Black Sabbath are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their seminal 1970 album “Paranoid” with a new vinyl box set.
Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition will include an array of material spread across five LPs. The first is the influential original album, including such classic songs as “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and the title track; the second LP features a rare 1974 quad mix of the album folded down to stereo. The remaining three LPs are made up of two concerts from 1970, from Montreux and Brussels, both of which are pressed on vinyl for the first time.
Sticking together after the breakup of an earlier band, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward joined up with bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne to form a group they initially called the Polka Tulk Blues Band. Eventually settling on Black Sabbath after noticing a crowded matinee showing of the Boris Karloff movie of the same name, the group secured a minimal advance from Vertigo Records and recorded its debut album in a single day — then watched its heavy blues-influenced arrangements and dark lyrics strike an immediate chord with audiences around the world. After scoring a platinum hit with 1970’s ‘Black Sabbath’ LP, the band embarked on a decade defined as much by its success as it was by its excess; as their record sales grew, so did the members’ struggles with substance abuse, which eventually made it difficult to write, perform, or get along. But even as their personal problems loomed, Sabbath continued to release a string of bestselling, heavily influential records, including 1971’s ‘Paranoid’ and 1973’s ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.’
The set also comes with a hardbound book featuring interviews with all four band members and rare photos. A classic-era band poster is also included, along with a replica of the tour book sold during the 1970-71 Paranoid tour. The collection is due for release on October. 9th and is available for pre-order now.
“Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition“, the 5-LP set or 4-CD set will feature the album, a 1974 quadraphonic mix of it folded down to stereo and two 1970 live concerts from Montreux, Switzerland and Brussels, Belgium. A hardbound book with liner notes, interviews, rare photos, memorabilia, a poster and a replica of the tour book originally sold during the band’s touring on the album will also be included. You can pre-order the set here. PARANOID: SUPER DELUXE EDITION includes the original album, in addition to a rare 1974 Quad Mix of the album folded down to stereo, The five-LP set comes with a hardbound book with extensive liner notes featuring interviews with all four band members, rare photos, and memorabilia, a poster, as well as a replica of the tour book sold during the Paranoid tour.
Black Sabbath – whose classic lineup included singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward and bassist Geezer Butler – are widely accepted as one of the most influential trailblazers of heavy metal. After announcing its arrival with its self-titled debut in early 1970, the band returned later that year with Paranoid. The album topped the U.K. chart and went on to sell more than 4 million copies in the U.S.
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