Geezer Butler has recalled the indifference that greeted Black Sabbath in their early days.
As the fledgling band were trying to record their self-titled 1970 debut album, they faced repeated rejection by record companies and struggled to get anyone to pay attention. Within weeks of its eventual release, Black Sabbath was a top 10 UK album and they were catapulted to international stardom.
Bassist Butler tells Metal Hammer: “Nobody believed that we’d ever do anything. And we didn’t either. We thought we might get to do an album or two if we were lucky, and then we’d have to get proper jobs.
“Because we’d been turned down by so many record companies, told to come back when we could play our instruments – all the insults you could think of, they’d say to your face. We’d do showcases for record companies and they’d walk out after the second song.
“So it was a real battle trying to get that album done. And then when it came out, all the press hated it and slagged it off. It really was us against the world.”
Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, frontman Ozzy Osbourne and estranged drummer Bill Ward are all interviewed as part of a feature looking back at their career and ahead to their The End tour which includes a headline slot at next year’s Download festival.
