A Look At The First Three Albums
Struck The Deal - Black Sabbath
Imagine it's 1969, and you're spending a night of fun at Henry's Blues House. A long-haired chap has his hands on the mic. With three loud musicians playing around him. This group, which you have seen before as Earth, now introduces itself as Black Sabbath. DJ turned label head Tony Hall is beside you. Checking out this band with a huge verbal following. Tony Hall decides then and there to take the band to his Tony Hall Enterprises. A deal was struck with the Fontana music label to get these songs onto tape. The Wizard, Black Sabbath, N.I.B, and Warning are songs that have already been placed in the setlist. At first, there were attempts just to see how the band would do in the studio. And to get some singles to help promote the band. In September 1969, the band entered Trident Studios to record the lost gem The Rebel. It was discarded and forgotten. Two weeks later, they go to the Birmingham Arts Lab to record a Norman Haines song, When I Came Down. Also recording an early version of The Wizard. Known as Devil's Island for the longest time. DI would later also be the working title of the song Sleeping Village. On October 16th, 1969, the band arrived with their gear at Regent Sound Studios. Located off of Tottenham Court Road. (There is a dispute over the actual day they went into the studio, But Iommi cleared it up by saying it was this date.) Much like Sabbath, producer Roger Bain was new to the album recording process. This was, in fact, his test for becoming a record producer. The songs mentioned above were 99% structured and recorded just like the live sets. Roger just mentioned a few things, but for the most part, he just set the mics on the band. And let them play.
The Regent Studio was described as a small room. Not much bigger than a living room. Ozzy sang inside a tiny booth as the band played live. Roger and engineer Tom Allom didn't do much fixing and made very few changes. Most notable was adding the storm and bells on Black Sabbath. On the guitar solo on Warning, Iommi recorded it in one take. He even asked for a second take, but Roger said no. Iommi pushed on him, and Roger let him have a second take. Warning was 15 minutes in length, which was edited down to 10 minutes. With an entire section cut out. With a couple of seconds here and there. N.I.B. was just a joke title at the beginning. Bill Ward's beard earned him the nickname Nib. Spoken out on a LSD trip and still having a life 50 years later. The song was born on a set of dates in Switzerland. The bass solo was created later in the studio. Which the record company took the title and turned it into N.I.B. Later wrongly gaining the mean as being Nativity In Black. Black Sabbath's third verse was edited out. The first example of this lost verse would be a John Peel radio session released on Ozzy Osbourne's The Ozzman Cometh in 1997. It's widely known that Geezer Butler was the main lyricist. But he has confirmed many times over that Ozzy indeed wrote the lyrics to Black Sabbath. The guitar riff is an offset of the devil's third. A progression of music that was once banned in England from being played. A three-note treasure that became a must-learn lick for all doom-latent guitarists The song was first played during a gig, and it silenced the crowd. It had them stunned to their seats. And since it has been played at every Black Sabbath concert, Jim Simpson set up the band to record Evil Woman. A cover of the American band Crow's only hit. The reason explained was that they needed a 'radio-friendly' song. The Wizard opens up with a harmonica jaunt before launching into a glorified jam that doesn't follow any song structure rules. Blue Oyster Cult, to many, stole the song and reformed it to be their hit Cities On Flame With Rock N Roll. Behind The Wall Of Sleep is an underrated Sabbath track. Contains a deeper key of singing for Ozzy. He has never sang a song in this exact key. A lyric jaunt on death and dying. Wicked World is the jam buffet. With the lyrics exploring such subjects as war, death, space travel, and a single woman working herself to death and her young son.
The album's recording took less than 12 hours to complete. With between 800 and 900 pounds as its only cost. The cost included a second day of mixing and mastering. It was left up to Roger and Tom, as Sabbath was already on the road.
