And Then, Heavy Metal Was Created...

Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi explain how they create the song "Black Sabbath" released in the first album of the band Black Sabbath in 1970. Many point to this moment as the beginning of metal, due to it also being the first song on the first album..The guitar riff is unlike anything ever heard and used the triplet of notes known as tritone (interval between the heights of two musical notes that has exactly three whole tones), known for being the "devil's interval", but it had already it has been used before by famous classical composers such as Beethoven and Gustav Holst, and in a work by the latter, "The Planets", more precisely in the first movement of the suite, which bears the name "Mars, the Bringer of War", is where the source of inspiration for the riff of "Black Sabbath" lies, as revealed by bassist Geezer Butler.

[SL-vitk]

"The hell with flower power, let's scare 'em to death."

[toddwilliams]

the trill really takes the riff to that next level

[dbell]

The original " heavy metal ", where it all started. Legends 🤘

[apolloperez]

In 1973, I was 18 years old and I started listening to Black Sabbath, me and my brothers would gather in his apartment, my brother had just came back from the Army in n Germany and we would gather in his apartment and have fluorescent black lights and drinking beer in his dark room and playing Black Sabbath in his Reel to Reel with large Bose Speakers, very Loudly!

[BigBass-xfyi]

Holst’s “The Planets” is one of the greatest works ever put together

[epicridesandtours]

Ya don't get to see Geezer Butler real often. :)

[lgf]

Never heard anyone describe themselves as a medium size fan before 😂

[ptcrescent]

Mars is a 1923 classical music suite The Planets by Gustav Hoist. A must listen for any metal head.

[juliuskovacs]

My cousin gave me my first 3 Sabbath albums.
Thank You Steve!! Miss you.

[shadnunemaker]

And the harmonica in "The Wizard" came from Iommi playing with Jethro Tull in 1968. The first Black Sabbath album is all Blues. 53 years old, and blown away almost every day by what I learn.

[Steve.Cutler]

This song IS the birth of heavy metal!!!!

[RockinExperience]

I'm still in disbelief that I met Tony and Geezer in 2005 at Ozzfest. They were autographing their solo cds - GZR and Fuzed. I have a picture with Geezer.

[manuelcervantes]

As a kid in the 80s i was told it was bad but my ears and heart just loved it

[elihyland]

“Medium sized fan” lololol I adore him

[poedottaviano]

I never will forget the "Sabbath" night party i had with friends in 1977, with only a strobe light on and playing Sabbath albums for hours upon end. On a Pioneer rack system that shook the entire street until 3am 🤣
I was only 12 and it starting my metal only days forever. NOTHING was close to that experience of hearing the beginning of heavy metal. And unless you experienced that, you have no idea how earth shattering it was. Even Zeppelin seemed like pop in comparison.

[Iomar]

The hair stands in the back of my neck whenever I hear "Black Sabbath". The mere thought that this is where it all started gives me the fizz..

[MrLuigiFercotti]

Best riff ever. Started a revolution.
Friend of mine tells me he’s playing this riff and his wife walks in and says “what is that, it’s awful” and tells him not play it. 😆

[joeblow-tpgz]

When the floor split open and fire shot out of the earth....we thought we've got something.

[gilbertgranby]

Holst the Planets Suite was One of the 1st CDs My Dad purchased. I didn't think I'd Ever hear of it since the Late 80s. Thank You for Bringing it Back to Life. ✨️✌️

[virgil]

Black Sabbath has stood the Test of Time !!!🤘🤘🤘