The name Black Sabbath is synonymous with the four original members - Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. Yet they began under a different name, Earth Blues Company, which was later shortened to Earth. The Black Sabbath name comes from their song with the same title, which originally derives from a 1963 Boris Karloff film. The name was more unique and aligned closer with the aesthetic the band sought out as they began to visualise the style they became known for.
The album of the same name was released in 1970, with a run of five iconic albums all coming out within the first half of the decade. 'Paranoid' is debatably the most iconic of the bunch. With tracks such as 'War Pigs', 'Paranoid', and 'Iron Man', it gave the band some of their biggest hits. Another highlight is 1971's 'Master of Reality', which helped to shape the sub-genres of doom metal and heavy metal. The iconic guitar sound Tony Iommi created on tracks such as 'Children of the Grave' was due to him downtuning his guitar, with bassist Geezer Butler joining him.
The group pulled together their varied influences to create a sound that is cemented in great improvisation and mutual musicality. Jazz, soul, and blues helped to make this happen for the band. Their circumstances in their personal lives also helped to form the dark and mysterious vibes of Black Sabbath. The feeling of the late sixties, with the hippy movement on its way out and the Vietnam War pushing a big cultural and political change, definitely had an impact. As well as this, the members drew from their working-class upbringings and drug use to write their powerful songs.
Years of grueling tours and fast-paced music releases strained the relationship between the band. Ozzy Osbourne departed in 1978 and would go on to have an impressive solo career as well as branching out into becoming a TV personality and household name with his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne. The name of Black Sabbath would continue with multiple lineup changes and a series of new albums. Over the years, the original lineup would reform for occasions such as gigs at Ozzfest.
Black Sabbath deserves the recognition they have received. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2006 and are cited as the start of a genre that has progressed into so much more than heavy metal. As the date for their final show looms, it's the perfect time to re-listen to and re-discover the monumental records that changed the face of music as we know it.
