Poll: Black Sabbath "13" or Deep Purple "Now What?!"

And Blackmore IMO

 

This is a faulty comparison: The Sabbath disc will be a reunion of the most famous/critically praised lineup of the band minus its drummer. The new Purple disc is a modern lineup of the band lacking two of the most important members from its most successful (and in most peoples' opinion, greatest) lineup (Mk. II). The new Black Sabbath album will be closer to the "ideal" of what Black Sabbath means, whereas Now What?!? is incredibly far, if not completely dissimilar, from the "ideal" that represents Deep Purple. I love both bands near equally, but new Deep Purple is as much like Mk. II as the "Seventh Star"/Glenn Hughes lineup of "Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi" was to the original, classic lineup of the band.

Deep Purple and what it truly was is gone, with the exception of its still wonderful live shows. Black Sabbath, as it truly was and should be, has (or at least can have) a future. Heck, even Bill Ward could rejoin at one point and for all we know make an album as great as the first 6 at some point. But Lord well...sadly, he can't be a part of Purple now (RIP), and Blackmore is as good as dead himself when it comes to Deep Purple.

 

In other words, the new Sabbath album would only be like the new Deep Purple disc, IMO, if it lacked Iommi and Butler and simply had two other players in their place.

 

I see you point and I agree to some extent but I would not draw as distinct a line between ideal DP/BS and what is now, much less the future.

In my mind, DP is very similar to Yes, more of a fluid, sand shifting unit. Now, I would not argue anything other then the glory years of MKII were the peak much as I view the CTTE/Yes Album/Fragile as my ideal for Yes. But that still frame is really in my mind, in a way, in the sense that those lineups were there, in their initial run, for a relatively brief time.

Sabbath, at least to me, has a much more distinct foundation. Those four guys, 8 albums, bedrock unit. Then they were fortunate to have 3/4 of the band knock out two more winners after Ozzy splits. Then the door starts revolving. But those four guys, again imo, are the like the Mount Rushmore of the band's history so, to me, Bill's absence is a bigger deal then the lack of Richie and Jon. (Not trying to minimize Jon's death in any way and certainly his departure is far more acutely felt as Richie's been gone for years.)

But, to be fair, I don't know the inside story with Bill Ward and don't know if his health is up to recording and touring so maybe it's not as much of a loss as I think it is.

As far as the future, yhey're all getting older and I don't think they have that much gas left in the tank. Ozzy, imo, is shot. Plus, I don't think the Sabs have the songs in them (I hope I'm wrong about this and Tony and Geezer, after reuniting with Ozzy get inspired.) I would probably be more optimistic if they had hooked up with Glenn again.

Writing-wise, I think the DP camp has been much stronger in recent years, imo.

Gillan, while he obviously doesn't have the wattage he did as a young man, can still sing. He has been wise to tone it down, I think, because he can carry off the lower ranges quite well. And Morse seems like he's in full command of his powers.

I hope both albums are good, content-wise. If they have a DR above 8, all the better.

 

Being a musician, the vote was easy as Purple is all about music were as Sabbath is all attitude and facade.

 

What instrument do you play...slide whistle?

 

Wasn't psycho man cornball?

 

Wrong. Play your washboard Emmitt.

 

If Sabbath was a band without Ozzy they can certainly be a band without Bill Ward.

 

Don't kid yourself. Ozzy is a weak link, Tony is battling cancer, Bill Ward probably won't do business and most likely isn't in the best health for touring the globe. In fact most of them aren't at this point. I'm actually surprised a certain forum member hasn't used his quote: "a couple more albums of old age pensioner rock, then death." on the 13 thread.

 

I think Ozzy's gonna surprise quite a few people and put out a fine performance. It's not like he's blown his voice out and now sounds like a shell of his former self (like certain other singers of the era). Ozzy is gonna sound like Ozzy. I think Rick Rubin is gonna be able to get a back to your roots, genuine performance out of the band. And that sounds fine by me.

The 2 new Purple cuts I've heard just sound like cheezy schlock. I'm not sure what audience they were shooting for there. Over 50? Just the Purple fanatics? I don't think it will win them any new fans. Just my opinion.

