Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne
Pioneers of Black Magic Hard Rock
Black Sabbath led by front man Ozzy Osbourne is a precursor to today’s post-hard rock bands like My Chemical Romance, bands founded on Goth, horror and black magic themes. Black Sabbath found their style by taking a giant step away from other late sixties and early 70s flower child bands. Audiences wanted horror and Ozzy Osbourne delivered a freak show just for them. Besides Osbourne other early Sabbath members included drummer Bill Ward, guitarist Tony Iommi, and bassist Terence Butler who also wrote a majority of the Sabbath lyrics. In fact thanks to Butler his adherence to their growing gothic themes made Sabbath a pioneer in this genre.
In 1970 Warner Brothers Records discovered Black Sabbath and signed them to a record deal. The first album, Black Sabbath, was released this same year. The band found an earnest following and began touring to promote their record and theatrical style. By the time their fourth album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, was released in 1973 the band was renowned not only for its heavy metal leanings, but their outrageous use of drugs. Black Sabbath experimented with musical genres as well, using acoustics at one turn, attack guitars at another, and still symphonic sounds at another. In fact, the 1978 album, Never Say Die!, offers a collective sampling of almost every genre. Unfortunately fans did not appreciate the group’s experimental departures from their signature style.
By the mid 1980s the band showed signs of discontent. Osbourne already had a successful solo gig on the side and a couple other members left to pursue other projects. Since the 1990s various iterations of Black Sabbath and regularly scheduled reunions have kept the name alive among rock fans of all ages.
Black Sabbath (1970):
- Black Sabbath
- The Wizard
- Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/NIB
- Wicked World
- A Big of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning
Paranoid (1971):
- War Pigs/Luke’s Wall
- Paranoid
- Planet Caravan
- Iron Man
- Electric Funeral
- Hand of Doom
- Rat Salad
- Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots
Masters of Reality (1971):
- Sweet Leaf
- After Forever
- Embryo
- Children of the Grave
- Orchid
- Lord of this World
- Solitude
- Into the Void
Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972):
- Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener
- Tomorrow’s Dream
- Changes
- FX
- Supernaut
- Snowblind
- Cornucopia
- Laguna Sunrise
- St. Vitus’ Dance
- Under the Sun/Everyday Comes and Goes
Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath (1973)
- Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath
- A National Acrobat
- Fluff
- Sabbra Cadabra
- Killing Yourself to Live
- Who Are You?
- Looking for Today
- Spiral Architect
Sabotage (1975):
- Hole in the Sky
- Don’t Start (Too Late)
- Symptom of the Universe
- Megalomania
- The Thrill of It All
- Supertzar
- Am I Going Insane (Radio)
- The Writ/Blow on a Jug
Technical Ecstasy (1976):
- Back Street Kids
- You Won’t Change Me
- It’s Alright
- Gypsy
- All Moving Parts (Stand Still)
- Rock ‘n Roll Doctor
- She’s Gone
- Dirty Women
Never Say Die! (1978):
- Never Say Die
- Johnny Blade
- Junior’s Eyes
- A Hard Road
- Shock Wave
- Air Dance
- Over to You
- Breakout
- Swinging the Chain
Heaven and Hell (1980):
- Neon Knights
- Children of the Sea
- Lady Evil
- Heaven and Hell
- Wishing Well
- Die Young
- Walk Away
- Lonely is the Word
Mob Rules (1981):
- Turn Up the Night
- Voodoo
- The Sign of the Southern Cross
- E5150
- The Mob Rules
- Country Girl
- Slipping Away
- Falling Off the Edge of the World
- Over and Over
Live Evil (1982):
- E5150
- Neon Knights
- N.I.B.
- Children of the Sea
- Voodoo
- Black Sabbath
- War Pigs
- Iron Man
- The Mob Rules
- Heaven and Hell
- Sign of the Southern Cross
- Paranoid
- Children of the Grave
- Fluff
Born Again (1983):
- Trashed
- Stonehenge
- Disturbing the Priest
- The Dark
- Zero the Hero
- Digital Bitch
- Born Again
- Hot Line
- Keep it Warm
Seventh Star (1986):
- In for the Kill
- No Stranger to Love
- Turn to Stone
- Sphinx
- Seventh Star
- Danger Zone
- Heart Like a Wheel
- Angry Heart
- In Memory…
The Eternal Idol (1987):
- The Shining
- Ancient Warrior
- Hard Life to Love
- Glory Ride
- Born to Lose
- Nightmare
- Scarlet Pimpernel
- Lost Forever
- Eternal Idol
Headless Cross (1989):
- The Gates of Hell
- Headless Cross
- Devil & Daughter
- When Death Calls
- Kill in the Spirit World
- Call of the Wild
- Black Moon
- Nightwing
TYR (1990):
- Anno Mundi (The Vision)
- The Law Maker
- Jerusalem
- The Sabbath Stones
- The Battle of Tyr
- Odin’s Court
- Valhalla
- Feels Good to Me
- Heaven in Black
Dehumanizer (1992):
- Computer God
- After All (the Dead)
- TV Crimes
- Letters from the Earth
- Master of Insanity
- Time Machine
- Sins of the Father
- Too Late
- I
- Buried Alive
- Time Machine (Wayne’s World version)
Cross Purposes (1994):
- I Witness
- Cross of Thorns
- Psychophobia
- Virtual Death
- Immaculate Deception
- Dying for Love
- Back to Eden
- The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
- Cardinal Sin
- Evil Eye
- What’s the Use?
Forbidden (1995):
- The Illusion of Power (ft. Ice T)
- Get a Grip
- Can’t Get Close Enough
- Shaking Off the Chains
- I Won’t Cry for You
- Guilty as Hell
- Sick and Tired
- Rusty Angels
- Forbidden
- Kiss of Death
Reunion (1998):
Disc 1:
- War Pigs
- Behind the Wall of Sleep
- N.I.B.
- Fairies Wear Boots
- Electric Funeral
- Sweet Leaf
- Spiral Architect
- Into the Void
- Snowblind
Disc 2:
- Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath
- Orchid/Lord of this World
- Dirty Women
- Black Sabbath
- Iron Man
- Embryo/Children of the Grave
- Paranoid
- Psycho Man
- Selling My Soul
Past Lives (2002):
Disc 1:
- Tomorrow’s Dream
- Sweet Leaf
- Killing Yourself to Live
- Cornucopia
- Snowblind
- Children of the Grave
- War Pigs
- Wicked World
- Paranoid
Disc 2:
- Hand of Doom
- Hole in the Sky
- Symptom of the Universe
- Megalomania
- Iron Man
- Black Sabbath
- N.I.B.
- Behind the Wall of Sleep
- Fairies Wear Boots
Black Sabbath: Live at Hammersmith (2007):
- E5150
- Neon Knights
- N.I.B.
- Children of the Sea
- Country Girl
- Black Sabbath
- War Pigs
- Slipping Away
- Iron Man
- The Mob Rules
- Heaven and Hell
- Paranoid
- Voodoo
- Children of the Grave
