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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
5 Top 40 singles from Black Sabbath (no, really)
5 Top 40 singles from Black Sabbath (no, really) originally appeared on Goldmine. Few listeners would ever consider Black Sabbath a 'singles band.' Pioneers of drop-tuned, doomy heavy metal, the Birmingham, England quartet exerted a massive influence on hard rock of the 1970s and beyond. Critical praise came much later: early volumes of Rolling Stone's Record Guide awarded most Sabbath albums a bullet or one star. More recent editions ranked most of the band's Ozzy Osbourne-era albums at four or even five stars. All of Black Sabbath's albums with the original lineup – the eight released between 1970 and 1979 – went Gold or better in the U.S. Yet not once during those years did Black Sabbath place a single on the U.S. Top 40 chart. In their home of England, however, it was a different story: the Ozzy-fronted group landed three singles on the U.K. charts. And when Osbourne was replaced by American vocalist Ronnie James Dio, Black Sabbath scored two more. All in all, five Top 40 singles from an 'album band' is an impressive feat, and one that's too often overlooked. So on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Black Sabbath's sixth hit LP Sabotage, here are five songs from the group that put them on the singles charts in Britain. 'Paranoid' from Paranoid (1970) The group's second single reached No. 19 on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 pop singles chart, an achievement the group wouldn't repeat for more than a decade. However, the title track from their second LP, 'Paranoid' is a prime exemplar of the Sabbath aesthetic. It made it to No. 4 on the U.K. singles chart. 'Never Say Die' from (1978) After their self-titled debut and Paranoid, Black Sabbath's run of '70s albums – Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage and 1976's Technical Ecstasy – each sold well and expanded the group's fan base. What those albums didn't do is reward Black Sabbath with a hit single in the U.S. or U.K. Oddly enough, the band's second placing on the U.K. singles charts was the title cut from their 1978 LP Never Say Die! The single reached No. 21 in Britain. 'Hard Road' from (1978) In retrospect, Never Say Die! is often considered the least remarkable among Black Sabbath's first eight albums, all made with Ozzy Osbourne as singer. Yet the album spawned not one but two hit singles in the U.K. The second of those, 'Hard Road' (renamed 'A Hard Road' for its U.S. release) scored the quartet a No. 33 single in the U.K. 'Neon Knights' from (1980) When Ronnie James Dio joined Black Sabbath, his commanding presence and powerful vocals breathed new life into the group. Listeners agreed, sending the first single from the new lineup's debut Heaven and Hell to the No. 21 spot on the U.K. chart. The album itself did quite well, too, earning a Platinum award in the U.S., the first Black Sabbath album to earn that designation since 1973's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. 'Turn Up the Night' from (1981) Again with Dio out front, Black Sabbath landed a song off of their ninth album, Mob Rules, on the U.K. singles chart. The speedy 'Turn Up the Night' bears the influence of the then-burgeoning New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and of guitarists like Eddie Van Halen, but flashes of classic Sabbath remain. 'Turn Up the Night' gave Black Sabbath its final U.K. Top 40 single, placing at No. 37. In his initial run with the group, Dio would only remain with Black Sabbath for a short time, leaving after the release of 1981's Mob Rules. The group would experience a revolving door lineup of singers – six, plus a returning Dio – before Osbourne returned in 1998. (Ozzy would leave yet again, with Dio replacing him yet a third time before Ozzy returned for a final run that ended with a live concert in July 2025. Go to Goldmine Shop for exclusive vinyl, box sets, collectibles and more! This story was originally reported by Goldmine on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rob Reiner Teases Paul McCartney, Elton John Cameos in ‘Spinal Tap II'
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues writer-director Rob Reiner may be amazed by the love that Paul McCartney and Elton John still have for performing, as both legendary musicians make cameos in the forthcoming sequel movie. The follow-up to the 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap hits theaters Sept. 12 from Bleecker Street. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Reiner star in the comedy about a heavy metal band reuniting for one last show. More from The Hollywood Reporter Camila Cabello Signs With Full Stop, Management Home For Harry Styles, John Mayer, Tate McRae Primary Wave Acquires Rights from Estate of Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green Unreleased Beyoncé Music Stolen From Rental Car Ahead of Cowboy Carter Tour Atlanta Stops During an interview with AARP Movies for Grownups, Reiner was asked whether Spinal Tap's final concert featuring appearances from McCartney and John is intended as a statement about reinvention. 'It basically says: 'No matter how old you are, if you can still do it and still enjoy doing it, then do it,'' Reiner replied. 'I asked Paul McCartney about this. I said, 'There's you, Mick Jagger, Elton John, and you still like to perform. What is it about you guys? Is it that you just love the music? And you love performing?'' According to Reiner, McCartney responded with a line from the new movie: 'And he says, 'Yeah. And the drugs.'' Reiner continued, 'The point is, these guys just love doing it. If they're given an opportunity, they'll get in front of an audience and play.' In a joint statement earlier this year, Bleecker Street CEO Andrew Karpen and president Kent Sanderson expressed their excitement for the sequel: 'We feel privileged for the opportunity to work with Rob Reiner and the brilliant minds behind the original This Is Spinal Tap, and to be part of a film that has resonated with so many.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Huge Hollywood actor gets stuck into pit at Black Sabbath's final gig
Hollywood actor Jason Momoa surprised fans by getting stuck into the pit amongst the crowd at Black Sabbath 's final performance with Ozzy Osbourne on Saturday, 5 July at Villa Park in Birmingham. The Aquaman star, 45, joined revellers for Pantera's set at the 'Back to the Beginning' farewell concert, with footage showing him squeezed in amongst thousands of people. Momoa previously joined the Texas heavy metal band on stage during their Wembley Arena show back in February. Fans were delighted by the display, with one commenting: "Jason [is] so real for this, just wanna mosh like everyone else."
