Music Corner - Black Sabbath (1963)

Horrorific content by penguin_pete on July 28th, 2018 | Culture, Videos |

“Do YOU believe in ghosts?” So begins the trailer for the cheerfully spooky 1963 anthology film Black Sabbath, which is best known today as the inspiration for the band of the same name. The band was originally called Earth, but coming out of a concert one night they noticed a movie theater across the street showing Black Sabbath and the line to see it was longer than the line to see them, so the story goes. They were also getting confused with another band named Earth. So the original line-up of the band - Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward - changed their name to Black Sabbath, and also wrote the song “Black Sabbath” launched on their next album. The song lyrics were inspired by a nightmare Geezer Butler had, which he details in the interview below. From there on, the group focused on creating “the musical equivalent of horror films.”

Black Sabbath is the band which legendary music critic Lester Bangs referred to as “something like England’s answer to Coven.” Now, we have to mention that Coven was an American band which had the identical drive towards occult-themed heavy metal. Even though they’re best known today for the song "One Tin Soldier,” a completely out-of-genre experience for them when they were tapped to compose a song for a movie soundtrack. Check out their first album, Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls, for an idea of what they really sounded like.

Oh by the way, metalheads often debate who came up with the “goat’s head” gesture (index and pinkie up) first. Ozzy? Not even close! Ronnie James Dio? Warmer, but you’re still not there. Check the gatefold for Coven’s debut album released in 1969 - yes, that’s Jinx Dawson on the altar with a skull on her crotch - and look at the gesture they’re throwing in the background!