Hailed by way of Rolling Stone as “the Beatles of heavy steel” and ranked by way of MTV because the “Largest Steel Band of All Time,” Black Sabbath no longer simplest ruled the style— they helped create it. Based in 1969, the band’s unique heavy riffs, tuned-down guitars, and apocalyptic lyrics have been a stark distinction to the period’s well-liked feel-good pop, upbeat Motown, and earnest people song. Their ominous new sound struck a chord. So far, Black Sabbath has bought greater than 70 million information international.
In INTO THE VOID: From Beginning to Black Sabbath—And Past (Dey Boulevard: On sale: June 18, 2024), now in business paperback, Geezer Butler tells his aspect of the tale—and the tale of his lifestyles earlier than and after the band’s upward thrust to status and notoriety. With honesty, Butler writes of his early life in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, England, as one in every of seven in a working-class Irish Catholic circle of relatives, and his disillusionment with arranged faith and sophistication methods in his overdue teenagers, which might affect the lyrics and creative issues that made Black Sabbath a sensation. From his awakening to the facility of song—and his daring determination to modify his occupation trail from accountant to bassist—Butler takes readers in the back of the scenes of Black Sabbath’s roots, upward thrust, and struggles. Even longtime lovers of the band are sure to be informed one thing recent and unexpected as Geezer himself recounts:
• How in 1968 he shaped the Polka Tulk Blues Band with guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Invoice Ward, and vocalist John “Ozzy” Osborne, and solid a innovative inventive collaboration.
• The foundation tale of Black Sabbath. Through 1969, Polka Tulk had grow to be Earth, however stored getting fallacious for any other team with the similar title. Geezer prompt an authentic title, “Black Sabbath,” after one in every of their songs, which he co-wrote the lyrics for, partially impressed by way of a nightmare of a black silhouetted determine status on the foot of his mattress.
• Notable appearances with Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and The Who, and features a groundbreaking willpower to making the rock song similar of a horror movie, with darkish components of the occult.
• The tales in the back of Black Sabbath’s largest hits, together with “Struggle Pigs,” “Iron Guy,” and “Paranoid,” and necessary later years, culminating with their final studio album, reuniting 3 of the unique participants, and final are living efficiency on February 4, 2017, in Birmingham.
That includes 30 pictures from Geezer’s private assortment—some never-before-published—INTO THE VOID is each an effusive tribute to one in every of rock’s most fun bands and an intimate memoir of a trailblazing musician.

Concerning the Writer: Terence Michael Joseph “Geezer” Butler, absolute best referred to as the longtime bassist and primary lyricist for Black Sabbath, is likely one of the maximum influential bassists in heavy steel and considered a “founding father” of the style. In 2006, he reformed the “Dehumanizer”-era Black Sabbath with guitarist Tommy Iommi, vocalist Ronnie James Dio, and drummer Vinny Appice as Heaven & Hell. In 2017, he took a brief hiatus from song to shuttle and write. In 2018, he joined the British-American rock band Cut-off date Ritual, composed of founder and drummer Matt Sorum (Weapons N’ Roses), vocalist Franky Perez (Apocalyptica), and guitarist Steve Stevens (Billy Idol). A local of Aston Birmingham, England, he makes his house in Nevada and Utah together with his spouse Gloria Butler, who manages Geezer and co-managed Heaven & Hell. They are living with their 3 cats and canine.
INTO THE VOID: From Beginning to Black Sabbath—And Past by way of Geezer Butler
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