 

I'm a Purple "fanatic" or at least a big fan of the band now who cherishes their first 12 albums and several of their live videos and albums (not to mention a near reverence for In Rock as all my all time favorite album anymore)...and those two new "Deep Purple" songs did not appeal to me at all.

And yes, Ozzy's voice isn't that "shot". This honestly makes me laugh because, unfortunately, I just watched the latest Deep Purple blu-ray from Montreux 2011 and now I'm watching the Live in Denmark 1972 DVD and, if I didn't know better, I would think it wasn't the same singer on both concerts. At least Ozzy still sounds like Ozzy (and doesn't have a goofball, Country Club creeper image either).

I don't think Sabbath will churn out a masterpiece, but I don't think they'll make shlock which devastates the band's legacy and defies its definition(s) either, unlike "Deep Purple".

 

I am only planning on buying the Black Sabbath, so they get my vote.

 

Deep Purple. Judging by their last 15 to 18 years collective track record Ozzy's gonna sound like ****, the lyrics will be cheesy and juvenile, the riffs dumb and generic, the production horrible and mastering atrocious. The last decent music Toni Iommi made was on Cross Purposes and the last decent Ozzy record was Ozzmosis and the single Back on Earth. Tht 2 new tracks on Reunion were garbage and extremelly bad smelling one. On the other hand I expect a good mature Purple album with some fine Gillan songs and hopefully better production than the last 2.

 

As a musician as well, I respectfully disagree with this insane notion.

 

Thanks for a quote that's dealing in reality.

It's not really an insane notion, if I'm understanding his quote.
True, both bands are all about music; but generally speaking, Sabbath have relied on the devils-dragons-hell-satan facade. Purple albums have always been a surprise.

 

By the way, why no option that both albums could be good?

 

They most certainly could both be good. But I didn't feel like offering any easy ways out. Just pick one or the other and describe the reasoning. Which of these two hard rock giants from the past has the best chance of getting it together to put out the better album? Will they go out with a blaze of glory? Can they even approach the bar they set for themselves in the past?

 

Not exactly sure what "dumb riff" is? Or a "mature" Deep Purple album. Mature meaning it sounds like it's serious? Or just old and tired?

 

Check out any Iommi riffs from his 2 awful solo records and The Devil that you know. Dumb and generic for his standards and his "riffmaster" status. As much as I love the guy he simply lost it years ago. I'd love to be proven wrong and see Tony's muse return to him at least one last time (especially considering his battle against cancer) but I'm rather sceptical about it.

As for mature DP album look no further than Rapture of the Deep - great lyrics, cool adult sense of humor, endless Gillan charisma. Certainly not a band working for a teenage audience like Ozzy, Metallica, Maiden or Priest still do.

 

Good point.

It helps that Deep Purple state their disdain for the term HEAVY METAL too. I think it keeps them free from pandering to the teenage mindset. Not that there's anything wrong with teenage mindset, but Purple are acting their age. Which reminds me, Gillan looks like I guy his age, not trying to play to image game like Ozzy. If you think Gillan looks like some country club creeper that's your own trip. A sixty something Ozzy is trying to look like John Lennon circa 1968....now that might be considered a goofy thing too.

 

Toni is Tony's daughter.

 

Maiden do not work just for a teenage audience there current albums are worlds apart from the early classic stuff, Maiden these days have a 'progressive rock' sound and are very mature lyrically, Judas Priest have also changed there sound i suggest you listen to these two great bands latest albums and re-assess your opinion

 

Sorry, but I think I'd rather be listening to some music from a bunch of guys who were young for their age, and not worrying who they were pandering to....just playing the timeless music they want to play. Rather than acting all of their 67 years, with its maturity and adult sense of humor. You know what that sounds like....a chat with grandpa. Zzzzzzzzzz. And the first two tracks sure were boring.

 

And I enjoyed them. In fact I enjoyed them much more than anything off The Devil You Know. Hey, maybe we have different tastes in music.