After a recording and touring career spanning five decades, heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath brought it to a close in the city where it all began — Birmingham, England — with the final show of “The End” tour having taken place Saturday, February 4 at the Genting Arena.
Prior to the concert, Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne said: “Since I’ve got to this building, I’ve been happy, I’ve been tearful. Let’s see what happens.”
Ozzy last week called his life with Black Sabbath “the most incredible adventure” and said the band had “run its course.” One of the proudest things I have in my heart is the fact that Black Sabbath wasn’t a band that was created by some big mogul,” he said. “It was four guys who said, ‘Let’s have a dream,’ and it came true beyond our wildest expectations.”
Sabbath’s “The End” tour was its last because Tony Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time. He admitted: “It was only when I got ill, that’s when I stated getting vulnerable. Before that, I could do anything… And they’re saying, ‘You shouldn’t be flying, really.’ And, ‘You shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t be doing that.’ So that’s what brought that about — the end of this, really, because the constant touring does eventually get to you.”
Sabbath wrote and recorded its 2013 reunion album, “13”, and toured it all over the world while Iommi was going through treatment for his illness, with the guitarist having to fly back to England every six weeks.
The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Osbourne on vocals, Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the ’90s and 2000s for live work. They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour.
Yep, the world is changing at the speed of light. In my life time I witnessed the famous 6 day war (June 5 – June 10, 1967), between Israel and at that time the United Arab Republic. Historians point to the fact that the odds were a thousand to one that Israel would be victorious – and to think the tiny nation of Israel accomplished it in just 6 days.
I saw the rise and fall of some of the world’s most cruel and notorious dictators: Mao Zedong (China 1949-76), Pol Pot (Cambodia 1975-79), Kim Ilsung (North Korea 1948-94), Saddam Hussein (Iraq 1979-2003), Idi Amin (Uganda 1971-79), Fidel Castro (Cuba 1959-2206), and the list goes on.
I witnessed the complete revolution of pop music with Beatles coming onto the scene in 1964. I saw Elvis Presley perform in 1971 and The Who the same year at the height of their careers.
For you old timers, Mr. Green Jeans (Hugh Brannum January 5, 1910 – April 19, 1987) was a regular on our tv screens of the children’s show Captain Kangaroo.
In 12016, we lost more rock stars than any year in history. The US has a new president, Mary Tyler Moore died just over a week ago……………
“The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change” – Heraclitus