ALBUM REVIEWS: Black Sabbath Reissues – Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules


Photo credit: Mark Weiss with permission

Photo credit: Mark Weiss with permission

When Ronnie James Dio joined metal legends Black Sabbath in 1980 the former Rainbow frontman’s appointment couldn’t have come at a better time. Sabbath were a sinking ship. A drowning vessel from which enigmatic frontman Ozzy Osbourne had been trying to escape for some time. However, even though it was painfully clear that new blood had to be added to halt the band’s alarming deterioration the hostility that greeted Dio from some corners was quite shocking.

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CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast at Forty


In 1981, after just four years and two studio albums, the limitations of Iron Maiden‘s fiery frontman Paul Di’Anno had already become terminal issues. Cracking under the pressures of touring, his performances erratic and his passion dwindling, the struggling singer had begun down a road of drug and alcohol dependency and was simply unable to give the band what they needed to take that next big step.

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Classic Albums Revisited: 40 Years of Iron Maiden – “Killers”


It was a drizzly, grey Saturday morning sometime in 1982 and I was being dragged around the shops by my parents. At some point, we ended up in a WH Smiths record shop. I wasn’t even into music then, of any description, but I flicked idly through the vinyl anyway just to pass the time. By chance, two tall, long-haired cavemen clad in denim and leather came and stood next to me. When one of them leaned over and picked up something called The Number of the Beast it grabbed my attention instantly, my ten-year-old face transfixed by the artwork on the front. As he lifted it out, I noticed more artwork, this time on the back of his jacket. Iron Maiden – Purgatory. It looked magnificent. I’d never even heard of Iron Maiden before then and I certainly didn’t know who or what a Purgatory was, but I knew I wanted to see more. Grabbing the next record in the section, my eyes didn’t leave the intricately painted sleeve until my parents came and literally pulled it out of my hands. Killers.

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Legendary Music Producer Martin Birch (Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple) Has Died


Legendary British producer Martin Birch, best known for engineering and producing albums by Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Fleetwood Mac, Whitesnake, Blue Öyster Cult, died yesterday (Sunday, August 9th). He was 71. His passing was confirmed former Deep Purple/Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale, who tweeted: “It is with a very heavy heart I’ve just had verified my very dear friend & producer Martin Birch has passed away. “Martin was a huge part of my life…helping me from the first time we met through until Slide It In…
“My thoughts & prayers to his family, friends & fans…Broken heart”Continue reading