Black Sabbath – in session for John Peel – April 26, 1970 – BBC Radio 1 –
Black Sabbath to start off the week. Fans and collectors no doubt have any one of a number of incarnations of this session either on vinyl, CD or download. This is for the fans who are not familiar with the band during their early stages or fans who are just discovering them now.
I’m not 100% certain the date on this session is completely correct – April 26, 1970 is the date of a Peel Sunday Concert broadcast featuring Black Sabbath and Medicine Head – and the BBC Peel page lists this session as January 1, 1970. The excellent Ken Garner Peel Sessions book doesn’t list this session at all, but rather a session from 1969. I don’t think this is the Sunday concert (there’s no audience) and the track lineup on the 1969 session isn’t the same as this one. So, I am putting it out to Peel and/or Black Sabbath experts to either confirm this date or offer a correct one. Let me know. Your words of wisdom and research are eagerly sought after.
In any case – this session comes at a time when Black Sabbath were just starting to grab attention and be taken a bit more seriously than they had prior to this. In their early stages they couldn’t get arrested, as no label was remotely interested. And they did finally sign to the Philips, having one singe issued on Fontana and their debut album on the imprint Vertigo, they were picked up for release in the U.S. by Warner Bros and the debut s/t album was issued in February 1970. The band, however did not go over particularly well with critics who thought the perceived Satanic persona was something of a joke. The audience felt differently, and the album went into the UK top 10 and into the U.S. top 30. And so started a lengthy legacy for a band that couldn’t get off the ground at first, but couldn’t be stopped once they did.
In case you aren’t familiar, click on the link and have a listen – and listen loud.
I am an Italian rock fan and gig collector of many rock bands of the Seventies !
Thanks for your fantastic website !
Well about BLACK SABBATH I know recorded a BBC Session 11th November 1969 in London – Maida Vale Studio 5 “Top Gear” and also recorded for BBC 20th April 1970 in London – Maida Vale Studio 5 “Sunday Show” BBC Session. I suppose this recording was taken 20th April 1970 ! I’ll hope this helps !
I would like to let you know I am also in touch with the following collectors devoted to the followings bands, those website are all great and worth a visit, as follows:
BLACK SABBATH https://www.black-sabbath.com/tourdates/ (Rob Dwyer is a friend – we share many updates recently about BLACK SABBATH gigs played between 1968 and 1978 – my Black Sabbath collecting gig era)
LED ZEPPELIN “Tight But Loose” website and magazine http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk (Dave Lewis, a friend of mine, is the greatest Led Zeppelin expert of all – many books and magazine too about Led Zeppelin has been published since 1978)
FREE “Free Appreciation Society” http://freeappreciationsociety.blogspot.it/ (David Clayton, a friend of mine too, is the greatest expert about Free, Paul Kossoff, Paul Rodgers, Andy Fraser and Simon Kirke too – he runs the fanzine since 1979)
DEEP PURPLE http://deep-purple-ticketmuseum.co.uk/ (Tony Steenhagen is a friend of mine too, greatest expert and ticket collector of Deep Purple)
GENTLE GIANT http://ggconcerts.on-reflection.org (Jack Skelly is a friend of mine too, greatest expert of Gentle Giant progressive rock band)
RAINBOW http://www.rainbowfanclan.com (Frans van Arkel is a friend of mine too, greatest expert of Rainbow rock band)
YES http://forgotten-yesterdays.com/ (Steven Sullivan website about YES – many updates provide by myself in the last couple of years)
I’ll hope you and anyone else who likes “vintage rock music” will appreciate !
I am also in touch with a Greek fan and expert too of URIAH HEEP (who especially research and collect gigs played by URIAH HEEP between 1971 and 1980)
Well if you have any kind of additional information also about URIAH HEEP through the years 1971-1980 please feel free to contact Konstantinos Takos
His website
Konstantinos Takos
http://uriah-heep.com/newa/konstantinostakos.php
His mail address heepfreak@hotmail.com
Thanks
All The Best,
Alessandro
Wow! This is great Alessandro! Many thanks for the information! It is so appreciated.
Best,
Gordon