A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Often, when an old veteran band embarks on a farewell tour, it's usually just a prelude to their comeback tour. But for the original four members of Black Sabbath, it seems like this is really the end.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "IRON MAN")
BLACK SABBATH: (Singing) Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind?
MARTÍNEZ: Singer Ozzy Osbourne says he'll be giving his final performance tomorrow with Black Sabbath, or actually with anyone else. And they've all gone back to where it all started, Birmingham, England, for one last concert. Sabbath formed in 1968, and their heavy, dark approach has been copied ever since, an alchemy that turned rock into metal. Lars Gotrich of NPR Music is here. So, Lars, before we get to this final last performance, take us back to the early years. What made Black Sabbath different?
LARS GOTRICH, BYLINE: Well, let's put Black Sabbath in context. In the late '60s, rock 'n' roll was ruled by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream and Iron Butterfly. And they were all heavy by volume standards, but, you know, you put on one of their records, it's not going to ruin the vibe of the party. Black Sabbath was there to ruin the vibe.
MARTÍNEZ: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF BLACK SABBATH SONG, "N.I.B.")
GOTRICH: The riffs were heavy. They were scary.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "N.I.B.")
BLACK SABBATH: (Singing) Oh, yeah.
GOTRICH: And yet, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward were all jazz nerds, infusing those riffs with intricate swing patterns. And then, of course, there's Ozzy.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "N.I.B.")
BLACK SABBATH: (Singing) Please believe, my love, and I'll show you.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah, one of the most unique voices in all of rock history. Now, Ozzy eventually, though, was kicked out of the band. So what led to that decision?
GOTRICH: Well, by the late '70s, drugs and alcohol had derailed not only Ozzy but every member of Black Sabbath. When they planned to write another album in 1978, Ozzy disappeared for six weeks. Nobody knew where he was. So in 1979, Tony, Geezer and Bill made the call to fire Ozzy. It just became an untenable situation for everybody.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah, Black Sabbath went on without Ozzy. Ozzy then went on to have a very successful solo career, became a reality TV star, eventually. So how did they all patch things up and get back together again?
GOTRICH: The original lineup has reunited here and there, first in the late '90s. Then there was a second reunion in 2011. But Bill Ward, their drummer, left pretty quickly because the contracts were not up to snuff. You know, drama.
MARTÍNEZ: All right, so this final performance now. The bassist, nicknamed Geezer Butler, is actually the youngest member of the band at 75. So, I mean, so retirement for these guys shouldn't be too surprising. But why does this feel, Lars, like it's a real, real final performance?
GOTRICH: So in 2019, Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He can no longer walk, and he said he doesn't want to perform in a wheelchair. But I've read that he will perform this show on a throne, which is fitting. He is heavy metal royalty. So I do think it's right to treat this as the final performance of Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill. What happens afterward? I don't know, but I do like to think of this concert as a celebration, not only of Black Sabbath, but of the heavy metal lineage it began. Metallica, Slayer and Mastodon, they're all slated to perform, and they're arguably some of the biggest heavy metal bands in the world. And heavy metal would not exist without Sabbath.
MARTÍNEZ: That's Lars Gotrich of NPR Music. The final Black Sabbath show with all four original members is tomorrow in Birmingham, England. Lars, thanks a lot.
GOTRICH: Thank you so much.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PARANOID")
BLACK SABBATH: (Singing) Can you help me occupy my brain? Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
