalist Tony Martin. Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. Bobby Rondinelli (born July 27, 1955, Brooklyn New York) is a rock Drummer best known for his work with the bands Blue Öyster Cult Anthony Martin Harford, (born April 19 1957) is a heavy metal vocalist best known for his work with Black Sabbath from 1987 to 1991 and The band returned to the studio to work on new material, again not originally intended to be released under the Black Sabbath name. As Geezer Butler explains:

It wasn't even supposed to be a Sabbath album; I wouldn't have even done it under the pretence of Sabbath. That was the time when the original band were talking about getting back together for a reunion tour. Tony and myself just went in with a couple of people, did an album just to have, while the reunion tour was (supposedly) going on. It was like an Iommi/Butler project album. ^[73]

Under pressure from their record label, the band released their thirteenth studio album, Cross Purposes, on February 8, 1994, under the Black Sabbath name. Cross Purposes is the seventeenth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1994. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The album again received mixed reviews, with Blender giving the album two stars, calling Soundgarden's 1994 album Superunknown "a far better Sabbath album than this by-the-numbers potboiler". Superunknown is the fourth album by the American Alternative rock band Soundgarden, released on March 8 1994 through A&M Records. ^[74] All Music Guide's Bradley Torreano called Cross Purposes "the first album since Born Again that actually sounds like a real Sabbath record". ^[75] The album failed to chart in the UK, but reached 122 on the Billboard 200 in the US. Cross Purposes contained the song "Evil Eye", which was co-written by Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, although uncredited due to record label restrictions. Van Halen is a Hard rock band formed in in 1972 They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978 Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (born January 26 1955 is a Dutch Guitarist, Keyboardist, Songwriter and producer ^[76] Touring in support of Cross Purposes began in February with Morbid Angel and Motörhead in the US. Morbid Angel is an American Death metal band based in Tampa Florida. The band filmed a live performance at the Hammersmith Apollo on April 13, 1994, which was released on VHS accompanied by a CD, entitled Cross Purposes Live. The Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainments and concert venue located in Hammersmith, London, England. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Cross Purposes Live is a live album recorded by the British metal band Black Sabbath. After the European tour with Cathedral and Godspeed in June 1994, drummer Bobby Rondinelli quit the band and was replaced by original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward for five shows in South America. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a

Following the touring cycle for Cross Purposes, bassist Geezer Butler again quit the band. "I finally got totally disillusioned with the last Sabbath album, and I much preferred the stuff I was writing to the stuff Sabbath were doing". ^[73] Butler formed a solo project called GZR, and released Plastic Planet in 1995. GZR is a band led by Black Sabbath bassist/lyricist Geezer Butler. Plastic Planet is an album by GZR (known at the time as G//Z/R a Heavy metal band featuring Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. The album contained the song "Giving Up the Ghost", which was critical of Tony Iommi for carrying on with the Black Sabbath name, with the lyrics: You plagiarized and parodied / the magic of our meaning / a legend in your own mind / left all your friends behind / you can't admit that you're wrong / the spirit is dead and gone. ^[77]

Following Butler's departure, newly-returned drummer Bill Ward once again left the band. Bill Ward may refer to Bill Ward (musician (born 1948 drummer for Black Sabbath Bill Ward (actor (born 1967 Bill Iommi reinstated former members Neil Murray on bass, and Cozy Powell on drums, effectively reuniting the Tyr lineup. The band enlisted Body Count guitarist Ernie C to produce the new album, which was recorded in London in the fall of 1994. Body Count is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1990 Ernie Cunnigan, better known by stage name "Ernie C" is the lead guitarist The album featured a guest vocal on "Illusion of Power" by Body Count vocalist Ice T. ^[78] The resulting Forbidden, was released on June 8, 1995, but failed to chart in the US or the UK. Forbidden is the eighteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1995. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 ^[79][80] The album was widely panned by critics; All Music's Bradley Torreano said "with boring songs, awful production, and uninspired performances, this is easily avoidable for all but the most enthusiastic fan";^[81] while Blender magazine called Forbidden "an embarrassment . . . the band’s worst album". ^[82]

