I couldn't find a thread for them so I'm wondering if I just didn't look hard enough or if that means people on here aren't all that into them. I used to be VERY into them and solo Ozzy but I haven't listened to them in a while. Recently they've been playing Iron Man on tv to advertise the move Iron Man (go figure) and I'm wondering why I haven't listened to them in so long! That song alone makes me want to see that stupid movie. The power of music I guess.
ANYWAY, I'd like to know people's opinions of Sabbath and and of Ozzy. I wonder how respected they are in general. Seems like recently people are starting to give them more credit than they used to get. Which sort of happens with certain bands after so many years go by. All of a sudden they become known as great innovators. I just wonder why they weren't always regarded that way.

They were very imaginative and innovative, of course. It's funny, I've seen Ozzy quoted as saying that he really wanted to do Beatle-like music but no one took notice of the band until they went the way that they did. The Dark Lord moves in mysterious ways.

I was never really into them that much.  I know of their more famous songs.  I have friends who are fanatics, so I can appriciate their work and contributions to music.  
And I remember hearing that somewhere also, that Ozzy was a huge fan of The Beatles and wanted to make music like them.  Didn't work out that way but he sure did alright for himself!

I know that for a long time heavy metal was treated with disdain, at least in the UK. "Music by morons for morons" is one quote I remember. We used to regard it as masturbation music for fifteen year olds (in retrospect a tad unfairly.) But yep - it's now getting a bit of credit, maybe because despite all the odds Frankenstein's monster refuses to die.
I like Ozzy and paranoid is a GREAT song. Haven't heard much else, but there have been a few documentaries on them lately. But I think generally the UK press is still a bit snobbish about the genre.

A friend who's really into this stuff told me that Ozzy has become a charicature (sp?) of himself. Before concerts, water is thrown over him so that the audience doesn't see that he is pissing in his pants.

Black Sabbath   
I love the Sabbath , the first album must have been the birth of heavy metal [ and never bettered imo]
Black Sabbath , Paranoid , Master Of Reality , Vol 4 , Sabbath Bloody Sabbath , Sabotage  , are all brilliant albums , i love them all .  
But for Ozzy on his own , i don`t think he could ever better his early days with the Sabbath , they were untouchable when it came to Heavy Metal.

Now he has sold his soul to the t.v. gravy train , and i lost a lot of respect for Ozzy , but i guess it pays the bills    

Quoted from Kevin

I know that for a long time heavy metal was treated with disdain, at least in the UK. "Music by morons for morons" is one quote I remember. We used to regard it as masturbation music for fifteen year olds (in retrospect a tad unfairly.) But yep - it's now getting a bit of credit, maybe because despite all the odds Frankenstein's monster refuses to die.
I like Ozzy and paranoid is a GREAT song. Haven't heard much else, but there have been a few documentaries on them lately. But I think generally the UK press is still a bit snobbish about the genre.

Pretentious music snobs who do not get it no doubt. To put down an entire genre is a little moronic if you ask me! I had no idea this was the view in the UK. But then heavy metal was always popular over here so I would think that would probably feed into the snobbery of certain people. Seeing as we're so unsofistimacated over here!   The whole art rock of the late sixties/early seventies probably contributed to this notion that some forms of rock music are superior to others. Thank god punk came along and blew that pretension out of the water.

Quoted from Bobber

A friend who's really into this stuff told me that Ozzy has become a charicature (sp?) of himself. Before concerts, water is thrown over him so that the audience doesn't see that he is pissing in his pants.

They all become caricatures of themselves if they hang around long enough. Look at the Rolling Stones.

Quoted from Sandra

Look at the Rolling Stones.

I can't. I just can't.  

Somehow we may thank The Beatles for quitting in 1970.

Breaking up in 1970 was the best thing they ever could have done. They're forever frozen in time when they were at their best. Paul on the other hand...




PS
Bobber, you rule.

Quoted from Geoff

I can't. I just can't.  

You must! There's a lesson here somewhere.

music by moron for morns u say? HEY! thats PERFECT for me!!! i gotta get me some heavy metal!

Quoted from Sandra

The whole art rock of the late sixties/early seventies probably contributed to this notion that some forms of rock music are superior to others. Thank god punk came along and blew that pretension out of the water.

Unfortunately I think in the UK punk reinforced, not demolished that view. Here punk was very political, while punk in the US seems more cartoony. (?)
Punk here was very much linked with anti-racism, working class poverty and rebellion against the right wing system. It was very snobby and reinforced the view of heavy metal as being corporate, out of date and lacking any real depth. That heavy metal managed to survive this is a testament to its durability.

Quoted from Kevin

Unfortunately I think in the UK punk reinforced, not demolished that view. Here punk was very political, while punk in the US seems more cartoony. (?)
Punk here was very much linked with anti-racism, working class poverty and rebellion against the right wing system. It was very snobby and reinforced the view of heavy metal as being corporate, out of date and lacking any real depth. That heavy metal managed to survive this is a testament to its durability.

I find it hard to believe that most people actually gave it that much thought. Somehow I can't see a bunch of slam dancing punkers debating about the relevance of Anarchy in the UK or whatever. Again, it was the music snobs who drew those conclusions. Also, I don't think cartoony is the best descriptive, but I know what you're getting at. Anyway, punk might have become political, but that wasn't the statement those bands set out to make at the beginning. It was more a case of the frustrated youth at the time picking up instruments they didn't necessarily know how to play making music that they could relate to. It was a big F U to the pretentious, over produced, and overblown arena bands that had basically taken over the music scene. Those bands weren't speaking to the youth anymore. They weren't even trying. So while some punk bands may have come off cartoony to those with so called superior musical tastes, to others they brought the soul back to rock and roll. They made it fun again and accessible to those who weren't musical virtuosos. It was self expression in its most basic form. Like the early days of rock music.