Quite simply, Martin Popoff's Sabotage! Black Sabbath in the Seventies
marks the most intensive analysis of Black Sabbath's first eight albums
ever attempted. This is a big book-129,000 words long, every song
analysed in detail, loads of first-hand interview footage from close to
50 interrogations. In the baking, Popoff interviewed all of the
principles-Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill
Ward-repeatedly, along with myriad other folks who are part of this
remarkable tale. Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol 4,
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Never Say Die and Technical Ecstasy...
these are the building blocks of heavy metal, and within these awesome
audio chapters, Popoff breaks down each and every song on each of these
reverberating and cannonating records, while Geezer offers explanation
of the lyrics, Bill poetically explains why these songs resonate and
Tony and Oz look on with their characteristic sense of bemusement. Also
touched upon are the band's torrid troubles with money and management
and drugs and booze, as well as tour tales, album cover stories and
production tips 'n' tricks. Also included are two four-page sections of
colour plates. All told, it's everything needed to send the reader back
to the catalogue, headphones on, for a second listen of this landmark
run of records spanning 1970's self-titled debut to 1978's Never Say
Die, the shambling, controversial last gasp before Ozzy's shocking
ouster from the ranks.
