Description
This untold recording of pre-debut Sabbath has been polished up! This definitive edition, meticulously mastered, is set for release! This two-disc set features two legendary audience recordings. Disc 1 features Black Sabbath’s November 16, 1969 Dumfries performance, while Disc 2 features their predecessor, Mythology’s July 13, 1968 Siroos performance. These are the only pre-debut Tony Iommi live recordings in existence. What were the timing of each show? Let’s begin by uncovering the band’s little-known activities in the 1960s. July 13, 1968: Mythology’s final performance ←★Disc 2★ August 18: Polka Tulk Blues Band formed (six-piece set) August 24+27: UK #1 (2 shows) September 1: Name changed to Earth (changed to four-piece set) September 15-November 30: UK #2 (12 shows) December 11-13: Iommi temporarily joins Jethro Tull December 21-27: UK #3 (4 shows) 1969 January 3-August 26: Europe #1 (47 shows) August 30: Black [The band changed its name to SABBATH] August 30th – October 18th: Europe #2a (13 shows) October 16th: Black Sabbath Sessions October 18th – December 26th: Europe #2b (16 shows) ←★DISC 1★ This is the journey of 1968/1969. Mythology was the band that Tony Iommi and Bill Ward were in, and it disbanded on July 13th. The two went on to form a six-piece group called Polka Tulk Blues Band with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Jim Phillips, and Alan Clarke. Polka Tulk Blues Band changed its name to Earth after just two shows, and Jim and Alan left, completing the original four-piece line-up. After that, they continued to perform under the name “EARTH” for a while, before renaming themselves “BLACK SABBATH” in August 1969. The two performances included on this album are the final show of Iommi & Ward’s predecessor band, MYTHOLOGY, and the sixth show of “Europe #2b,” released shortly after the production of their debut album, “Black Sabbath.” Let’s take a look at each one individually. DISC 1: The Only Pre-Debut Live Album. The centerpiece of this album is the legendary audience recording of the “November 16, 1969 Dumfries concert.” This open-reel master, suddenly released 10 years ago, was a massive shocker that sent collectors around the world into a tailspin. Experience a previously unknown pre-debut live performance. While the newly recorded “Black Sabbath” tracks dominate, the album also features a plethora of unreleased tracks from the EARTH era and never-before-heard blues covers. Even now, 10 years later, it’s still a flurry of extremely rare songs that can only be heard on this recording. Let’s take a look at the set contents. Originals (5 songs + 1 song) Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath / Wicked World / Behind the Wall of Sleep / N.I.B. Earth era: Song For Jim (★) Covers (4 songs) Let Me Love You Baby (★: Buddy Guy) / Warning (Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation) / Early One Morning (★: Elmore James) / Blue Coat Man (Eddie Boyd) *Note: ★ indicates repertoire that can only be heard on this recording. ( ) indicates artists featured in the covers. …And so it goes. Not only is this a valuable release, but “Song For Jim” features flute playing reminiscent of Ian Anderson, and “Blue Coat Man” reveals the influence of Django Reinhardt. Each song is exceptionally well worth listening to. Despite being such a treasure, the sound was also superb. It’s not the kind of thing you’d mistake for a soundboard, but rather a vintage audience recording. The directness is powerful. Apparently, there were only roughly 80 people in attendance at the Rugman’s Youth Club, allowing for recordings right next to the amps. The powerful sound is so close that the drums almost over-peak. DISC 2: The only surviving live recording of MYTHOLOGY. While the chronology is reversed, DISC 2 features the band’s predecessor, MYTHOLOGY. The band consisted of Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Neil Marshall, and Chris Smith. This is a clear audience recording of their final gig, “July 13, 1968, at Siroa.” Recorded by someone named Keith Jefferson, one passage is said to have been left as a memento, saying, “Because it’s the last.” The sound is so clear that it’s easy to understand the story. While it lacks the directness of Disc 1, the performance and vocals take center stage, almost like a rehearsal. Above all, the freshness and beauty are exquisite. There are