![]() Concurrently, they were reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, comics, and esoterica such as books by Dennis Wheatley. As rock ‘n’ roll got heavier and heavier, through bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix, the minds of these young Birminghamites were expanded all the more. Drummer Bill Ward was fortunate enough to have parents that were jazz enthusiasts, so his rhythmic intuition was shaped early on by the swing and spontaneity of jazz drummers. Songs by Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, and others, made a considerable impact, and would be among the first songs these musicians performed. Through them, the original Black Sabbath members were introduced to the blues. The Beatles were also a gateway to different kinds of music. They said it enabled them to look at making music as a genuine possibility for their future. Each member of Black Sabbath has expressed the idea that The Beatles convinced them they were not forced to settle for factory jobs, desk work, or prison-bound vagrancy. Not only did the Fab Four have raucous energy in their music, they modeled an alternative lifestyle to those on offer in Birmingham at the time. Geezer Butler, their chief lyricist, even said The Beatles became his “religion” (Gabriel 1996). ![]() The Beatles hold a special place in their history, as The Beatles were the first British rock band to achieve major success, and were made up of young working-class Brits from an area not unlike Aston, Birmingham, where the founding Black Sabbath members grew up. ![]() Like many comparable apocalyptic prophets before them, Black Sabbath lament the status quo, condemn corruption, injustice, and state violence, and encourage listeners to imagine the wholesale destruction of the present order to make way for the realization of justice.īlack Sabbath were inspired by a confluence of musical and literary forces. Their rage is no cause-less rebellion, but rather presented as a fiery protest of the status quo born of suffering and destitution. In their enduring song “War Pigs” (released 1970), Black Sabbath condemns such leaders as “Evil minds that plot destruction / Sorcerers of death’s construction.” Deploying apocalyptic imagery and offering an apocalyptic interpretation of reality, Black Sabbath attempt to give voice to the outrage and indignation the powerless feel toward the powerful. īlack Sabbath’s music appeals to people who have been demoralized by religious hypocrisy and authoritarianism, and traumatized by the sheer magnitude of violence and oppression wrought by world leaders. But an under-appreciated feature of metal music and culture, Black Sabbath and beyond, is their unique and abundant apocalypticism. 1948) were some of the original hands stirring the cauldron of this burgeoning subculture. 1948), Terence “Geezer” Butler (bassist, b. 1948), John “Ozzy” Osbourne (vocalist, b. Founding members Tony Iommi (guitarist, b. These characteristics are reflected throughout Black Sabbath’s career, and in the off-shoots they started or inspired. They are also unified by a rebellious, anti-establishment attitude, as they subvert received standards and norms, and reject dominant forms of expression in mainstream culture. While metalheads come in many forms, and there can be significant differences, they are unified in a preoccupation with the morose, sinister, and gloomier elements of life. The intense, bombastic music they listen to offers them an outlet for relieving their griefs, upsets, and hostilities, and it also reflects the way they see and feel about the world. ![]() ![]() They are often regarded as loners, outcasts, and individualists. “Metalheads” (a term used for diehard fans of metal music) can be recognized by black clothing, tattoos, piercings, long hair, or other alternative cultural traits. Due in large part to Black Sabbath‘s macabre aesthetic, metal is not just a genre of music, it is a subculture, a social identity, and, for many, an entire way of life. Guitars roar, drums pound, and vocal cords wail. Metal is a subgenre of rock music, characterized by heaviness, loudness, and morbid sensibilities. With a long list of multi-platinum albums, and a large number of bands claiming them as a chief influence, Black Sabbath are widely regarded as the originators of “metal music”. Black Sabbath are one of the most influential rock bands of all time. ![]()
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