Black Sabbath: Classic or Dud?

I saw them in 1999 had a great time and got to see Heaven and Hell (aka Dio Sabbath twice) and that was a treat too. One of my good friends who's a serious Ozzy defender says his singing is cooked.

I probably already did this but I recreated my "We Sail Through Endless Skies: The Quiet Black Sabbath Album" mixtape I put up on ILM years ago on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/user/matthelgeson/playlist/6KAiYTobROEmgOk0uDMQJh

I saw Sabbath (with Bill Ward) in 2004, and Heaven and Hell in 2007. Even though I like 13, and would like to hear them perform some of its songs live (I know they'll probably play one, if that), I'm done.

I heard plenty of talk of a new album guess that's not happening now? I'd be plenty excited for that. 13 surprised me.

he's not singing on key at all anymore.

Like some other singers - say, David Lee Roth, actually - singing on key has not been in the cards for decades. I've seen Ozzy solo several times, and Sabbath twice - once with Ward, once with Bordin - and every time Ozzy sounded off-key. But hey, it didn't really hurt the show, and he seemed to be having so much fun up there, what with his incontinence-disguising buckets of water and all.

Words cannot adequately express how happy I am to be able to spend a snow day tomorrow listening to these. Instrumental versions? Alternate lyrics? A "piano and slide guitar version" of "Lord of This World?" Are you fucking kidding me??

www.ultimateclassicrock.com/black-sabbath-deluxe-reissues/

Also - they'll do Volume 4, right??

It'll probably be in the next set. I wonder if the Never Say Die! one will come with a reprint of Ten Year's War?

Would buy deluxe versions of every Sabbath album up to and including TYR, but, man am I ever stoked to spend tomorrow with Paranoid and Master of Reality. We're expecting like 14" of snow and I have no plans to leave the house. I also have a nice stash of weed I've been saving for an occasion just like this.

These 'alternate' version things are generally only fun, imo, if you have memorized every cymbal crash, every second of the original album, and, well, my dad was playing these for me in the womb, and there are few albums I know better than the first four Sabbath LPs, so I'm really excited.

I guess, according to the comments section of that article linked above, these have been available in Europe for a few years. News to me!

Very much stoked to see 'The End' tomorrow. Already reports of Ozzy not making it through the whole set list. Hope the band bring their best to Chicago tomorrow. I was listening to Sabotage this weekend and constantly thinking, 'yeah, there's now way they can hit this energy level now, nor Ozzy hit these notes.' Maybe I'll be surprised.

Yeah, they've been around for a while. I don't think I need them. I bought the clamshell box with all the Ozzy albums in slimline cases a year or so ago, and that's all I need from those albums. If they've done anything to remaster Past Lives (which didn't sound great when it was on Sanctuary), I might pick that up, though. And I really want a copy of the tour-only CD they're selling with the four outtakes from 13.

according to a few boards, the CD was not available last night at the Omaha show, crossing my fingers for it to be a the merch table tomorrow

I can do without the instrumental versions but would like to hear the alternate lyrics to Planet Caravan.

Will these be Available on Spotify etc tomorrow?

the alt. version of planet caravan is sick

Not steaming or torrenting yet that I could find

I wish there was some well recorded live material of the original lineup. I think Past Lives/Live at Last is pretty much it.

The four studio tracks on The End are really good. It's weird; they put all the long, slow songs on 13 like all anybody wanted from Sabbath were doomy dirges; meanwhile, the deluxe edition, and now this disc, have the more stomping, riff-heavy tracks that really show them at their best.

I wish there was some well recorded live material of the original lineup. I think Past Lives/Live at Last is pretty much it.

― earlnash, Friday, January 22, 2016 8:40 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

sad to hear this. no good bootlegs?

pretty sure tylerw's blog has hosted at least a few really good bootlegs in the past - there's one from the sabbath bloody sabbath era which is killer and i'm almost certain i got it from doom and gloom from the tomb

also i think a paranoid-era one from a show in france? also awesome

I was wrong upthread...the deluxe editions were issued years ago. listened to the paranoid and MoR unreleased tracks...'solitude' in particular is really great. so quiet. and 'Caravan' is six minutes...extended soloing and vibing at the end.

It was pretty great, though not as good as Lollapalooza. "After Forever" and "Under The Sun/Every Day Comes And Goes" were surprise deep cuts, but I'd rather have heard "Hole In The Sky," "Symptom of the Universe" or even "Supernaut." It's The End tour but they'll be back in September, if one of them doesn't croak before then (I hope not!).

http://sfist.com/2016/06/09/mcdonalds-themed_black_sabbath_cove.php

unrelated: did they ever find Ozzy?

Plenty of tickets available in the $75 range for the PNC Bank Arts Center show in NJ (August 23). Still haven't convinced myself to take the plunge.

So these have now all been reissued. It's the 2012 remaster, I understand. Jimmywine: are you sure the outtakes / alternate takes are worth it?

https://twitter.com/BlackSabbath/status/761645536449536001

LOOK-ING-FOR-TO-DAYYYYYYYYYY!!!

The supernaut opening drum motif is a take on Hayes’ Shaft. Or is it the other way around ?

Songs That Start With This Hi-Hat Pattern

!
Thanks j

The s/t is 50 years old today and, by extension, metal as a whole.

Dayum

sabby birthday

greatest debut album?

Kory Grow's deep dive on the album from yesterday, interviewing all four band members and more folks besides, is essential

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/black-sabbath-debut-album-heavy-metal-origin-interview-949070/

xp hmm, there are a few other serious contenders from that era (including In the Court of the Crimson King), but it's definitely up there.

And thanks for the link, Ned, I only read the other RS piece about their not-so-tacit jazziness.

That hi hat / ride cymbal swing motif can also be heard on the Wheels of Confusion intro and that song also evidences his behind the beat playing during the verses

Further RS piece specifically about the cover art.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/black-sabbath-cover-art-keef-keith-macmillan-interview-951578/

Enjoyed reading both of those articles, thanks.

Great article on the cover art of those first four albums... what a run!

(...and man, did their covers go seriously downhill afterwards, lol)

https://i.ibb.co/31pkFxn/PVZP71581659249.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/7KJm0Mh/SNhb-C1581659570.jpg

Lol

Never Say Die album art is fantastic

Paranoid artwork is terrible

yeah it sucks shit but it's iconic shit, i can't imagine it with another cover

Bingo. That said, maybe the original album title, War Pigs would have offset its awfulness somewhat.

Nothing against Ward, I love the guy, but imagine someone with true jazz chops on those extended instrumentals on the first album

No I'm good

Huh? Ward is awesome.