no traces of dubbing or aging, and the subtle details reach straight through, transcending distance. The show itself is simply invaluable and fascinating. Since the songs are all covers, I won’t go into a set analysis, but it’s packed with classics from the British blues boom. It’s a generous display of Chicago blues that sounds as if Eric Clapton had selected them, and Iommi’s guitar playing is truly masterful. While there aren’t the heavy riffs of the Sabbath era, the technique and improvisational solo phrases are already at a high level of perfection. The meticulous mastering brings the ’60s scene to life. These are two truly magnificent recordings, but this release is more than just a reissue. It’s a top-notch update, meticulously mastered by GRAF ZEPPELIN. The GRAF ZEPPELIN mastering was a perfect fit for this album. Even though GRAF ZEPPELIN is popular, it’s not a panacea, and some recordings may be more or less suitable depending on the individual characteristics of the recording. For the two recordings on this album, it was the perfect solution. Specifically, these two recordings had noise reduction applied when they were first released online, giving them a digitally processed feel from the start. This is where GRAF ZEPPELIN’s natural approach came into play. While utilizing every technique, this restoration mastering focused on recreating the on-site sound rather than processing it, significantly reducing the processed feel of the original online sound and realistically recreating the priceless “1960s on-site” sound. This album, restored with such top-notch updated sound, is also a new addition to the “9 Best Audience Recordings.” We’ve previously selected the best audience recordings from each of the 1970s tours and introduced them as “8” corresponding to the studio albums. This album will now be added to the “9” selections. Finally, let’s list nine of the original Sabbath’s greatest audience recordings: *Pre-debut “Dumfries 1969 Definitive Edition” ←★This album★ *First-year “Definitive Lausanne 1970” *Second-year “Definitive Sheffield 1971” *Third-year “Beggars’ Banquet Dance 1971” *Fourth-year “Brescia 1973” *Fifth-year “Definitive Providence 1974” *Sixth-year “Definitive Long Beach 1975” *Seventh-year “Complete Fresno 1976” *Eighth-year “Definitive Fresno 1978” This is a must-have album that chronicles the journey of the original Black Sabbath through audience recordings. >This is a top-notch updated edition, meticulously mastered from the only two remaining ’60s recordings. Disc 1 originally had a muted high frequency response, but this will likely be the best until a master direct recording is released. Disc 2, originally processed in pseudo-stereo, resulting in a harsh, harsh sound, has been restored to a more comfortable mono source, and the harshness has been softened slightly with EQ. This is a legendary audience recording set from before their debut. This two-disc set features the “November 16, 1969 Dumfries performance” on Disc 1 and the “July 13, 1968 Siroth performance” by their predecessor band, MYTHOLOGY, on Disc 2. Both are masterpieces hard to believe were recorded in the 1960s, and have been remastered by GRAF ZEPPELIN for a truly updated, premium album. This album is an absolute cultural heritage, permanently preserving rare live performances, including the unreleased “Song For Jim” from their Earth days and numerous blues covers. Rugman’s Youth Club, Dumfries, Scotland 16th November 1969 Queens Hotel, Silloth, England 13th July 1968 Disc 1 Rugman’s Youth Club, Dumfries, Scotland 16th November 1969 1. Black Sabbath 2. Let Me Love You Baby ←★Super rare★ 3. Song For Jim / Drum Solo ←★Super rare★ 4. Warning 5. Wicked World 6. Behind The Wall Of Sleep 7. Early One Morning ←★Super Rare★ 8. N.I.B. 9. Blue Coat Man BLACK SABBATH Ozzy Osbourne – Vocals Tony Iommi – Guitar, Flute Geezer Butler – Bass Bill Ward – Drums Disc 2: MYTHOLOGY Queens Hotel, Silloth, England 13th July 1968 1. Steppin’ Out ←★Super rare★ 2. Top Of The Hill ←★Super Rare★ 3. All Your Love (I Miss Loving) ←★Super Rare★ 4. Help Me ←★Super Rare★ 5. Dust My Broom ←★Super Rare★ 6. All That Jazz ←★Super Rare★ 7. Room With A View ←★Super Rare★ 8. Morning Dew ←★Super Rare★ 9. Spoonful ←★Super Rare★ MYTHOLOGY Tony Iommi – Guitar Bill Ward – Drums Chris Smith – Vocals Neil Marshall – Bass
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