By Chris Rockwell

I was up very early this morning with my head spinning on new ideas for King Duce that came to me in a dark dream.  After a few cups of coffee and a plate full of heavy music, I was brought back to life and ready to travel back down the rabbit hole. I figured I would share these bands with you in a series of articles to reignite your adrenaline for the New Year.

Black Sabbath War Pigs (Paris Live 1970)

We all laughed at Ozzy’s “Leave it To Beaver” father character in the MTV reality show sensation, “The Osbournes”.  Unfortunately, that low point for Ozzy clouds his amazing breakthrough work with Black Sabbath and why he and his fellow working class mates from Birmingham, England are known by their disciples as the founding fathers of metal music.  I hope to set Ozzy’s image straight with this live video from 1970.  Black Sabbath was formed in 1968, as the “Summer of Love” was fading into the Pacific Ocean with the death of Hendrix, Morrison and Joplin.  They hit the seventies with a heavy blues sound and attitude that would influence young heavy rock bands for the next forty years and beyond.

Tony Iommi’s demonic cord structures were unlike anything ever done before.  Drummer Bill Ward led the assault with his Blitzkrieg machine gun beats – the thunder of “Led Zepplin’s” John Bonham and the speed freak fills of “The Who’s” Keith Moon.  Bass player Geezer Butler did his job as a bass player, keeping things simple and on track.  And the great front man Ozzy Osbourne delivered his wicked sermon to the crowd like a man possessed.   In my opinion, what makes Ozzy one of the great front men of all time was his genuine enthusiasm on stage.  He was a true music fan having a great time and sharing the ride with everyone in the crowd.  That’s why he continued on to be a giant solo artist after being kicked out of Sabbath in 1979.

Sabbath flipped the entire rock world on its ass and literally created a sound and genre (Heavy Metal) that will survive, in one form or another, for a century or more.  True innovation in music is extremely rare.  And all too often frustrated music critics usually can’t spot innovation even if it hits them square in the face (I exclude master music critics, David Fricke and Anthony Bozza).  To qualify my point, take the joke they call the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  They waited until 2006 to finally induct Black Sabbath, choosing much more ground breaking acts like The Bee Gees, Ricky Nelson and Brenda Lee.  What the Fuck?!?!

Respect to Sabbath and all the bands and artists that tread new ground in the face of the lame critics and the plastic trends.

Duce Up or Shut Up!!