The Regent Studio was described as a small room. Not much bigger than a living room. Ozzy sang inside a tiny booth as the band played live. Roger and engineer Tom Allom didn't do much fixing and made very few changes. Most notable was adding the storm and bells on Black Sabbath. On the guitar solo on Warning, Iommi recorded it in one take. He even asked for a second take, but Roger said no. Iommi pushed on him, and Roger let him have a second take. Warning was 15 minutes in length, which was edited down to 10 minutes. With an entire section cut out. With a couple of seconds here and there. N.I.B. was just a joke title at the beginning. Bill Ward's beard earned him the nickname Nib. Spoken out on a LSD trip and still having a life 50 years later. The song was born on a set of dates in Switzerland. The bass solo was created later in the studio. Which the record company took the title and turned it into N.I.B. Later wrongly gaining the mean as being Nativity In Black. Black Sabbath's third verse was edited out. The first example of this lost verse would be a John Peel radio session released on Ozzy Osbourne's The Ozzman Cometh in 1997. It's widely known that Geezer Butler was the main lyricist. But he has confirmed many times over that Ozzy indeed wrote the lyrics to Black Sabbath. The guitar riff is an offset of the devil's third. A progression of music that was once banned in England from being played. A three-note treasure that became a must-learn lick for all doom-latent guitarists The song was first played during a gig, and it silenced the crowd. It had them stunned to their seats. And since it has been played at every Black Sabbath concert, Jim Simpson set up the band to record Evil Woman. A cover of the American band Crow's only hit. The reason explained was that they needed a 'radio-friendly' song. The Wizard opens up with a harmonica jaunt before launching into a glorified jam that doesn't follow any song structure rules. Blue Oyster Cult, to many, stole the song and reformed it to be their hit Cities On Flame With Rock N Roll. Behind The Wall Of Sleep is an underrated Sabbath track. Contains a deeper key of singing for Ozzy. He has never sang a song in this exact key. A lyric jaunt on death and dying. Wicked World is the jam buffet. With the lyrics exploring such subjects as war, death, space travel, and a single woman working herself to death and her young son.
The album's recording took less than 12 hours to complete. With between 800 and 900 pounds as its only cost. The cost included a second day of mixing and mastering. It was left up to Roger and Tom, as Sabbath was already on the road.
It Is Released
Tony Hall Enterprises moves the band from Fontana to Vertigo Records. Vertigo was a new label with harder and more progressive bands. Sabbath was seen as an album that could set the tone for pushing the label to the forefront. On January 9, 1970, Evil Woman was released as a single LP. For a time (and even now, to a point), copies of the LP were in high demand. February 13th, 1970 marks the debut of Black Sabbath. The date was arranged on purpose. For the cover, the Mapledurham Watermill in Oxfordshire was photographed with a young lady dressed in a long black veil. The cover made a huge impact and has since been recognized as one of the best hard rock/heavy metal album covers of all time. Later in the 1970s, at a gig in Lincolnshire, the lady introduced herself to the band. In the UK pressing, you open up the LP and see an inverted cross with a dark poem written inside. This set up the belief that the band was satanic. Which followed them through the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The North American release was caught in time, and the cross was removed. In its first week, it sold over 5,000 units. More than making back the money it took to make and release. In the UK charts, it peaked at number 8. Lasting over 13 weeks in the charts. Warner Brothers released it in North America on June 30, 1970. Where it hit number 23. On the European side of the ocean, the LP featured Evil Woman, missing Wicked World. While the North American LP featured Wicked World. Losing Evil Woman from its pressing.
North America:
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Wasp / Behind The Wall Of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B.
4. Wicked World
5. A Bit Of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning
European: :
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Behind the Wall of Sleep
4. N.I.B.
5. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games with Me)
6. Sleeping Village
7. Warning
North America:
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Wasp / Behind The Wall Of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B.
