Here's the band I'm talking about, with Tony in fine voice, from a demo we recorded in Birmingham back in 1983.
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very cool. man, you are one hell of a bass player. that is some cool sabbathology and thanks much for sharing! would it be ok to post that link on my facebook page and share it with my friends who love sabbath?
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Yes, of course- thanks for the compliment and thanks for being courteous in asking. I hope your pals like it, please let me know.
Spot on with the ID.
"Headless Cross" is actually a small district in Redditch, the suburb of Birmingham where Tony was living at the time.
I saw the original Black & Blue tour in 1980, and in May of 81 I saw Ozzy at the East River Flats Jam, along with Motörhead, .38 Special, and local bands The Flaming Oh's and Lamont Cranston. This was when Randy Rhoads was still there. Ozzy's part of the show was fantastic; the local bands were lame; .38 special never did much for me, and I will always think Motörhead is one of the absolute worst band I have ever seen. Every song sounded the same, and I couldn't wait for them to be done.
The Black & Blue show was very good.
The Black & Blue show was very good.
I loved Tony Martin's work with Sabbath. "The Shining", from The Eternal Idol, is one of my favorite Black Sabbath songs...
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My very first rock concert was Black Sabbath, in 1972 or 1973. I wasn't really a big fan -- I might (but might not) have owned one album (8-track?) -- but I knew they were "cool" and so pestered my dad about letting me go. I was 14 or 15, and he wouldn't let me go alone, so (bless his heart) he went to the show with me. The opening band was Black Oak Arkansas.
I don't remember a lot of details, but I do remember that it was louder than anything I had ever experienced in my life, or since. I distinctly remember the uncomfortable feeling of my breastbone rattling in my chest. When they finally played the one song that I actually knew well (Sweet Leaf), the song was almost over before I was able to recognize it. I just couldn't hear notes or melodies -- it was just a wall of noise. I also have a distinct memory of the moment of terror I felt when the guy sitting next to my dad offered him a joint. (It actually turned out fine: He just politely said no thanks -- or at least that's what his lips looked like he was saying.) And I remember how amused we both were watching the lead singer jumping around the stage like a maniac, while the bass player stood like a statue. Frankly, I can't say I really enjoyed the show very much, except for those 45 seconds or so of Sweet Leaf. But it was pretty cool to be able to go to school and tell people I'd seen Black Sabbath.
There's an important footnote to the story: When my dad agreed to take me to the show, it was only as part of a bargain: I had to agree to go with him, the next week, back to the same venue to see Lionel Hampton and his jazz band. I wasn't really into jazz at the time, and I didn't think it was "cool," but I have to admit that I enjoyed that show a lot more. I remember the horn section marching up and down the aisles, playing When the Saints Go Marching In, with Lionel leading the way playing on the backs of people's chairs with a pair of drumsticks.
I never did get into Sabbath after that, although I don't think that show was necessarily the reason. It's probably a good thing, as I might have been deaf before I got to college....
I don't remember a lot of details, but I do remember that it was louder than anything I had ever experienced in my life, or since. I distinctly remember the uncomfortable feeling of my breastbone rattling in my chest. When they finally played the one song that I actually knew well (Sweet Leaf), the song was almost over before I was able to recognize it. I just couldn't hear notes or melodies -- it was just a wall of noise. I also have a distinct memory of the moment of terror I felt when the guy sitting next to my dad offered him a joint. (It actually turned out fine: He just politely said no thanks -- or at least that's what his lips looked like he was saying.) And I remember how amused we both were watching the lead singer jumping around the stage like a maniac, while the bass player stood like a statue. Frankly, I can't say I really enjoyed the show very much, except for those 45 seconds or so of Sweet Leaf. But it was pretty cool to be able to go to school and tell people I'd seen Black Sabbath.
There's an important footnote to the story: When my dad agreed to take me to the show, it was only as part of a bargain: I had to agree to go with him, the next week, back to the same venue to see Lionel Hampton and his jazz band. I wasn't really into jazz at the time, and I didn't think it was "cool," but I have to admit that I enjoyed that show a lot more. I remember the horn section marching up and down the aisles, playing When the Saints Go Marching In, with Lionel leading the way playing on the backs of people's chairs with a pair of drumsticks.
I never did get into Sabbath after that, although I don't think that show was necessarily the reason. It's probably a good thing, as I might have been deaf before I got to college....
I'll let him know he's still got fans out there.I loved Tony Martin's work with Sabbath. "The Shining", from The Eternal Idol, is one of my favorite Black Sabbath songs...
I saw Sabbath in the 90s with Dio on the Dehumanizer tour in Albany NY at the Palace theater. Vinny Appice and Geoff Nichols drums and keys, and of course Tony and GZR. Exodus opened, and sucked. During intermission tons of us went to basement to smoke, as it was winter. There were NO SMOKING signs on one wall, and everyone was crammed together on the other side avoiding the signs. Got my pocket knife out and popped the sign off the wall, and put it in the inside pocket of my denim jacket. I hurried back into the main theater. Theresearch an orchestra put in that theater in front of the stage, and the speaker columns took up MOST of the rest of the stage, except one bit the size of my ass, which is where I sat for the entire set, 5 feet from Geezer. The entire show I got to sit at his feet. During the song "I" from Dehumanizer, the strobe and smoke starts, and Dio us poking in and out of a cloud all strobe and tippy in this evil stance... and as I crossed my arms, I felt the plastic sign in my jacket. I pulled it out and whipped it by Dio's head, almost got him. I know it was a duck move, but I was really metal then I guess, or just an asshat. He didn't notice or flinch.
Later, Geezer put one of his picks in my hand.
Someone stole the pick from me, karma for the sign tossing I guess.
Later, Geezer put one of his picks in my hand.
Someone stole the pick from me, karma for the sign tossing I guess.
I saw Sabbath in Seattle during the Mob Rules tour. The opening act was The Outlaws..? Whomever put those two bands together on tour must have been new to rock music. If I weren't so disinterested in The Outlaws, I might have felt sorry for them. I'm sure they were good in the early 1970's, but during that tour they were clearly out of their element.
I saw them around 1973 or 74, Black Oak Arkansas opened, like Lobster11 has said. We sat front row center at the Long Beach Arena. Paid 35 dollars apiece for the tickets from a broker in Beverly Hills. Doesn't seem like alot now, but I was in High School, and concert tickets back then were typically $7.50, and we were going to see all the big names of the time. All the PA/guitar cabs were stacked on the stage, and so much air was coming off the stage when they were playing, you couldn't keep a lighter going. The wind would just blow it out. It was an incredible experience, loud as hell, but I was young and didn't care. I could actually see Tony Iommi's prosthetic finger tip, thinking 'how cool'. I remember during Snow Blind, these two guys in white T shirts at the end of our row, throwing themselves on the floor, writhing around like they were in pain, totally affected by the song. A couple of weeks later, I caught Sabbath on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert on TV, and those same two guys in the white T shirts where in the front row, doing the same thing.
What? Those guys aren't that old. They're only slightly older than I am.
Here are some shots of last night's show at MSG:
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