History - Heavy Metal Chapter 1 (Part 3 of 4)

The first few years of heavy metal (the music being called classic metal at times because of its pioneering status) are considered by most as the best era of the genre ever. Without a doubt, it is quite a memorable segment of this music's history. It was back then that Led Zeppelin, unquestionably the most popular heavy metal band ever, created classics such as "Black Dog" and the Arabian "Kashmir;" but also had the brilliance of experimenting with forms of music such as reggae and folk. In fact, the latter was an essential part of the most widely known heavy metal song ever: "Stairway to Heaven." The masterfully created masterpiece was crafted by Page and vocalist Robert Plant to perfection and even today remains a constant radio staple.

Led Zeppelin - Kashmir

It was, however, until 1970 that Black Sabbath inaugurated what many consider the "true" spirit and essence of heavy metal. Gloomy, crunching, and foreboding, albums like Black Sabbath, Paranoid, and Master of Reality demonstrated the wicked musical direction of guitarist Tony Iommi and band members Ozzy Osbourne, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler through classic songs like "N.I.B.," "Paranoid," and "Children of the Grave." Bands such as Corrosion of Conformity, Metallica, and Nirvana were all influenced by the metal anthems provided by one of the genre's most memorable bands ever, and the face of modern music has hardly ever been the same since the Birmingham act exploded unto the scene.

Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave

Meanwhile, Deep Purple, after going through a progressive rock stint with vocalist Rod Evans and bassist Nick Simper, developed a solid slab of rock on its classic Deep Purple In Rock, and would for a long time be heralded as a true innovator of music. In fact, Ritchie Blackmore's classical guitar training, along with Jon Lord's synthesizers and Ian Gillan's piercing shrieks, was crucial in the development of heavy metal as it is known today.

Deep Purple - Child in Time

Queen - Brighton Rock

During the mid-Seventies, six new bands were to also walk into the spotlight: Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Queen, Aerosmith, and Kiss. Judas Priest would be responsible for popularizing the concept of two guitarists in a heavy metal band; Aerosmith for bringing back the blues, sex, and drugs; Thin Lizzy for breaking through with aesthetical and musical flash and style; Queen for introducing perhaps the greatest degree of experimentation within music and the renewal of majestic melodies and harmonies with a progressive rock edge; and Kiss for revolutionizing the art of live shows, at times presenting slightly macabre theatrics strongly reminiscent of Alice Cooper's. And the Blue Oyster Cult? They disappeared into oblivion after a series of forgettable albums released in the 80's. But during their halcyon days in the 70's, they were an important part of the hard rock arena circuit, combining beautiful 60's harmonies with searing guitars.

Thin Lizzy - Emerald

History - Heavy Metal Chapter 1 (Part 2 of 4)

Several new bands, including the bluesy Savoy Brown, Foghat, and Bad Company, the ferocious Budgie, and the legendary UFO, were spawned by the growing heavy metal explosion, while others like Status Quo hardened their sound; but until 1973 the kings of heavy metal were undoubtedly Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. The three were bands with a technical prowess and a compositional inventiveness and passion unseen before, which coalesced into the hardest music existing during those times. Moreover, the era also marked the beginning of Satanic imagery and of spectacular, energetic live shows in heavy metal.

Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused

Status Quo - Is it Really me/ Gotta go Home

Budgie - Who do you want for your Love

The Satanic imagery came courtesy of two English bands: Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin's guitarist Jimmy Page (formerly of The Yardbirds, a band that was critical in influencing heavy metal with its psychedelic distortion and in spawning legendary guitar players Page, Clapton, and Jeff Beck) had a strong personal fascination with the occult, while many of Sabbath's lyrics within their ample range of themes dealt with it as well. The Sabs, however, did not claim to be Satanic, unlike many future metal bands; in fact, Ozzy Osbourne, vocalist of the band during those times, claims to have been scared off by fans wearing black robes and carrying candles with themselves.

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Deep Purple - Speed King

Alice Cooper - Killer

As for the live shows, they were carried out by every band, most notably by Led Zeppelin's "rock till you drop" concerts that lasted about two hours and by Alice Cooper's colossal shows, known to feature boa constrictors, mutilated female mannequins, and Alice Cooper himself in a beheading spectacle. Bands moved onstage, introduced bigger-than-life special effects into their shows and recreated their music in front of fiery crowds of fans.