4. Wicked World
5. A Bit Of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning
European: :
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Behind the Wall of Sleep
4. N.I.B.
5. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games with Me)
6. Sleeping Village
7. Warning
Set Up For Life
On June 16, 1970, it was time to record their follow-up album. Returning to Regent with Roger Bain and Tom Allom again. Some of these great songs were written on the Black Sabbath tour. War Pigs came from a jam in Zurich. Out of nowhere, Iommi went dah dah on his guitar. And it just grew from there. The first set of lyrics was based on the Sabbath of the Witches. Walpurgis was the working title of the song even before any lyrics were written. Later, it morphed into the anti-war song we all know and love. Even with the complex arrangement, it's a catchy song. Iommi with simple chording yet slamming at the same time. With an explosive guitar solo that pushes through the speakers. Ironman came about when Iommi was working on this riff that matches the image of a big. brutish monster walking. Ozzy heard it and said something along the lines of "sounds like a big iron bloke." And it grew from there. Iommi bends two strings together, creating this unique riff. Ozzy sings the melody of the riff. Which is simple but it works perfectly. The lyrics were about going into the future and seeing the world. Then coming back and getting your revenge. The rhythm twists and turns well in this song. Many think this is a simple song, but it has more context as you listen to it more. Paranoid was a throwaway song in its beginning. Rogar Bain said they needed 3 or 4 minutes to fill the album length that was set out. So while the others were off to lunch, Iommi just plugged in, and the beginning of Paranoid came to be. When the others came back, they heard this riff. Bill Ward was so excited about it that he ran to get his drum sticks and got to his kit. Ozzy hummed a vocal melody to which Geezer wrote the lyrics to. The first vocal melody is the one they kept. Geezer said in 1992 that the song started because he used to hear people say paranoid as another way of saying cool. The song goes on to talk about a man going crazy after losing his girlfriend. Geezer relates his years of depression. And the feeling that he couldn't get through to anyone. Planet Caravan is the first known quiet and soft composition of Sabbath. As with almost every song, Iommi started playing this mello acoustic bit. Bill Ward heard it and started to join in. Playing on his congo set. Ozzy sang a melody that matched. I once read that Geezer thought it was Ozzy's best vocal melody ever. And the band said that it was a nice track, good to get high to. So it made its way onto the album. Lyric-wise, it is about taking a space trip with your loved one and having the most romantic weekend. The jazz guitar piece was added in the last minute of the song. Ozzy's vocals were ran through a Hammond organ, giving it that reverb effect. A drifting contrast to the metallic songs that fill the rest of the album. Electric Funeral is a heavy F#@ker with one of Ozzy's most menacing melodies. With the doom-filled, heavy, pulsating music. Based on war and the nuclear bomb. Mega-destruction forces that could in real life happen. With a mid-section that is the stepfather of a future Sabbath song, Symptom Of The Universe. Hand Of Doom's genesis goes back to when the band used to play at this army base in Germany. And saw these young men from Vietnam who were unable to directly return to society. But heroin was what a lot of these people used just to get by. And that's what the song is about. The bass riff came first. Bill Ward then followed in with some basic yet perfect drumming. Iommi plays something to me that sounds like a cross between Iron Man and Paranoid. And Ozzy seems to sing this like it's burning from deep in his soul. That he pulled something out that he has very rarely done since. Rat Salad was a jam that attempts to write lyrics were fruitless. So, it remained a jam. Often referred to as Sabbath's Moby Dick. The famous Led Zeppelin song that featured Jon Bonham.
Goes To The Top
The album was to be called War Pigs. Which is why there was a guy dressed in pink with a sword and shield. But the decision-makers thought that it would be too offensive, and the backlash could be off the wall. Joe Smith from Warner Brothers sets the scene on the Classic Albums: Paranoid DVD. Why they wanted the title War Pigs didn't matter to him or WB. We weren't going to call it War Pigs. Once Paranoid was played in the offices, Joe said he thought this was the break-through song and that it made a good album title. The press didn't like it. In fact, anyone who gave it a good review later almost had to give an apology. But the fans made it a success, making fools of the bad reviewers. This album is hailed as the greatest Heavy Metal album, and 50 years later, it still sells. And the test of time is the only test that really matters. Hitting number 1 in the UK while reaching number 12 in America. Keeping on the UK charts for an amazing 27 weeks. Selling five times platinum in the USA. With countless re-releases, including a 3-disc deluxe edition in 2009. This set the bar that Sabbath as a top-ranking band.
