List of Black Sabbath band members
| Black Sabbath | |
|---|---|
|
Black Sabbath onstage in Stuttgart on 16 December 1999. From left to right: Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward. | |
| Background information | |
| Genres | Heavy metal |
| Years active |
1968–present (hiatus: 2006-2011) |
| Members |
Tony Iommi Geezer Butler Ozzy Osbourne |
| Past members | Former members |
The following is a list of musicians who have been members of English heavy metal band Black Sabbath since their formation in Birmingham in 1968. The current lineup consists of three of the four original members of the band: vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, and bassist Geezer Butler.
Current lineup
Tony Iommi has been the only consistent member of Black Sabbath.
- Active: 1968–present
- Instruments: lead guitar
- Occasional instruments: piano, flute, acoustic guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, organ, mellotron
- Release contributions: all Black Sabbath releases
Bassist Geezer Butler was also a member of the related band Heaven and Hell.
- Active: 1968–1985, 1991–1994, 1997–present
- Instruments: bass, synthesizers
- Occasional instruments: mellotron
- Release contributions: all Black Sabbath releases from Black Sabbath (1970) to Born Again (1983), Dehumanizer (1992), Cross Purposes (1994), 13 (2013)
After being fired from the band in 1979, Osbourne began a successful solo career.
- Active: 1968–1977, 1978–1979, 1997–present
- Instruments: lead vocals
- Occasional instruments: harmonica, synthesizer
- Release contributions: all Black Sabbath releases from Black Sabbath (1970) to Never Say Die! (1978), 13 (2013)
Touring musicians
- Adam Wakeman
- Active: 2004–2006,2011–present
- Instruments: keyboards
- Release contributions: none
- Tommy Clufetos
- Active: 2012–present
- Instruments: drums
- Occasional instruments: Percussion
- Release contributions: none
Former members
Drummer Bill Ward was the last original member to reunite with Sabbath in 1997.
- Active: 1968–1980, 1982–1983, 1985, 1994, 1997–2012
- Instruments: drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Occasional instruments: lead vocals
- Release contributions: all Black Sabbath releases from Black Sabbath (1970) to Heaven and Hell (1980), Born Again (1983) and Reunion (1999)
- Dave Walker
- Active: 1977–1978
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: none
Ronnie James Dio recorded three successful studio albums with Black Sabbath.
- Active: 1979–1982, 1991–1992; 2007
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: Heaven and Hell (1980), Mob Rules (1981), Dehumanizer (1992), The Dio Years (2007)
- Geoff Nicholls
- Active: 1979–2004, 2006
- Instruments: keyboards
- Occasional instruments: bass, back up guitar
- Release contributions: all Black Sabbath releases from Heaven and Hell (1980) to Live at Hammersmith Odeon (2007)
- Vinny Appice
- Active: 1980–1982, 1991–1993, 1998, 2007
- Instruments: drums
- Release contributions: Mob Rules (1981), Dehumanizer (1992)
- Ian Gillan
- Active: 1982–1984
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: Born Again (1983)
- Bev Bevan
- Active: 1983–1984, 1987
- Instruments: drums, percussion
- Release contributions: The Eternal Idol (1987)
- David Donato
- Active:1984–1985
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: none
Drummer Eric Singer had a short tenure with Sabbath between 1985 and 1987.
- Active: 1985–1987
- Instruments: drums
- Release contributions: Seventh Star (1986), The Eternal Idol (1987)
- Dave Spitz
- Active: 1985–1986, 1987
- Instruments: bass
- Release contributions: Seventh Star (1986)
- Glenn Hughes
- Active: 1985–1986
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: Seventh Star (1986)
- Ray Gillen
- Active: 1986–1987
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: none
- Bob Daisley
- Active: 1986
- Instruments: bass
- Release contributions: The Eternal Idol (1987)
- Tony Martin
- Active: 1987–1991, 1993–1997
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: The Eternal Idol (1987), Headless Cross (1989), TYR (1990), Cross Purposes (1994), Forbidden (1995)
- Terry Chimes
- Active: 1987
- Instruments: drums
- Release contributions: none
- Jo Burt
- Active: 1987
- Instruments: bass
- Release contributions: none
- Cozy Powell
- Active: 1988–1991, 1994–1995
- Instruments: drums
- Release contributions: Headless Cross (1989), TYR (1990), Forbidden (1995)
- Neil Murray
- Active: 1989–1991, 1994–1995
- Instruments: bass
- Release contributions: TYR (1990), Forbidden (1995)
- Bobby Rondinelli
- Active: 1993–1994, 1995
- Instruments: drums
- Release contributions: Cross Purposes (1994)
- Mike Bordin
- Active: 1997
- Instruments: drums
- Release contributions: none
Timeline
Session and guest musicians
- Rick Wakeman
- Active: 1973
- Instruments: keyboards
- Release contributions: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973) - "Sabbra Cadabra" only
- Gerald "Jezz" Woodruffe
- Active: 1975, 1978
- Instruments: keyboards
- Release contributions: Sabotage (1975), Technical Ecstasy (1976)
- Don Airey
- Active: 1978
- Instruments: keyboards
- Release contributions: Never Say Die! (1978)
- John Elstar
- Active: 1978
- Instruments: harmonica
- Release contributions: Never Say Die! (1978)
- Dave Donato
- Active: 1985
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: none
- Jeff Fenholt
- Active: 1985
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: none
- Gordon Copley
- Active: 1985
- Instruments: bass
- Release contributions: "No Stranger to Love" on the album Seventh Star (1986)
- Brian May
- Active: 1988
- Instruments: guitar
- Release contributions: Headless Cross (1989) – "When Death Calls" only
- Laurence Cottle
- Active: 1988–1989
- Instruments: bass
- Release contributions: Headless Cross (1989)
- Ice-T
- Active: 1994/1995
- Instruments: vocals
- Release contributions: Forbidden (1995) – "The Illusion of Power" only
Heaven and Hell
In 2006, with the Ozzy Osbourne fronted Black Sabbath on hiatus, former Black Sabbath members reunited to form Heaven and Hell to support the release of Black Sabbath: The Dio Years. When asked about the name change, Ronnie James Dio responded: "It doesn’t much matter what we call it, people will call it what it is – Black Sabbath with Dio" [1] They subsequently toured, playing Dio-era Black Sabbath songs in addition to the release of a newly recorded album, The Devil You Know. The band also recorded two live albums during the time before disbanding following the death of Ronnie James Dio in 2010.
Lineup
- Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals, keyboards (2006–2010)
- Tony Iommi – guitar (2006–2010)
- Geezer Butler – bass (2006–2010)
- Vinny Appice – drums, percussion (2006–2010)
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