For contemporary artists like Rob Zombie, Henry Rollins and Monster Magnet - as well as millions of hard rockers around the globe - nothing beats the primal power of early Black Sabbath. But in the 20 years since Osbourne was booted out of the band, the music of the "classic" Black Sabbath lineup has grown in stature to almost mythic proportions tickets to the group's 1998-99 reunion tour were harder to get than a seat on the space shuttle. Geezer has returned to the Sabbath fold on several occasions, and he, Ward and Iommi have all released compelling albums of their own. Meanwhile, Iommi has soldiered on with Black Sabbath, presiding over a revolving cast that's included such august figures as Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Vinny Appice, Cozy Powell, Glenn Hughes, Eric Singer and even former Electric Light Orchestra skinsman Bev Bevan. Since the early Eighties, Osbourne has parlayed his "godfather of metal" image (as well as a knack for finding talented young guitarists) into tremendous solo success. With their ominous riffs, fuzzed-out bass lines, earth-shuddering rhythms and desolate lyrical worldview, albums like Paranoid, Master of Reality and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath charted the course for the next three decades of heavy metal-influencing a fair number of punk and grunge bands along the way - before the original partnership finally splintered in 1979. Despite overwhelmingly negative reviews, minimal radio airplay and near-constant harassment by right-wing religious groups, the original Black Sabbath lineup of drummer Bill Ward, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and singer Ozzy Osbourne went on to sell millions of records. Thirty-odd years down the road, Black Sabbath is still one of the most unlikely success stories in the history of rock and roll.
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