Time To Change
September 1970 The first album was a success by all measures. But there were a few changes that needed to be made. Jim Simpson continued the band's gig booking through the first album. Still holding the payday at 20 pounds. Even playing clubs that were too small for a band with their sales. People had to be turned away due to the fact that three or even four times as many people showed up than the gig could hold. It was decided that he was small potatoes, and that it was time to upgrade. A call came from manager Don Arden. They agreed to meet Don at his office in London. He was too pushy and bombarding, so the band didn't sign with him. Wilf Pine, who drove Sabbath to Arden's office, later contacted them about Patrick Meehan. Meeting him at his office in Birmingham, he said the right words. That the band should be getting a better media push. And bigger, higher-paying gigs. Unknown to Sabbath was the Arden-Meehan connection. Patrick Meehan had worked for Don in the past.
Coming To America
If you want to make the big money, you have to get to America. More record buyers and concertgoers Sabbath landed in America on October 29th, 1970. With their first gig the next night. Paranoid had already sold 40,000 units. In their lack of knowledge, they brought along all their own equipment. Which as any electrician knows, European and American power outlets and wattages are different. Ungano's in New York was the site of the first US gig. They plugged in their amps and bang. All their stuff was ruined. The band was already not in the best of minds. Having heard they were going to be playing larger, well-known venues. But instead, there was this 400-seat rat hole. Oppose to the upper scale gigs they have been playing since their successful album sales. But they were able to get their gear re-fused, and it was on to the show. On top of all this, the gig was an audition for all the promoters that were looking into whether they were going to book the band. A few days later, they were rocking at the Fillmore East. Seeing what an American audience was like. And using onstage monitors for the first time. That was like a godsend to the guys. On through to April 1971, Sabbath would share the stage with the likes of James Gang, Mountain, Alice Cooper, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac, Grand Funk Railroad, among others. One band that didn't get Sabbath's respect was Cactus. Cactus accused Sabbath of stealing their dope. The singer came up to Iommi, yelling and cursing him. Iommi knew more than how to defend himself. Having studied karate and boxing in his youth, So he drove this guy into the wall. Ending up in a fist fight between the two bands. For all purposes, Sabbath won that battle too. Later, they get a message on stage that after the concert, Sabbath were going to be shot. Some motorcycle dudes started to make their way close to the stage. At the same time, someone knocked a Coca-Cola can into Iommi's amp. Thus, ending the show early and getting away from the bikers. Legand has it that Cactus also put poison in Sabbath's water bottles. That was the worst road companion, but the best of this era would be Mountain. Leslie West showed the guys America and took them under his wing. Gave them their first taste of cocaine. (Which, in retrospect, might not have been so great.) Speaking of drugs, while doing a show with The James Gang, Joe Walsh let Geezer have tug on his joint. The problem was that this was laced with PCP. It gave Geezer a freakout while he was on stage. 2-23-1971: The Forum, Inglewood, CA is a show of note due to Sabbath, for whatever reason, playing The Beatles Day Tripper.
Becoming The Masters
The hippie movement was all dead and buried. All the harder acts were in full swing. Purple, Zeppelin, and Mountain, among others. It wasn't so much a love and piece time, but there were still the pop bubble gum acts. Singers and songwriters like the James Taylors were gaining ground. Disco was right around the corner. So Sabbath had a run for the money. The third album could go either way. It could live up to the first albums. Or it could turn into a rotten tomato. Before work began, Ozzy said in an interview that the new record was going to be the heaviest so far. Was he right? Unlike the first albums, this time they had a more advanced studio and no set number of work days. Which was good because the band had toured so hard that they didn't have any time to write on the road. So they rented a rehearsal space and began planning the album. This time heading to America at the Record Plant in California. They entered the recording studio in February and March of 1971. More time and more money led to increased production and the addition of instruments. The instrumental track Embryo was the first song written for the album. Into The Void and Children Of The Grave come next. Bits of these songs were played on the Paranoid tour. Tony Iommi tuned down his guitar from the original version they were playing around with.