Never Say Die! 1978

Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!

Autumn and Winter for me is the season of Butler, Iommi, Osbourne and Ward.  Their music symbolises the atmosphere of a changing season and the drawing of darker evenings. A lot has probably to do with the ‘Black Sabbath’ debut cover showing a grainy Autumnal scene.  However I have been listening to the lesser of the eight Ozzy fronted studio albums of late whilst walking through darkened woods and forgotten paths and thus have reappraised them.  Of course when I talk about the lesser albums I refer to 1978s ‘Never Say Die!’ and 1976s ‘Technical Ecstasy’.  To my mind ‘Sabotage’ and ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ are two of the greatest albums of all time with the first four not far behind.

Well ‘Never Say Die’ is a fantastic album.  The title track was the last song that I ritually listened to when I was about to head out to the disco (of all places) at the weekends (for courting females of course) when I was 16 - 19 years old.  It’s pumped up testosterone driven mania filled one with the confidence to take on the world back in 1986 – 89, and remember this was the ‘Thrash’ years, so there was plenty of testosterone driven mania to be found in my album collection during that period.

What makes this album so special on reappraisal is its diversity.  I love diversity in music and this has it all.

On a track by track basis my views are as follows:

Side One (As of the original Vinyl)

Never Say Die – Classic, simple catchy powerful song.  This hits the right spot.  It’s what Rock ‘n Roll is all about.  There is a confidence and aggression to this song.

Johnny Blade – Keyboards at the start followed by a driving drum pattern and another speedy riff.  It’s the drums on this track that make it.  In fact I love the drum sound on this album.  They are really to the foreground, but again different rhythms in each song.  The diversity factor again.  Ozzys’ vocals to me are urgent and unusual.

Junior’s Eyes – One of the more unusual tracks.  Drums fade in along with Geezer’s swinging Bass.  This track has a Jazz feel with Iommi’s wah wah sounding guitar.  The chorus (if it can be called a typical chorus), is heavy and powerful.  Iommi has a lot of interesting guitar overdubs on this track which adds to the atmosphere.  It’s what I love about Sabbath, the creation of atmosphere.

Hard Road – Iommi riff, overdubbed vocals.  This has to be the most upbeat and optimistic sounding songs on the album.  Not in the pop sense.  Slightly  ‘Quo’ overdubbed like vocal sound.  However this is not a pop song.  If you are feeling down listen to this.

Side Two – if side one did not cheer you up well?

Shock Wave – The shape of things to come.  This reminds me of the style applied to some of the tracks of ‘Heaven and Hell’.  One of the weaker tracks.  A simple riff, melody and vocal.  However gets interesting towards the end with a slightly left turn doomy riff with plenty of band participation ‘ohohohoing’.

Air Dance – The albums real curveball.  I love it.  A Sabbathian progressive rock song.  Starts with a driven melody followed by again jazz rhythms and piano.  Iommi captures some real atmospheric guitar and delicate solos.  The vocals and lyrics reflective and emotional.  To my ears an unappreciated classic.  Towards the end it heads for undisputed elements of jazz in every sense.

Over To You – Again similar to

Hard Road

in that it has an optimistic feel to it.  The chorus includes some elaborate piano.  Fantastic melody and vocal from Ozzy.  Similar feel to ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’s’ ‘Looking for Today’.  This song again drips with emotion and atmosphere.  This however is no light weight song.

Breakout – An instrumental – Has a swing feel to it.  Warning contains brass instruments and some jazz saxophone.  Another curveball – Doom laden jazz?

Swinging the Chain – A doomy riff by Iommi within a very low mix.  Another odd sounding track with Ward singing?  Again one of the weaker tracks.

The conclusion is that this album, as diverse as it is, is a better attempt than ‘Technical Ecstasy’. It has an upfront sound, clear guitar and drum mix, however given the context of the band situation at this time; it is an interesting, diverse, atmospheric and challenging piece of music.  One interesting fact is that the cover for ‘Rainbow’s’ ‘Difficult to Cure’ album was meant to be for this album.

Listen without Prejudice, with headphones, whilst walking at dusk in a lonely Autumnal forest.