The Sun
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Legendary Angel Witch bassist Kevin Riddles dies aged 68 after tragic cancer battle as bandmates pay tribute
A LEGENDARY heavy metal icon has died aged 68 after a tragic cancer battle. Kevin Riddles, who was best known as a founding member and bassist of Angel Witch, had reportedly been diagnosed with the illness before his death. 2 2 His death was announced on Instagram by the only surviving founding member of the group, Kevin Heybourne. Heybourne wrote: "It is with immense sadness that I have to report that Kevin Riddles, our original bass player passed away on Friday 4th July 2025. "Kevin was a great guy and we remained mates until the end, he will be greatly missed. "Our condolences to his wife Julie. Rest in peace Kev." In May, Riddles suffered from a "serious medical emergency" resulting in cancelled shows. In addition to his work with Angel Witch, Riddles also co-founded '80s power metal band Tytan. He also started his own band named Kev Riddles' Baphomet, in 2021. Baphomet recaptured the Angel Witch music from his 70s to 80s era with the band. His bandmates from later group Baphomet also shared a statement, writing: "Kevin 'Kev' Riddles passed away peacefully in hospital in the early hours of Friday morning 4th July 2025. "An absolute legend in the truest sense of the word, a larger than life character, an incredible and dedicated musician and a very fine and wonderful human being. "Rest easy big fella." Riddles was a key part of creating that distinct metal sound, cited as an influence for the likes of Metallica, Venom, and Slayer.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Legendary Angel Witch bassist Kevin Riddle is dead at 68: Influential heavy metal artist was battling cancer
Kevin Riddles, the bassist known for his work in several influential heavy metal groups, has died at 68. Riddles was best known as the founding bassist for the British heavy metal band Angel Witch. The musician had been battling cancer prior to his death. Kevin Heybourne, the last remaining founding member of Angel Witch, announced Riddle's death in a somber Instagram media post on Monday. 'It is with immense sadness that I have to report that Kevin Riddles, our original bass player passed away on Friday 4th July 2025,' he wrote. 'Kevin was a great guy and we remained mates until the end, he will be greatly missed.' 'Our condolences to his wife Julie,' Heybourne continued, adding, 'Rest in peace Kev.' Riddles later band Baphomet also announced his death on its Facebook page. 'Kevin "Kev" Riddles passed away peacefully in hospital in the early hours of Friday morning 4th July 2025,' it wrote. 'An absolute legend in the truest sense of the word, a larger than life character, an incredible and dedicated musician and a very fine and wonderful human being. 'Rest easy big fella,' the announcement added. Riddles was a key member of the original Angel Witch lineup, which formed in 1976 in London. The band is now considered one of the major acts in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) that began to take shape in the mid-1970s and achieved international success by the start of the next decade. Unlike later, more extreme forms of metal music, Angel Witch and other NWOBHM bands had a greater focus on hooks and melody, but they upped the intensity of earlier hard rock music while adding in some of the speed and aggression of early punk rock. Riddles was a key contributor to Angel Witch's self-titled debut LP, which was released in 1980, but he left the band in 1982 to form his next band, Tytan. Angel Witch has continue to exist in a variety of shifting lineups on and off throughout the years. That group — which also featured Angel Witch drummer Dave Dufort — was also a key figure in the NWOBHM movement, as it formed just as similar bands were at the peak of their popularity and commercial success. However, the group was only in existence for about two years and released just one album, which came out after its breakup. Riddles returned to Tytan in 2012 for a reunion that saw the group finally released a second full-length album. The reunion became a rebirth for the heavy metal act, and Tytan continued touring nearly until his death. Coinciding with Tytan's rebirth was Riddles' nostalgia project Baphomet, a band he founded in 2021. Baphomet was focused on performing the music Riddles played with angel Witch from the mid-'70s to his 1982 departure.