Black Sabbath embarked on a world tour in July 1995 with openers Motörhead and Tiamat, but two months into the tour, drummer Cozy Powell left the band, citing health issues, and was replaced by former drummer Bobby Rondinelli. In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is the sea personified as a Goddess, and a monstrous embodiment of Primordial chaos. Bobby Rondinelli (born July 27, 1955, Brooklyn New York) is a rock Drummer best known for his work with the bands Blue Öyster Cult After completing Asian dates in December 1995, Tony Iommi put the band on hiatus, and began work on a solo album with former Black Sabbath vocalist Glenn Hughes, and former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland. Glenn Hughes (born in Cannock, Staffordshire, England on August 21, 1951) is a Bassist and Vocalist Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. David (Dave Holland (born on April 5, 1948 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire) is an English rock drummer best remembered from The album was not officially released following it's completion, although a widely traded bootleg called Eighth Star surfaced soon after. The album was officially released in 2004 as The 1996 DEP Sessions, with Holland's drums re-recorded by session drummer Jimmy Copley. The 1996 DEP Sessions is a Tony Iommi album released in 2004 Material for this album was originally recorded in 1996 and was circulated among fans as a Jimmy Copley, sometimes credited as Jim Copley (born James Copley in 1953, in London) is a professional drummer who since the age of 17 has worked with ^[83]

In 1997, Tony Iommi disbanded the current lineup to officially reunite with Ozzy Osbourne and the original Black Sabbath lineup. Vocalist Tony Martin claimed that an original lineup reunion had been in the works since the band's brief reunion at Ozzy Osbourne's 1992 Costa Mesa show, and that the band released subsequent albums to fulfill their record contract with I. R. S. records. Martin later recalled Forbidden as a "filler album that got the band out of the label deal, rid of the singer, and into the reunion. However I wasn’t privy to that information at the time". ^[84] I.R.S. Records released a compilation album in 1996 to fulfill the band's contract, entitled The Sabbath Stones, which featured songs from Born Again to Forbidden. IRS (International Record Syndicate Records was a Record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg A compilation album is an Album ( Music or Spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple Recording artists, often culled from a variety of The Sabbath Stones (1996 was the last album to be released by Black Sabbath with IRS Records.

Reunion (1997–2006)

Ozzy Osbourne in 2007.

In the summer of 1997, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Ozzy Osbourne officially reunited to co-headline the Ozzfest festival tour along side Osbourne's solo band. Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States (and in some years Europe) featuring performances by many heavy metal and Hard rock The lineup featured Osbourne's drummer Mike Bordin filling in for Bill Ward, who was unable to participate due to prior commitments with his solo project, The Bill Ward Band. Mike Bordin (born November 27, 1962 in San Francisco California) is a drummer and co-founder of Faith No More. ^[11] In December 1997, the group was joined by Ward, marking the first reunion of the original four members since 1985's Live Aid. The original lineup recorded two shows at the Birmingham NEC, which were released as the double live album Reunion on October 20, 1998. The National Exhibition Centre ( NEC) is an Exhibition centre in Solihull, near Birmingham, England. Reunion is a Live album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath. After the departure of vocalist Ozzy Osbourne in 1979 Black Sabbath's line-up Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Reunion reached number eleven on the Billboard 200, and went platinum in the US. ^[11][24] The album spawned the single "Iron Man", which won Black Sabbath its first Grammy award in 2000 for Best Metal Performance, 30 years after the song was originally released. "Iron Man" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their second studio album Paranoid released in 1970 The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance has been awarded since 1989. Reunion also featured two new studio tracks, "Psycho Man" and "Selling My Soul", both of which cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. ^[24]

Shortly before the band embarked on a European tour in the summer of 1998, drummer Bill Ward suffered a heart attack and was temporarily replaced by former drummer Vinny Appice. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock Drummer, best known for his work ^[85] Ward returned in time for the US tour with openers Pantera, which began in January 1999 and continued through the summer, headlining the annual Ozzfest tour. Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, formed by the Abbott brothers Vinnie Paul ( drums) and ^[11] Following the Ozzfest appearances, the band was put on hiatus while members worked on solo material. Tony Iommi released his first official solo album, Iommi, in 2000, while Osborne continued work on his next solo release, Down to Earth. Iommi is a Heavy Metal Album by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and myriad guest musicians and vocalists including

Black Sabbath returned to the studio to work on new material with all four original members and producer Rick Rubin in the spring of 2001,^[11] but the sessions were halted when Osbourne was called away to finish tracks for his solo album in the summer of 2001. Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin (born March 10 1963 in Lido Beach New York) is an American Record producer and is currently ^[86] "It just came to an end", Iommi said. "We didn't go any further, and it's a shame because [the songs] were really good". ^[87] Iommi commented on the difficulty getting all of the band members together to work on material:

"It's quite different recording now. We've all done so much in between. In [the early] days there was no mobile phone ringing every five seconds. When we first started, we had nothing. We all worked for the same thing. Now everybody has done so many other things. It's great fun and we all have a good chat, but it's just different, trying to put an album together. "^[87]

In March 2002, Ozzy Osbourne's Emmy winning reality tv show "The Osbournes" debuted on MTV, and quickly became a worldwide hit. The Osbournes was an Emmy Award -winning American Reality television program broadcast by MTV in the U MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. ^[11] The show introduced Osbourne to a broader audience and to capitalise, the band's back catalogue label, Sanctuary Records released a double live album Past Lives, which featured two concerts from the 1970s era lineup, including the previously unofficial Live at Last concert. Sanctuary Records is a Record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Past Lives is a Live album released in 2002 by Black Sabbath. Live at Last is a live album by Black Sabbath The band remained on hiatus until the summer of 2004 when they returned to headline Ozzfest 2004 and 2005. In November 2005, Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, and in March 2006, after eleven years of eligibility, the band were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The UK Music Hall of Fame honours musicians for their lifetime fame in music The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States ^[88] At the awards ceremony Metallica played two Black Sabbath songs, "Hole in the Sky" and "Iron Man" in tribute to the band. Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Sabotage is the sixth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1975. "Iron Man" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their second studio album Paranoid released in 1970 ^[89]

The Dio Years and Heaven and Hell (2006–)

For more details on this topic, see Heaven and Hell (band). Heaven and Hell is a musical collaboration featuring Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with former members Ronnie James Dio and

Vinnie Appice performing a drum solo with Heaven and Hell at Katowice, 2007

While Ozzy Osbourne was working on new solo material in 2006, Warner records released The Dio Years, a compilation of songs culled from the four Black Sabbath releases featuring Ronnie James Dio. Black Sabbath The Dio Years is a 2007 compilation CD of material from recordings made during vocalist Ronnie James Dio 's tenure in the band Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy For the release, Iommi and Dio reunited to write and record three new songs. The Dio Years was released on April 3, 2007, reaching number 54 on the Billboard 200, while the single "The Devil Cried" reached number 37 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[24] Pleased with the results, Iommi and Dio decided to reunite the Heaven and Hell era lineup for a world tour. The Heaven and Hell 2007 Tour was a global Concert tour by Heaven and Hell in support of Black Sabbath 's The Dio Years compilation While the lineup of Osbourne, Butler, Iommi and Ward were still officially called Black Sabbath, the new lineup opted to call themselves Heaven and Hell, after the album of the same name, to avoid confusion. Heaven and Hell is a musical collaboration featuring Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with former members Ronnie James Dio and Drummer Bill Ward was initially set to participate, but dropped out before the tour began, and was replaced by former drummer Vinny Appice, effectively reuniting the lineup that had featured on the Mob Rules and Dehumanizer albums. Vincent "Vinny" Appice (born September 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a rock Drummer, best known for his work

Heaven and Hell toured the US with openers Megadeth and Machine Head, and recorded a live album and DVD in New York on March 30, 2007, entitled Live from Radio City Music Hall. Megadeth is an American heavy metal band led by founder front man guitarist and songwriter Dave Mustaine. Machine Head is an American metal band formed in 1992 in Oakland, California. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Live from Radio City Music Hall is a double album by the group Heaven and Hell which was released on August 28, 2007 in the US, In November 2007, Dio confirmed that the band have plans to record a new studio album in 2008. ^[90] In April 2008 the band announced the upcoming release of a new box set and their participation in The Metal Masters Tour, alongside Judas Priest, Motörhead and Testament. The Metal Masters Tour was an American and Canadian Concert tour featuring Judas Priest, Motörhead, Heaven and Hell Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. Testament is an American Thrash metal band from California. Testament has two Top 40 albums and one Top 50 album to its credit in the UK ^[91] The box set, The Rules of Hell, featuring remastered versions of all the Dio fronted Black Sabbath albums, is set to be supported by the Metal Masters Tour. The Rules of Hell is a collection of four albums by the heavy metal band Black Sabbath featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals

Musical style

Although Black Sabbath have gone through many lineups and stylistic changes, their original sound focused on ominous lyrics and doomy music, often making use of the musical tritone, also called the "devil's interval". The tritone ( Tri - or three and tone) is a Musical interval that spans three whole tones. Standing as a stark contrast to popular music of the early 1970s, Black Sabbath's dark sound was dismissed by rock critics of the era, and the band received virtually no airplay on rock radio.

