BLACK SABBATH
Members: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward
"When you write a song in 1971 or co-write a song in 1971," Ozzy Osbourne explains, "you don't go, 'F*** me -- in the year 2004, this is gonna be an icon.'"
Osbourne's observation is a wry take on the songwriting and performance capabilities of Black Sabbath. The band helped invent heavy metal, and has now earned induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After nearly 40 years -- and multiple lineups -- the group's influence is so widespread it is no exaggeration to say that any act describing itself as a metal band is indebted to Black Sabbath. Whether they are the thrash icon Metallica, guitar lord Zakk Wylde or next-generation rockers the Sword, most heavy metal acts bow to the godfathers of the genre.
Birmingham, England, natives Tony Iommi (guitar), Terry "Geezer" Butler (bass), Bill Ward (drums) and Osbourne (vocals) formed the Polka Tulk Blues Band in 1967. Two years later, they changed the name to Black Sabbath, taken from Italian horror movie "I Tre Volti Della Paura." The band thought if people liked scary movies, they would also like scary music, and wrote songs with down-tuned instruments, ominous riffs and dark lyrics.
Only two Black Sabbath tracks have charted on The Billboard Hot 100: 1970's "Paranoid" (peaking at No. 61) and 1972's "Iron Man" (No. 52). But these songs and others including "War Pigs," "Snowblind" and "N.I.B." are staples in the metal cannon.
With its output of some 20 albums (not counting greatest hits or live sets), its 1970 self-titled debut, and both 1971's "Paranoid" and "Master of Reality" are counted among its classic records. The Recording Industry Association of America has certified Black Sabbath for U.S. sales of 15 million albums.
Through its many incarnations, Iommi has remained in Black Sabbath since day one. After two reunions with the original members (they first fractured when Osbourne left in 1979), the foursome has remained together since November 1997 when it performed a pair of concerts recorded for the 1998 album "Reunion."
"People have come and gone and come back" Iommi says with a laugh about keeping the band going throughout personnel changes. "It just proves you can't leave it alone. So I've just maintained with it... but I've carried on because I believe in what I do."
Since 1997, Black Sabbath's most frequent gig has been headlining stints at Ozzfest. Fans have long clamored for a new album, and while the band isn't opposed to the idea, it won't record one unless the music is right. They know their own legacy is one tough act to follow.
-Christa Titus
