Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1234021 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-17
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 205 pages

Customer Reviews

A solid introduction to the sabbath story
Rosen's uncomplicated - at times playful, even - tone makes this an easy read, but this does also emphasise the lack of any real depth. Most of the main players in this story give very little away, in terms of insight into what was really said, and what really went on as this once solid band drifted apart. Whilst it is true that, in reality most "rock stars" reveal themselves in interview to be really quite dull and ordinary in "real" life, a more probing interviewer may have managed to stir up emotions a little more and dig a little deeper. That said, it is drummer Bill Ward, surprisingly, who takes the strongest lead in this book, thanks to his obvious passion for the subject, and, to his credit, his objective recounting of events. He shows himself to be warm, honest and the most forthcoming character here - he seems to love waxing lyrical about the band.
At the other end of the interview spectrum, Rosen has entirely, and quite openly, invented an interview between singer Ronnie Dio and a mysterious "voice", in order to outline his character, in the absence of any detailed genuine quotes from the man himself. Whether the words Rosen puts in Dio's mouth are an accurate reflection of the singer's nature or not, we can only guess, which makes the whole exercise pretty academic.
Ultimately, much of the detail here will be well-known to Sabbath aficionados, but for newcomers, the book paints a satisfactory basic outline - more so of the Ozzy years, than the years following his departure/ firing from the band (whether he jumped or was pushed is an issue Rosen fails to clear up, unfortunately), although, if the book is rather vague on the Post-Ozzy years, it has to be said that the band themselves appear to be similarly vague, which in itself speaks volumes.
Fairly light-weight, but an enjoyable read all the same.