Never Say Die! (1978) (WARNER BROS. RECORDS) Black Sabbath
Album Description:
NEVER SAY DIE! is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in September 1978. It is the last Sabbath studio album with Ozzy Osbourne as the band's lead singer.
Before this album was recorded, Ozzy Osbourne quit the band and was briefly replaced by former Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac vocalist Dave Walker. Some songs were written with Walker, and the new group even performed an early version of "Junior's Eyes" with different lyrics on the BBC programme, LOOK HEAR. Osbourne eventually rejoined the band, refusing to sing any of the songs written with Walker. These particular songs were rewritten, including "Junior's Eyes" (rewritten to be about the then-recent death of Ozzy's father). All four band members sing on "A Hard Road". The album was recorded at Sounds Interchange Studios in Toronto, as were parts of TECHNICAL ECSTASY. In the U.K. the title track, released well ahead of the album and the band's first U.K. picture-sleeve single, reached #21 in the chart and gave the band its first Top Of The Pops appearances since 1970. The band twice appeared live in the studio, miming to the song. One of these appearances was included on the official THE BLACK SABBATH STORY VOL. 1 - 1970-1978 video release, in a poor b/w transfer from a fan's off-air archive, despite the BBC holding both appearances in their archive. Title track remains the record's best-known composition, as it was featured on Ozzy's popular 1982 solo live album of Sabbath material, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. In the U.K. the album reached #12, one place higher than TECHNICAL ECSTASY. In the U.S. it peaked at #69 on the Billboard Pop Album chart. It was certified Gold on 7 November 1997. In the U.K. "A Hard Road" was released as the second single from the album and reached the U.K. Top 40. Video from this period, professionally recorded on the U.K. tour at the Hammersmith Odeon in June 1978, can be seen on the Sanctuary Visual Entertainment DVD, also entitled NEVER SAY DIE!
Upon release of NEVER SAY DIE!, Ozzy Osbourne's growing disillusionment with the band had reached a boiling point, especially after it took so long to complete the album. The final deciding factor for Ozzy's permanent split from the band occurred on the ensuing tour, when a hungry young band by the name of Van Halen opened the shows, continually blowing the headlining metal veterans off the stage.
Black Sabbath: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Tony Iommi (guitar); Geezer Butler (bass); Bill Ward (drums). Additional personnel: John Elstar (harmonica); Don Airey (keyboards).
Recorded at Sounds Interchange, Toronto, Canada.
Produced by Black Sabbath.
Track Listing:
1. Never Say Die - 3:49 2. Johnny Blade - 6:28 3. Junior's Eyes - 6:43 4. Hard Road - 6:06 5. Shock Wave - 5:16 6. Air Dance - 5:18 7. Over to You - 5:24 8. Break Out - 2:35 9. Swinging the Chain - 4:05
Never Say Die! (1978) (WARNER BROS. RECORDS)
ReplyDeleteBlack Sabbath
Album Description:
NEVER SAY DIE! is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in September 1978. It is the last Sabbath studio album with Ozzy Osbourne as the band's lead singer.
Before this album was recorded, Ozzy Osbourne quit the band and was briefly replaced by former Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac vocalist Dave Walker. Some songs were written with Walker, and the new group even performed an early version of "Junior's Eyes" with different lyrics on the BBC programme, LOOK HEAR. Osbourne eventually rejoined the band, refusing to sing any of the songs written with Walker. These particular songs were rewritten, including "Junior's Eyes" (rewritten to be about the then-recent death of Ozzy's father). All four band members sing on "A Hard Road". The album was recorded at Sounds Interchange Studios in Toronto, as were parts of TECHNICAL ECSTASY. In the U.K. the title track, released well ahead of the album and the band's first U.K. picture-sleeve single, reached #21 in the chart and gave the band its first Top Of The Pops appearances since 1970. The band twice appeared live in the studio, miming to the song. One of these appearances was included on the official THE BLACK SABBATH STORY VOL. 1 - 1970-1978 video release, in a poor b/w transfer from a fan's off-air archive, despite the BBC holding both appearances in their archive. Title track remains the record's best-known composition, as it was featured on Ozzy's popular 1982 solo live album of Sabbath material, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. In the U.K. the album reached #12, one place higher than TECHNICAL ECSTASY. In the U.S. it peaked at #69 on the Billboard Pop Album chart. It was certified Gold on 7 November 1997. In the U.K. "A Hard Road" was released as the second single from the album and reached the U.K. Top 40. Video from this period, professionally recorded on the U.K. tour at the Hammersmith Odeon in June 1978, can be seen on the Sanctuary Visual Entertainment DVD, also entitled NEVER SAY DIE!
Upon release of NEVER SAY DIE!, Ozzy Osbourne's growing disillusionment with the band had reached a boiling point, especially after it took so long to complete the album. The final deciding factor for Ozzy's permanent split from the band occurred on the ensuing tour, when a hungry young band by the name of Van Halen opened the shows, continually blowing the headlining metal veterans off the stage.
Black Sabbath: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Tony Iommi (guitar); Geezer Butler (bass); Bill Ward (drums).
Additional personnel: John Elstar (harmonica); Don Airey (keyboards).
Recorded at Sounds Interchange, Toronto, Canada.
Produced by Black Sabbath.
Track Listing:
1. Never Say Die - 3:49
2. Johnny Blade - 6:28
3. Junior's Eyes - 6:43
4. Hard Road - 6:06
5. Shock Wave - 5:16
6. Air Dance - 5:18
7. Over to You - 5:24
8. Break Out - 2:35
9. Swinging the Chain - 4:05