Ozzy had a particularly hard time recording the track Into The void. Needing to do multiple takes. Having to pronounce so many words so fast. Music-wise, it was the most complex composition on the album. One that didn't get played through a full tour until 1994. It's about how the Earth has turned so bad and is nearly dead that people have had to flee on spaceships. The interplay of the instruments with Ozzy forcing his vocal out in all the right ways. This song truly comes out of their stereo and fills the room. For the drum effect on COTG, Bill Ward used a timbal. One of the very few drum overdubs he did up to that point. Lord Of This World is one of the band's slowest, grindingest, and most lyrically bold weapons in their arsenal. Perhaps the most overlooked song on this album. Orchid was written late in the session. As a chance for Iommi to play some acoustic guitar. No other song on the album would have worked with an acoustic part. Although it was based on a bit Iommi used to play it at home just for himself. Solitude was like Planet Caravan in the sense that it was an unexpected, mellow track. This time it was a Love Lost theme song. With Ozzy singing in a low key, that is another rare vocal performance by him. For years, it was believed that Bill Ward sang the song. But that was put to rest once and for all in 2004. And that's Tony Iommi trying his hand on the flute for the song. One session, Ozzy brought Tony a huge joint. Which he duly choked on. This unexpected moment was captured on audio. Forever in history on the track Sweat Leaf. After the cough came this hard thunder riff for Sweat Leaf. With Tommy Lee and other named stars saying this is their favorite Sabbath song. Even Bill Ward said it was f##king incredible. The meaning of the lyrics is pretty easy to understand. About the band's relationship with dope. Its title comes from a pack of smokes that said it was the sweat leaf. So it came to be from what Geezer had in his pocket. As proof he still wasn't afraid of controversy, Geezer wrote the words Like To See The Pope On The End Of A Rope. After Forever was a cleverly layered genius of a song. With a humble, pounding bass injection. The lyrics were about all the occult guys that would follow the guys around on tours. Point blank, pro-Jesus-God motivation. The sound in the beginning is a gong that was recorded and played backwards. With its pitch changing slightly.
Ozzy had a particularly hard time recording the track Into The void. Needing to do multiple takes. Having to pronounce so many words so fast. Music-wise, it was the most complex composition on the album. One that didn't get played through a full tour until 1994. It's about how the Earth has turned so bad and is nearly dead that people have had to flee on spaceships. The interplay of the instruments with Ozzy forcing his vocal out in all the right ways. This song truly comes out of their stereo and fills the room. For the drum effect on COTG, Bill Ward used a timbal. One of the very few drum overdubs he did up to that point. Lord Of This World is one of the band's slowest, grindingest, and most lyrically bold weapons in their arsenal. Perhaps the most overlooked song on this album. Orchid was written late in the session. As a chance for Iommi to play some acoustic guitar. No other song on the album would have worked with an acoustic part. Although it was based on a bit Iommi used to play it at home just for himself. Solitude was like Planet Caravan in the sense that it was an unexpected, mellow track. This time it was a Love Lost theme song. With Ozzy singing in a low key, that is another rare vocal performance by him. For years, it was believed that Bill Ward sang the song. But that was put to rest once and for all in 2004. And that's Tony Iommi trying his hand on the flute for the song. One session, Ozzy brought Tony a huge joint. Which he duly choked on. This unexpected moment was captured on audio. Forever in history on the track Sweat Leaf. After the cough came this hard thunder riff for Sweat Leaf. With Tommy Lee and other named stars saying this is their favorite Sabbath song. Even Bill Ward said it was f##king incredible. The meaning of the lyrics is pretty easy to understand. About the band's relationship with dope. Its title comes from a pack of smokes that said it was the sweat leaf. So it came to be from what Geezer had in his pocket. As proof he still wasn't afraid of controversy, Geezer wrote the words Like To See The Pope On The End Of A Rope. After Forever was a cleverly layered genius of a song. With a humble, pounding bass injection. The lyrics were about all the occult guys that would follow the guys around on tours. Point blank, pro-Jesus-God motivation. The sound in the beginning is a gong that was recorded and played backwards. With its pitch changing slightly.
The Master Release
The title came from Geezer's brain. He explained that when you record, you get the master tapes. And all the songs were reality-based. So the Master Of Reality just came to him one night. It proved to be a worthy follow-up. Reaching number 5 in the UK and number 8 over on the US side of the ocean. Keeping in the top ten for 13 weeks. In fact, pre-orders made it ship in gold. Over 500,000 units is a huge starting point. As you can guess, the album reviewers were less than kind. But on the upside, a few began to see the promise that the band was more than a fly-by-night novelty act.
