Born Again (Black Sabbath)
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| Born Again | ||
 |
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| Studio album by Black Sabbath | ||
| Released | August 7, 1983 | |
| Recorded | 1983 | |
| Genre | Heavy metal | |
| Length | 41:04 | |
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | |
| Producer(s) | Black Sabbath | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath chronology | ||
| Live Evil (1982) |
Born Again (1983) |
Seventh Star (1986) |
Born Again is Black Sabbath's eleventh studio album, released in August 1983. It was panned by critics at the time of its release, but reached #4 in the UK charts as well as the top 40 in the U.S. and has gained a strong following among a number of fans.
The album features the vocals of Ian Gillan, former singer for Deep Purple, who joined the band in 1983 to replace departed vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward returned to the band as a replacement for Vinny Appice, who had left with Dio to form the band Dio, but quit the band right before the 1983 tour. It is also notable in that many purist fans consider it to be the last "true" Sabbath album, as its follow-up, Seventh Star, included only one original Sabbath member (Iommi) and was intended to be a Iommi solo project.
Contents |
[edit] Recording
The album was recorded during the summer of 1983 at The Manor Studio in Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, England. A major criticism of the album is its production, which Iommi and Gillan have both said is abysmal. Gillan went as far as blaming Butler, who co-produced the album, for the awful sound quality. Former Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne said at the time that it was the best album Sabbath had made in years.[citation needed]
In 2005, a collection of demo recordings of the album began circulating. It contained every song that made the final album, including a previously unreleased track called "The Fallen," which fans had previously assumed was lost forever and would never be heard. The album was of particular note because the general consensus among fans was that the production values on the demos were actually better than those on the final album, a somewhat unique phenomenon. Many fans prefer the bootleg to the actual album.[citation needed] Original versions of the bootleg were released at the wrong speed; subsequent versions have been restored to normal speed.
[edit] Song information
"Trashed" relates how Gillan crashed Ward's car during an alcohol-fuelled race around the grounds of the recording studio.
"Digital Bitch" is rumoured to have been lyrically inspired by Sharon Arden, daughter of Black Sabbath manager Don Arden and later Ozzy Osbourne's wife. In the words of Ian Gillan:[citation needed]
| I remember exactly who inspired this story, but the only thing I can reveal about her identity is that neither she, nor her father, had anything to do with computers. |
Gillan also explained the genesis of "Disturbing the Priest":[citation needed]
| We were in loud playback mode, with the door open...When the track ended I was surprised to see a nervous vicar standing in the doorway. He explained how wonderful he thought the music was, but they were having choir practise in the adjacent village church and so would we mind closing the door…? I apologised immediately, we got hold of his schedule and never worked again during those times. The following evening I had a few beers with the vicar and signed some autographs for the choir. It was Geezer who came up with the title as we were laughing about the story some days later. |
[edit] Album cover
The album cover, which featured the image of an infant with horns and vampire fangs, was designed by Steve Joule. The deliberately lurid design was submitted by Joule in a vain attempt to be rejected from this design commission, as he was also retained on a lucrative contract by Ozzy Osbourne's organisation for his sleeve designs. To Joule's horror and surprise, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler approved the image for the album. Gillan and Ward were not present when the decision was made, though they later noted that they hated the finished cover. Joule reports that he was drunk and high on speed when he drew the finalized designs for the album. The cover is hated by many fans, but also has a cult following (much as the album itself), most notably with Max Cavalera and Glen Benton both stating that it is their favorite album cover.[1]
[edit] Tour
There were many problems surrounding the tour for the album, including having little room on stage due to it being decorated with three life-sized Stonehenge replicas.[1] This supposedly inspired the infamous Stonehenge scene in the movie This Is Spinal Tap, although the "Stonehenge scene" was already in a 20 minute early demo of the film from 1982.[citation needed]
[edit] Miscellanea
- In 1993, American death metal band Cannibal Corpse covered the song "Zero the Hero" on the EP Hammer Smashed Face.
- In 1994, Danzig guitarist John Christ told Guitar School that their song "Her Black Wings" compares a riff of "Zero the Hero".[2]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Tony Iommi, Ian Gillan, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, except as indicated.
- "Trashed" – 4:16
- "Stonehenge" – 1:58
- "Disturbing the Priest" – 5:49
- "The Dark" – 0:45
- "Zero the Hero" – 7:35
- "Digital Bitch" – 3:39
- "Born Again" – 6:34
- "Hot Line" (Iommi, Gillan, Butler) – 4:52
- "Keep It Warm" (Iommi, Gillan, Butler) – 5:36
[edit] Credits
- Ian Gillan - vocals
- Tony Iommi - guitar
- Geezer Butler - bass guitar
- Bill Ward - drums
with
- Geoff Nicholls - keyboards
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Gillan The Hero - Fan site with information on the album and subsequent tour.
| Black Sabbath |
| Ozzy Osbourne | Tony Iommi | Geezer Butler | Bill Ward |
| Dave Walker | Ronnie James Dio | Vinny Appice | Ian Gillan | Bev Bevan | David Donato | Glenn Hughes | Dave Spitz | Eric Singer | Ray Gillen | Tony Martin | Bob Daisley | Jo Burt | Terry Chimes | Laurence Cottle | Cozy Powell | Neil Murray | Bobby Rondinelli | Mike Bordin | Geoff Nicholls |
| Discography |
|---|
| Studio albums: Black Sabbath | Paranoid | Master of Reality | Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 | Sabbath Bloody Sabbath | Sabotage | Technical Ecstasy | Never Say Die! | Heaven and Hell | Mob Rules | Born Again | Seventh Star | The Eternal Idol | Headless Cross | Tyr | Dehumanizer | Cross Purposes | Forbidden |
| Live albums: Live Evil | Cross Purposes Live | Reunion | Past Lives |
| Compilations: We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll | Under Wheels of Confusion | The Sabbath Stones | Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978 | Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978) | Greatest Hits 1970-1978 |
