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“It’s weird when you hear stuff from so long ago.” Tony Iommi says that Black Sabbath’s earliest recordings, dating back to when they were known as Earth, will be released “at some point”
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has confirmed that the band's earliest recordings, made when the group was still known as Earth, will eventually be released. The material has been kept under wraps for decades, and its emergence offers a rare glimpse into the origins of one of heavy metal's founding acts before they adopted the Black Sabbath name.
The recordings were made at Zella Studio in Birmingham in 1969 and were announced last year as forming an album's worth of material to be issued as "The Legendary Lost Tapes". Former band manager Jim Simpson said the tracks were withheld at the time because the group's sound was evolving so rapidly, but noted they demonstrate the calibre of musicianship the four young Birmingham musicians possessed from the very start. Iommi has now indicated the tapes will surface "at some point", though no firm release date has been given.
In short
- Tony Iommi confirms unreleased Earth-era recordings will come out eventually
- Tracks recorded in 1969 at Birmingham's Zella Studio
- Material to be released as "The Legendary Lost Tapes"
Explained simply
Black Sabbath are one of the most influential rock bands in history, originating from Birmingham in the late 1960s and pioneering heavy metal as a genre. The band's dark, heavy sound and theatrical approach defined the music and inspired countless artists over subsequent decades.
Before they became famous as Black Sabbath, the group performed as Earth and recorded material in 1969 at a studio in their home city. These early recordings have remained unreleased for over fifty years, partly because the group's musical direction was still developing at the time.
The tapes offer a rare glimpse into the band's formative years, demonstrating the musicianship of the four young Birmingham musicians before they achieved worldwide success. For fans and music historians, these recordings provide insight into how one of rock's most significant acts developed their distinctive sound.
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