The Road Life
The tour behind this album, by most accounts, is where drug and business problems started. Unknowingly, the managers were pocketing the larger sum. The guys just knew that when they wanted to have a car, a house, a suitcase of drums, nice clothes, or anything else they wanted, they told the management. And it would appear the next morning. But it wasn't the main story at this time. Sabbath was selling records, selling out the bigger venues. They had the right to print money. The first time around the world was a glorified promotion tour. Letting the world get to know the band. And the guys were in a state of awe. Learning the tricks of the trade. But now they had experience and knowledge on their side. Better equipped to face the intense pressure of an international act.
One road story I read a long time ago went like this. A chick called up Ozzy's hotel room in America. Telling him that she gave the best blow job. So for fun, he gave her Geezer's room number. She goes up to his room, takes off her clothes, and jumps in the bed. With legs spread and ready to work. Bill, Ozzy, and Geezer walk into his room. And this ugly dig of a women is there. After a few moments of the guys just standing there in disgust, she gets up all mad and says, "You f@gs".
On the tour, they shared the stage with well-known names like Black Oat Arkansas, Alice Cooper, Three Dog Night, Humble Pie, and Ten Years After. One concert to me that is the best example of this tour is 7-18-1971 Borough Of York Stadium, Toronto, Canada. ‘Beggars Banquet Dance Festival’, with Yes, and Three Dog Night. The reason I say it is the best is because we have an audience recording of this show. I mean, just look at the setlist: Guitar Intro, N.I.B., War Pigs, Sweet Leaf, Black Sabbath, Iron Man, Embryo, Children Of The Grave, Wicked World, Iommi's Guitar Solo & Jam, Wicked World (reprise), Paranoid, Fairies Wear Boots. Not only is this the earliest known tape from the MOR tour, but it is also the first known live recording of Sweet Leaf, Embryo, and Children Of The Grave. Ozzy and Iommi can be heard almost in soundboard quality. Bill and Geezer are pretty good in the mix, but I'd say only about 80% compared to the other two. One of Ozzy's best nights concerned crowd interaction and vocal performance. The band plays these as close to the album's sound as they ever have. During the Wicked World jam, they play a brief bit of what Cornucopia would be. I can't say enough to promote how great this recording is.
One road story I read a long time ago went like this. A chick called up Ozzy's hotel room in America. Telling him that she gave the best blow job. So for fun, he gave her Geezer's room number. She goes up to his room, takes off her clothes, and jumps in the bed. With legs spread and ready to work. Bill, Ozzy, and Geezer walk into his room. And this ugly dig of a women is there. After a few moments of the guys just standing there in disgust, she gets up all mad and says, "You f@gs".
On the tour, they shared the stage with well-known names like Black Oat Arkansas, Alice Cooper, Three Dog Night, Humble Pie, and Ten Years After. One concert to me that is the best example of this tour is 7-18-1971 Borough Of York Stadium, Toronto, Canada. ‘Beggars Banquet Dance Festival’, with Yes, and Three Dog Night. The reason I say it is the best is because we have an audience recording of this show. I mean, just look at the setlist: Guitar Intro, N.I.B., War Pigs, Sweet Leaf, Black Sabbath, Iron Man, Embryo, Children Of The Grave, Wicked World, Iommi's Guitar Solo & Jam, Wicked World (reprise), Paranoid, Fairies Wear Boots. Not only is this the earliest known tape from the MOR tour, but it is also the first known live recording of Sweet Leaf, Embryo, and Children Of The Grave. Ozzy and Iommi can be heard almost in soundboard quality. Bill and Geezer are pretty good in the mix, but I'd say only about 80% compared to the other two. One of Ozzy's best nights concerned crowd interaction and vocal performance. The band plays these as close to the album's sound as they ever have. During the Wicked World jam, they play a brief bit of what Cornucopia would be. I can't say enough to promote how great this recording is.