Black Sabbath-Sabotage released 40 years ago today (July 28)

I'm partly to blame there.
I remember seeing the album cover, having a giggle and putting it back. I didn't hear it until the late 80's when a friend gave me all their albums on (Creative Sounds) CD.

I feel the same. It's hard to top that one-two punch.

 

The set up was nearly identical...I had been waiting for it for what seemed like FOREVER. But, looking at the titles of the songs in the record store, I had a sick feeling I wasn't going to like it. My intuition was correct. I did not like it at all.
It was the most dissapointment I ever felt when playing a much anticipated record.

 

Such a great album !!!
I really LOVE the first 6 albums, but since a few years I prefer "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and "Sabotage" most. I remember when I was 4 or 5 years old, I always asked my dad to play "Hole In The Sky" from our old east-german reel-to-reel machine

 

Honestly, I'm a fan of all the Black Sabbath albums with Ozzy. Sabotage is just so crushingly aggressive, one of the most "metallic" albums from that era and would provide inspiration for the heavier stuff to come in the 80s. I remember reading an interview with Jeff Hannemann from Slayer who said Sabotage was the biggest influence on him.

I would rank Sabbath Bloody Sabbath just slightly higher (it's my personal favorite) but Sabotage is right there.

I also stand up for Never Say Die (love the experimentation on that album like Air Dance) and to a lesser degree Technical Ecstasy. TE gets slammed but I think "You Won't Change Me" is a great track and also kind of points the way toward Ozzy's solo sound.

 

And it was recorded in Miami!!! Yikes!

 

I realize I'm in the minority with my statement. I don't know what it is, but I can listen to any of the first six Sabbath albums and never get tired of them, but IV feels like such a slog.

But you know what? It's been years since I've heard it. I'll throw it back in and see if my opinion has changed, and let you know.

 

I don't know how anyone could dislike Vol. 4. Under The Sun (THE best doom riff in history), Supernaut, Wheels of Confusion, Snowblind, Laguna Sunrise, Tomorrow's Dream.....now I want to listen to it...

 

Sabotage

Sabbath's best album hands down. No contest.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Sabotage is my favorite Sabbath album & Hole in the Sky is my favorite song...

 

Did not realize this but I was totally spinning Sabotage on the 28th as I had just acquired it a day or two before! Just started getting onto BS recently; so far MOR is my fave but really digging the Dio albums too.

 

You'll be happy to know that on a fresh listen of Vol. 4, I retract my previous statements about it being a complete miss, or a miss of any kind.

 

Welcome aboard.

 

To me, Sabotage is the Peak of their collective writing, the Mount Everest of a birthing metal scene, topped off nicely with some snow.

Everyone rave about Sabbath's first three albums, rightfully so, especially Master of Reality, the true father of stoner rock.

But the period from Vol 4 to Sabotage contain some of the best riffs and lyrics to come out of 70's rock. Too bad they didn't tour with Led Zeppelin.
You think they would have, as they were all chummy together. Bill and Bonzo knew each other growing up, Geezer and Ted Zeppelin lived in the same village (as adults) Bonzo was Iommi's best man, and Ozzy and Plant were on friendly terms as well.

 

Who's "Ted Zeppelin"?

I can't see Sabbath being a good touring mate with Zeppelin despite the fact that were friendly. Very different bands with different approaches. Besides, did Zeppelin ever have an opening band when they toured?

 

Ted Zeppelin is Robert Plant. The residents at the village pub gave him that name.

LZ did have openers, till 1970. I get what you're saying, but I think a co headlining tour would have worked out fine.

 

Interesting. I never knew he (Plant) had that nickname.

Where did you read about Bonham and Ward knowing each other growing up? I've never heard that before, either.

 

They knew each other as young teenagers, from 13 or so on as they played in bands that were on the same bills in the Birmingham area. I cannot recall where I read this, or if it was in an interview with Bill.

 

Finally bought Sabotage for the very first time when I picked up that Jon Anderson Olias of Sunhillow AF CD at Notting Hill Gate, just the other day. And it was the Andy Pearce remaster at a fair price too, although I haven't listened to the album all that much, and yet it does still kick some tail.

 

Did somebody say Sabbath????!!!!

 

One of my favorite Sabs albums and one of my all-time favorite albums period...

 

I still have my copy of Circus with the advert for Sabotage. I was stoked when I seen it as a high school aged kid would be. Great bands and great music that year!

 

I envy you all that were around when this would have been a new release. I know the excitement from a new release because of KISS, Van Halen, and Rush, but the glory days of Sabbath passed me by. I only became aware of them by the playing of Heaven and Hell on a local FM station here in Dallas. Still, that album was a revelation for me and really kicked my Sabbath fanaticism into high gear.

So cool when you were young and bands like Sabbath or Zeppelin had that almost mystical, somewhat evil or unknown quality to them; the great part about being young: having the perception that things were other worldly and beyond our astral plane. Time and age robs us of that perception and makes us jaded .

 

I do remember, and I do miss that feeling very much. At least we got to revel in that mystery and enjoy it. Kids don't have that today.

 

Vol 4 is the epitome of melancholy Sabbath...in a good way.

Whenever I'm in 'that mood' - Vol 4 goes on.

Sabotage has grown in stature, imho.

The Thrill of It All is amazing!

 

Amazing album, Sabbath in this era were fantastic. Iommi's guitar tone is scuzzy and raw - love his sound on some of the live versions of these songs from this era.

I adore all eight Ozzy albums (in fact all nine now) and in particular the SBS to NSD run. For some people Sabbath start and end with 'Paranoid' and they are really missing out.