Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre with their first three albums Black Sabbath, Paranoid and Master of Reality (1971). Following Osbourne's departure in 1979, the band underwent multiple line-up changes, with Iommi being the only constant member throughout their history.
The Ultimate Sin is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. It was released on 24 January 1986, and was remastered and re-issued on CD on 22 August 1995. It is the second and last of Osbourne's albums to feature lead guitarist Jake E. Lee, the first to feature drummer Randy Castillo, and the only album to feature bassist Phil Soussan, who co-wrote the album's hit single "Shot in the Dark".
Metal Health is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Quiet Riot, released on February 28, 1983. The album spawned the hit singles "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Metal Health". It was the band's first album to receive a worldwide release, as the first two were released only in Japan.
Paranoid is the second studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released on 18 September 1970 by Vertigo Records in the United Kingdom and on 7 January 1971 by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album contains several of the band's signature songs, including "Iron Man", "War Pigs" and the title track, which was the band's only Top 20 hit, reaching number 4 on the UK charts.
Master of Reality is the third studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released in the United Kingdom on 6 August 1971 by Vertigo Records. It is regarded by some critics as the foundation of doom metal, stoner rock, and sludge metal. Produced by Rodger Bain, who also produced the band's prior two albums, Master of Reality was recorded at Island Studios in London from February to April 1971. Guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler downtuned their instruments during the production, achieving what Iommi called a "bigger, heavier sound".
Van Halen is the debut studio album by American rock band Van Halen, released on February 10, 1978, by Warner Bros. Records. Widely regarded as one of the greatest debut albums in rock music, and considered the progenitor of glam metal, the album was a major commercial success, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. It has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States, receiving a Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and making it one of the best-selling albums in the country.
Black Sabbath is the debut studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released on 13 February 1970 by Vertigo Records in the United Kingdom and on 1 June 1970 by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album is widely regarded as the first true heavy metal album, and the opening track, "Black Sabbath", has been referred to as the first doom metal song.
Jake E. Lee is an American musician best known as lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne between 1982 and 1987 and later as a member of the heavy metal band Badlands with Ray Gillen. He formed the band Red Dragon Cartel in 2013, and their debut album released in January 2014 entered the Billboard Album Chart at number 69. He has also recorded solo works under his own name—examples being the instrumental album A Fine Pink Mist (1996) and cover album Retraced (2005).
Sabotage is the sixth studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released on 28 July 1975. The album was recorded in the midst of a legal battle with the band's former manager, Patrick Meehan. The stress that resulted from the band's ongoing legal woes infiltrated the recording process, inspiring the album's title. It was co-produced by guitarist Tony Iommi and Mike Butcher.
Blue Murder were an English hard rock band led by guitarist-vocalist John Sykes. The group was formed in 1987 following Sykes's dismissal from Whitesnake. The initial line-up was rounded out by bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. In its nascent stage, vocalist Ray Gillen and drummer Cozy Powell were attached to the project. In 1989, Blue Murder released their self-titled debut album, which cracked the Billboard 200 chart and spawned a minor hit with "Jelly Roll". Nevertheless, the record proved to be a financial disappointment for both the band and their label Geffen Records.
Raymond Arthur Gillen was an American rock singer. He is best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s and recording most of the vocals on Phenomena's Dream Runner album.
Seventh Star is the twelfth studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath. Released on 28 January 1986 in the United States and on 21 February 1986 in the United Kingdom, it features founding guitarist Tony Iommi alongside musicians Geoff Nicholls, Eric Singer, and Dave Spitz, playing keyboards, drums, and bass, respectively, and Glenn Hughes, ex-Deep Purple and ex-Trapeze vocalist, as lead singer. The album was the group's first release without bassist and primary lyricist Geezer Butler, who left the band in 1984 after the Born Again tour. It was originally written, recorded, and intended to be the first solo album by Iommi. Because of the pressures from Warner Bros. Records and the prompting of band manager Don Arden, the record was billed as Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi. Despite the issues behind the release's production, it earned moderate commercial success, reaching #27 in the UK and #78 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Blue Murder is the debut album by English hard rock band Blue Murder, released on 24 April 1989 by Geffen Records. It was produced by Bob Rock. The band was formed by guitarist John Sykes after his dismissal from Whitesnake. He was eventually joined by bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. The band entered Little Mountain Sound Studios in early 1988 to begin recording their debut album. After several unsuccessful attempts at finding a lead singer, John Sykes took up the role, having already sung the band's first demos. Following the record's release, Blue Murder embarked on tours supporting Bon Jovi and Billy Squier.
Badlands was an American heavy metal band founded by former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee, former Black Sabbath members Ray Gillen (vocals) and Eric Singer (drums), as well as former Surgical Steel bass player Greg Chaisson. After the first Badlands album, Singer was replaced by Jeff Martin. Compared to the sound of the members' former bands, the sound of Badlands was more in a Led Zeppelin-influenced blues/hard rock vein. The group lasted from 1988 to 1993 and released three albums. Badlands (1989) and Voodoo Highway (1991) were released before Gillen left and was briefly replaced by singer John West. Gillen's death in 1993 effectively ended any hopes of reuniting the project. The album Dusk was released in 1998 with then-recently deceased Gillen on vocals.
Voodoo Highway is the second studio album by the American hard rock band Badlands. After their first album, drummer Eric Singer left the band to join KISS, and was replaced by drummer Jeff Martin, who had previously sung lead vocals in the bands Surgical Steel and Racer X. Bassist Greg Chaisson was instrumental in getting his friend Jeff Martin the gig with Badlands. They had earlier played in the Phoenix, AZ bands Surgical Steel and St. Michael together and teamed up again in the Blindside Blues Band and RedSea following the demise of Badlands.
The Eternal Idol is the thirteenth studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released in November 1987 in the UK and on 8 December 1987 in the US. It is the first Black Sabbath album to feature vocalist Tony Martin. It spent six weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at 168. It was also the last full album of new material by Black Sabbath to be released by Warner Bros. Records, and the final album through their original label Vertigo Records until the release of 13 in 2013.
The Great Radio Controversy is the second studio album by American hard rock band Tesla, released in 1989. The album's sound has been described as "glam metal to play inside the cab of a tractor-blusey denim and downright wholesome".
Steeler was an early 1980s American heavy metal band formed in 1981 in Nashville, Tennessee by vocalist Ron Keel. The band released its self-titled sole album on Shrapnel Records in 1983 before morphing into Keel. Steeler is also notable for featuring then-emerging guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, who left to form Alcatrazz shortly after the self-titled album and launch a solo career.
Greg Chaisson is a Canadian bass guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer who has played in various bands, most notably Badlands, which featured former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee, vocalist Ray Gillen, and drummers Eric Singer and Jeff Martin, respectively.
Dusk is the third and final studio album by the band Badlands. The album was originally a collection of demos recorded in 1992–1993 to be submitted to their label, Atlantic Records. The demo tracks were released posthumously on December 15, 1998 in Japan on Pony Canyon. A European release on UK-based Z Records, with different artwork, followed in 2000.
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