There is a cartoon with nuclear explosion - 1986s "When The Wind Blows". I moderately like Paranoid for its head banging capabilities))). A very good fun album.
"Black Sabbath were "proto-punks" Ozzy didn't like hippies either.
"I wonder if that riff could actually scare a 3-year old toddler?" Not my son. It was the very, very first melody he could actually sing - as a 2-3 years old toddler indeed. He made up his own lyrics, which I as a totally unbiased father thought an improvement. Unfortunately I have forgotten them.
Around this time I saw Black Sabbath with Mountain. Ozzy was cool. He wore a brown leather jacket and just sang the songs. Years later I was waiting in line for Tom Petty Bob Dylan tickets and there was all these little punk girls talking about Ozzie and waiting to buy Judas Priest tickets. When I told them I was buying tickets for Bob and Tom they asked me if I would buy some Judas Priest tickets for them. I said ok and they handed me a pile of cash. The cops came along and through them out but they didn't bother me. I bought as many as I could with the money they gave me and they thought I was the coolest guy in the world.
Forgotten yesterday: it's good to read that David Byron still has a special place in your heart. You could have mentioned Ian Anderson, Jon Anderson, Robert Plant, Ian Gillan, RJ Dio .... but no, David Byron. Actually the latter two did sing Paranoid on stage and didn't manage to pull it off either. I'd say they it's because they are/were mentally healthy. Now the interesting fact is that Byron had his mental issues as well. Could he have done it? Technically he was the better singer: wider range, broader palette of expressions (including totally void of emotion, like on Circus). My guess is though that Ozzy recognized his problems, while Byron never did. So my take is that in the end nobody could replace Ozzy without radically changing the identity of the band. Had BS had Byron Paranoid would have been a completely different album.
I listened to UH's first four albums this weekend and I just don't hear it, unless Byron completely ignores the high register. He's way too glam when he sings up there, provide he even stays in pitch. He definitely was more of a seeker than Ozzy. Oz just looked over The Edge of the Abyss and screamed bloody murder; Byron actually tried to contact Somebody to Save Him.
Great opportunity to relive an old memory thanks to another second review, this time with timed bookmarks of riffs. Yes, it was a great pleasure to listen to Fairies Wear Boots in headphones on loud, but this has nothing to do with the Dead or Garcia, you lost me on that gratuitous comparison.
Interesting that you replaced the Mick Abrahams reference (in the original review) with another Garcia reference on Planet Caravan. Again, I find the Tull association has a stronger glue.
Where you hear Celtic overtones on Iron Man, I hear a particular South Indian raaga (and has been the case for many years and I just can't delink it).
"It's as if Iommi was just plucking those riffs off apple trees or something - there's probably more great ones on this album alone than on all the records combined from the last 40 years of his presence in the music business>" 1970 was the birth of the Great Guitar Riff. Between this and Live at Leeds, you have 80% of the entire output of every metal band from 1971 on. Most bands of this era can trace their entire career back one or two of Iommi or Townshend's castoff riffs.
If i was forced to pick a favourite band it would probably be 70's Black Sabbath, maybe tagging on the early 80's Dio period if i was in a good mood. But Paranoid is actualy my least listened to album and least liked. Yes, i prefer Never Say Die and Technical Ecstasy to Parnoid. I just can't get away with War Pigs or Iron Man.
But what do i know. My favourite side of a Black Sabbath record is side b of the debut.
I also think Burn is more fun than Machine Head! (Deep Purple, i know)
I'm so glad you finally came around to liking "Fairies Wear Boots". I've always though of that song as an underrated classic.
ReplyDeleteThere is a cartoon with nuclear explosion - 1986s "When The Wind Blows".
ReplyDeleteI moderately like Paranoid for its head banging capabilities))). A very good fun album.
"Black Sabbath were "proto-punks"
ReplyDeleteOzzy didn't like hippies either.
"I wonder if that riff could actually scare a 3-year old toddler?"
Not my son. It was the very, very first melody he could actually sing - as a 2-3 years old toddler indeed. He made up his own lyrics, which I as a totally unbiased father thought an improvement. Unfortunately I have forgotten them.
Around this time I saw Black Sabbath with Mountain. Ozzy was cool. He wore a brown leather jacket and just sang the songs. Years later I was waiting in line for Tom Petty Bob Dylan tickets and there was all these little punk girls talking about Ozzie and waiting to buy Judas Priest tickets. When I told them I was buying tickets for Bob and Tom they asked me if I would buy some Judas Priest tickets for them. I said ok and they handed me a pile of cash. The cops came along and through them out but they didn't bother me. I bought as many as I could with the money they gave me and they thought I was the coolest guy in the world.
ReplyDeleteIommi and West in one show would be awesome. Definitely would need ear plugs.
Delete"The ending of the album is a little unsatisfactory..."
ReplyDeleteI think switching "Fairies Wear Boots" and "Iron Man" (and having "Planet Caravan" close side one) would have fixed that problem a bit.
Forgotten yesterday: it's good to read that David Byron still has a special place in your heart. You could have mentioned Ian Anderson, Jon Anderson, Robert Plant, Ian Gillan, RJ Dio .... but no, David Byron. Actually the latter two did sing Paranoid on stage and didn't manage to pull it off either. I'd say they it's because they are/were mentally healthy.
ReplyDeleteNow the interesting fact is that Byron had his mental issues as well. Could he have done it? Technically he was the better singer: wider range, broader palette of expressions (including totally void of emotion, like on Circus). My guess is though that Ozzy recognized his problems, while Byron never did.
So my take is that in the end nobody could replace Ozzy without radically changing the identity of the band. Had BS had Byron Paranoid would have been a completely different album.
I listened to UH's first four albums this weekend and I just don't hear it, unless Byron completely ignores the high register. He's way too glam when he sings up there, provide he even stays in pitch. He definitely was more of a seeker than Ozzy. Oz just looked over The Edge of the Abyss and screamed bloody murder; Byron actually tried to contact Somebody to Save Him.
DeleteGreat opportunity to relive an old memory thanks to another second review, this time with timed bookmarks of riffs. Yes, it was a great pleasure to listen to Fairies Wear Boots in headphones on loud, but this has nothing to do with the Dead or Garcia, you lost me on that gratuitous comparison.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you replaced the Mick Abrahams reference (in the original review) with another Garcia reference on Planet Caravan. Again, I find the Tull association has a stronger glue.
Where you hear Celtic overtones on Iron Man, I hear a particular South Indian raaga (and has been the case for many years and I just can't delink it).
"It's as if Iommi was just plucking those riffs off apple trees or something - there's probably more great ones on this album alone than on all the records combined from the last 40 years of his presence in the music business>" 1970 was the birth of the Great Guitar Riff. Between this and Live at Leeds, you have 80% of the entire output of every metal band from 1971 on. Most bands of this era can trace their entire career back one or two of Iommi or Townshend's castoff riffs.
ReplyDeleteIf i was forced to pick a favourite band it would probably be 70's Black Sabbath, maybe tagging on the early 80's Dio period if i was in a good mood.
ReplyDeleteBut Paranoid is actualy my least listened to album and least liked. Yes, i prefer Never Say Die and Technical Ecstasy to Parnoid. I just can't get away with War Pigs or Iron Man.
But what do i know. My favourite side of a Black Sabbath record is side b of the debut.
I also think Burn is more fun than Machine Head! (Deep Purple, i know)
I do love Fairies wear boots though.