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Black Sabbath and Philosophy
Mastering Reality
William Irwin (Edited by)
9781118397596, Wiley
Paperback / softback, published 19 October 2012
224 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.299 kg
“This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, shedding a lot of light on the members, music, and society with regards to everything from religion to family.” (Sacramento Book Review, 1 June 2013) “This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, shedding a lot of light on the members, music, and society with regards to everything from religion to family.” (City Book Review, 1 March 2013) “Black Sabbath & Philosophy is a wholly absorbing read large . . . A long-overdue work, and a rewarding one both for fans and those curious about the philosophical gravity behind all those murky riffs.” (PopMatters, 11 January 2013) “Much like Black Sabbath themselves, this wide-ranging, amusing book entertains and makes your brain ache in equal measure.” (Record Collector, 1 December 2012) “A book to dip into, that will get you thinking and almost certainly have you going back and listening to your old Black Sabbath albums in a different light. Highly recommended.” (Get Ready to Rock, 20 November 2012)
A philosophical look at heavy metal's dark masters of reality, Black Sabbath Black Sabbath is one of the world's most influential and enduring rock bands. Dubbed "the Beatles of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone, they helped to define a genre with classic songs like "Paranoid", "Iron Man", and "War Pigs", songs whose lyrics reveal hidden depth and philosophical insight. Their songs confront existential despair, social instability, political corruption, the horrors of war, and the nature of evil. This book explores the wide range of profound ideas in the band's music and lyrics to help you understand Black Sabbath as never before. So . . . can you help me, occupy my brain? Yes! Start reading Black Sabbath and Philosophy.
Introduction: “What Is This That Stands Before Me?” x Acknowledgments: They Sold Their Souls for Rock ‘n’ Roll xii Part I Necessary Evil 1 1 Beyond Good and Evil: Facing Your Demons With Black Sabbath and Existentialism 3 2 Masters of a Better Possible Reality: Conquering Evil With Love 12 3 “Is It the End, My Friend?” Black Sabbath’s Apocalypse of Horror 20 Part II Playing Devil’s Advocate 31 4 Black Sabbath and the Sound of Evil 33 5 The Worst of All Possible Worlds: Schopenhauer Meets Sabbath 41 6 Tony Iommi’s Hand of Doom: From Plastic Fingertips to Creative Freedom 51 Part III The Dark Art of Metal 61 7 The Art of Black Sabbath: Aristotle Joins the Band 63 8 Black Sabbath and the Problem of Defining Metal 76 9 Saint Vitus Dance: The Art of Doom 87 10 Gods, Drugs, and Ghosts: Finding Dionysus and Apollo in Black Sabbath and the Birth of Heavy Metal 96 Part IV Is It Still Sabbath Without Ozzy? 111 11 It’s Not Sabbath Unless Ozzy’s the Singer (But It’s Fine If You Disagree) 113 12 Fightin’ Words: Sabbath Doesn ’ t Need the Ozzman 126 13 The Name Remains the Same—But Should It? 140 Part V Symptoms of The Universe 149 14 Wicked World: The Politics of the Supernatural in Black Sabbath 151 15 “Demons, Dreamers, and Madmen”: Is Ozzy Going Insane? 163 16 “As the War Machine Keeps Turning”: Just War Theory, Pacifism, and the War on Terror 171 17 Stop Stereotyping Sabbath: Sex, Subjugation, and Stupidity 182 Contributors: Children of the Grave 190 Index: The Writ 195
William Irwin
Liz Stillwaggon Swan
Brian Froese
Joel McIver
James Heathers
Ken Pepper
Greg Littmann
Søren R. Frimodt-Møller
Manuel Bremer and Daniel Cohnitz
Dennis Knepp
James Bondarchuk
Wesley D. Cray
Mark D. White
Erich Christiansen
Kevin McCain
Jacob M. Held
Robert Arp
Subject Areas: Society & culture: general [JF]