As the band's primary songwriter, Tony Iommi wrote the majority of Black Sabbath's music, while Osbourne would write vocal melodies, and bassist Geezer Butler would write lyrics. The process was sometimes frustrating for Iommi, who often felt pressured to come up with new material. "If I didn't come up with anything, nobody would do anything. "^[25] On Iommi's influence, Osbourne later said:

"Black Sabbath never used to write a structured song. There'd be a long intro that would go into a jazz piece, then go all folky. . . and it worked. Tony Iommi - and I have said this a zillion times - should be up there with the greats. He can pick up a guitar, play a riff, and you say, 'He's gotta be out now, he can't top that. ' Then you come back and I bet you a billion dollars, he'd come up with a riff that'd knock your fucking socks off. "^[92]

Early Black Sabbath albums feature tuned-down guitars, which contributed to the dark feel of the music. Guitar tunings are differing pitch arrangements of open (unfretted strings used for the Guitar. ^[11] In 1966, prior to forming Black Sabbath, guitarist Tony Iommi suffered a freak accident while working in a sheet metal factory, losing the tips of two fingers on his right hand. Sheet metal is simply Metal formed into thin and flat pieces It is one of the fundamental forms used in Metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety Iommi almost gave up music, but was urged by a friend to listen to Django Reinhardt, a virtuoso jazz guitarist who lost the use of two fingers. Jean "Django" Reinhardt ( January 23, 1910 – May 16, 1953) was a Belgian Gypsy jazz Guitarist A virtuoso (from Italian virtuoso, late Latin virtuosus, Latin virtus meaning skill manliness excellence is an individual Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States ^[93] Inspired by Reinhardt, Iommi created two thimbles made of plastic and leather to cap off his missing fingers. The guitarist began using lighter strings, and detuning his guitar in 1971, to better grip the strings with his prosthetics; a move which inadvertently gave the music a darker feel". In Medicine, a prosthesis (plural prostheses) is an Artificial extension that replaces a missing Body part. ^[93]

Legacy

With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide,^[2] Black Sabbath is arguably the most influential heavy metal band of all time. The band helped to create the genre with ground breaking releases such as Paranoid, an album that Rolling Stone magazine said "changed music forever", ^[94] and called the band "the Beatles of heavy metal". The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 ^[95] Time Magazine called Paranoid "the birthplace of heavy metal", placing it in their Top 100 Albums of All Time. ^[96] MTV placed Black Sabbath at number one on their Top Ten Heavy Metal Bands. MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. ^[97] VH1 ranked Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" the number one song on their 40 Greatest Metal Songs countdown. VH1 (known as VH-1 Video Hits One from 1985 to 1994 and VH1 Music First until 2003) is an American Cable television ^[98] All Music Guide's William Ruhlmann said:

Black Sabbath has been so influential in the development of heavy metal rock music as to be a defining force in the style. The group took the blues-rock sound of late '60s acts like Cream, Blue Cheer, and Vanilla Fudge to its logical conclusion, slowing the tempo, accentuating the bass, and emphasising screaming guitar solos and howled vocals full of lyrics expressing mental anguish and macabre fantasies. For the 1993 hip-hop single by the Wu-Tang Clan see CREAM CREAM is an acronym for Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Method a Blue Cheer is a San Francisco -based rock group that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and again from the mid-1980s to the present Vanilla Fudge was an American psychedelic band that recorded albums from 1967 to 1970 If their predecessors clearly came out of an electrified blues tradition, Black Sabbath took that tradition in a new direction, and in so doing helped give birth to a musical style that continued to attract millions of fans decades later. ^[11]

