They're All Still Breathing #2: Black Sabbath (60s 70s Rock Bands Where All Members Are Alive Who Played On The First Album)

Surprisingly . . . Amazingly . . . Astonishingly . . . and likely against the better instincts of the universe on the issue of overall balance, all original members of Black Sabbath are still alive, if heavily medicated.  Who would have predicted such a thing for the year 2013 back in the days of headless bats?  Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Bulter and Bill Ward first got together in 1968 as The Polka Tulk Blues Band, quickly changing their name to Earth.  As Earth the band gained some attention in the UK and recorded demos.  After leaving the band for a short time to play with Jethro Tull (including for their appearance in The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus aborted television special), Tony Iommi returned to Earth in 1969.  As their popularity gained so did another band's who had the name Earth.

Various stories have been told as to from where the name Black Sabbath arose.  One gives the inspiration to Geezer Bulter who during a band practice noticed people lining up at a cinema playing Boris Karloff's film "Black Sabbath".  Geezer noted that people loved scary movies and that gave him an inspiration for not only the name of the band's song "Black Sabbath" but for the band name itself and their dark musical direction.  Another story is that the band's new name came from the first song on the first Coven album, a song also called "Black Sabbath", from a band that actually practiced Satanism and signed their record contracts in their own blood.

Ozzy, Iommi and Geezer have reunited to record their first new album with (most of) the original line-up since 1978's "Never Say Die". Bill Ward was to play on the album, but contract issues caused him to bow out.  Today Loudwire.com reported in an interview with Geezer Bulter that the new album, "sort of has the feel of the first three albums."

Here is a video of Black Sabbath from Paris in 1970.