Black Sabbath/France 1977

The live performance of “TECHNICAL ECSTASY”, a hidden masterpiece of the late 70’s original BLACK SABBATH, was held in Fresno, California on November 9, 1976 during the American tour, and on April 21, 1977 at the end of the European tour. Excellent audience recordings of the Sweden Rand performances have been preserved, and both are must-hear sources for fans. After listening to them, I would like to recommend this work to those who want to delve deeper into live performances. This work “DEVIL IN DRAG” is a masterful version of the performance at “Pavillon des Paris” in Paris, France on April 5th, which was the first day of the 1977 European tour accompanying the release of “TECHNICAL Ecstasy”. It is recorded with a highly fresh audience recording that confirms the quality (even the voices of the audience around the taper that can be heard between songs are realistic). After a long American tour and a UK tour in February 1977, this European tour, which lasted about a month, concluded the “TECHNICAL Ecstasy” tour. As it is the final stage of a long tour, the band’s performance is perfect even for new songs, and you can listen to it with confidence just like familiar classical numbers. The recording that captures the dynamic performance on that stage with a very lively sound is overwhelming, and the opening songs “Symptom Of The Universe” and “Snowblind” are so powerful that there is no need to ask! “War Pigs” and “Black Sabbath”, which were recorded with an outstanding direct feel, are as satisfying to listen to as the April 21st performance in Sweden Rand, which is known for “KILLING YOURSELF TO DIE” even during the European tour. The new songs “Gypsy” and “Dirty Women” are also reproduced as a unit like a line sound source, allowing you to enjoy valuable takes with plenty of stability. Ozzy’s singing melodies and development in these songs have scenes that directly make you feel Ozzy as a solo artist after 1980, and the more you listen to it, the more interesting it becomes. Iommi’s guitar tone with a sticky and metallic edge, and Bill Ward’s unconventional drum pattern dramatically enliven the late original SABBATH performance. In the second half of the live, the jam part and medley that continue from “Dirty Woman” will feature the band’s representative songs one after another without interruption. Especially the flow from “Electric Funeral” is amazing! Geezer Butler’s bass plays with a unique tone that no one else can produce, and the composition that advances into “N.I.B.” and then “Iron Man” is a powerful song that can only be seen at this time! The master that is the basis of this work was recorded as a 90-minute cassette, and the last song on disc 1, “Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor,” ends in about a minute (46 minutes in total), which is the halfway point. There is a drawback that the guitar solo (at the beginning of disc 2) is cut in from the middle. However, on the contrary, it vividly highlights the “live tape-likeness”, and the listener will enjoy the performance as if listening to a “treasured tape”. The rough and raw performance, with its powerful sound throughout, is so awesome that even the enthusiasts will say, “This is the late original SABBATH!” This is one of the most famous recordings from the ’77 European tour, which fans who haven’t heard it yet should definitely listen to! Live at Pavillon De Paris, Paris, France 5th April 1977 TRULY AMAZING SOUND Disc 1 1. Supertzar 2. Symptom Of The Universe 3. Snowblind 4. War Pigs 5. Gypsy 6. Black Sabbath 7. Dirty Women 8. Drum Solo 9. Rock and Roll Doctor Disc 2 1. Guitar Solo 2. Electric Funeral/Jam 3. N.I.B 4. Iron Man 5. Children Of The Grave 6. Supernaut/Paranoid Ozzy Osbourne – Vocals Tony Iommi – Guitar Geezer Butler – Bass Bill Ward – Drums