Influence

Black Sabbath's influence on heavy metal is almost unparalleled, the band are cited as highly influential by countless bands, including Metallica, Iron Maiden,^[99] Anthrax, Opeth,^[100] Pantera, Megadeth,^[101] The Smashing Pumpkins,^[102] Slipknot,^[103] the Foo Fighters,^[104]Fear Factory,^[105] and Godsmack. Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. For other uses see Iron maiden. Anthrax is an acute Disease in humans and animals caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis which is highly lethal in some forms Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band that formed in 1990 in Stockholm. Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, formed by the Abbott brothers Vinnie Paul ( drums) and Megadeth is an American heavy metal band led by founder front man guitarist and songwriter Dave Mustaine. The Smashing Pumpkins are an American Alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988 Slipknot is an American band from Des Moines Iowa. Slipknot consists of nine members the current band members are Sid Foo Fighters is an American Alternative rock and Post-grunge band formed by singer/guitarist Dave Grohl in 1995 Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band The band formed in 1989 and have released seven full-length Godsmack is an American Hard Rock / Alternative Metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1996 ^[106] Two gold selling tribute albums have been released, Nativity in Black Volume 1 & 2, including songs by Sepultura, White Zombie, Type O Negative, Faith No More, Machine Head, System of a Down and Monster Magnet. A tribute album is a recorded collection of Cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions Nativity in Black is the name of a pair of Black Sabbath Tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s Sepultura ( Portuguese: Grave) are a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, formed in 1984 For the film see White Zombie (film White Zombie was an American Heavy metal band named after the 1932 film of the same Type O Negative is a Heavy metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. Faith No More was an American Alternative metal band that formed in San Francisco, California from 1982 to 1998 System of a Down (commonly referred to as System or abbreviated as SOAD) is an Armenian American rock band formed in 1994 in Monster Magnet is an American Hard rock band Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf (vocals

Metallica's Lars Ulrich, who inducted Black Sabbath into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, said "Black Sabbath is and always will be synonymous with heavy metal",^[107]while James Hetfield said "Sabbath got me started on all that evil-sounding shit, and it's stuck with me. Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Lars Ulrich (born December 26 1963) is a Danish Drummer best known as the co-founder of the American heavy metal The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963, in Downey California) is the main Songwriter, co-founder vocalist and Rhythm guitarist Tony Iommi is the king of the heavy riff. "^[108] Ex-Guns n Roses guitarist Slash said of the Paranoid album: "There's just something about that whole record that, when you're a kid and you're turned onto it, it's like a whole different world. Guns N' Roses is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 It just opens up your mind to another dimension. . . Paranoid is the whole Sabbath experience; very indicative of what Sabbath meant at the time. Tony's playing style — doesn’t matter whether it's off 'Paranoid' or if it's off 'Heaven and Hell' — it's very distinctive. "^[108] Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian said "I always get the question in every interview I do, 'What are your top five metal albums?' I make it easy for myself and always say the first five Sabbath albums. Anthrax is a New York City -based heavy metal band that released its first full-length album in 1984 Scott Ian Rosenfeld (born December 31, 1963) is the rhythm Guitarist for the metal band Anthrax who uses the stage name Scott "^[108] Lamb of God's Chris Adler said "If anybody who plays heavy metal says that they weren't influenced by Black Sabbath's music, then I think that they're lying to you. Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band formed in 1990 in Richmond Chris Adler may refer to Chris Adler (actor (born 1975 American actor Chris Adler (drummer (born 1972 American drummer I think all heavy metal music was, in some way, influenced by what Black Sabbath did. "^[109]

Members

Main article: List of Black Sabbath band members

Current line-up

• Ozzy Osbourne - vocals (1969–1979, 1997-present)
• Tony Iommi - guitar (1969-present)
• Geezer Butler - bass (1969–1984, 1990–1994, 1997-present)
• Bill Ward - drums (1969–1980, 1983, 1984, 1994, 1997–98, 1998-present)

Discography

Main article: Black Sabbath discography

• Black Sabbath (1970)
• Paranoid (1970)
• Master of Reality (1971)
• Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972)
• Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
• Sabotage (1975)
• Technical Ecstasy (1976)
• Never Say Die! (1978)
• Heaven and Hell (1980)
• Mob Rules (1981)
• Born Again (1983)
• Seventh Star (1986)
• The Eternal Idol (1987)
• Headless Cross (1989)
• Tyr (1990)
• Dehumanizer (1992)
• Cross Purposes (1994)
• Forbidden (1995)

References

• Rosen, Steven (1996), The Story of Black Sabbath: Wheels of Confusion, Castle Communications, ISBN 1-86074-149-5 

Notes

External links

• Official Tony Iommi webpage
• Official Black Sabbath site
• Black Sabbath Live Project
• Joe Siegler's Black Sabbath Fan site
• Official Ozzy Osbourne Website