Black Sabbath’s Classic Heavy Metal Song “Paranoid” Joins The “Blillions Club”


2F9TEF1 English rock band Black Sabbath: guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne

Black Sabbath has joined Spotify’s “Billions Club” with the band’s classic song “Paranoid”. The track, according to legend was written and recorded in 10 minutes at the end of the sessions for their second album Paranoid in 1970, joins Guns N Roses, ACDC, and Green Day as recent 2024 artists with new tracks on the list. The track was also a single and has been the closing song played at Many Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne solo concerts for decades. Other rock and metal tracks on the list include other tracks Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”, Aerosmith’s “Dream On”, Survivor’s “Eye Of The Tiger”, Papa Roach’s “Last Resort”, Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City”, Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” and more. 500 songs, mostly Pop, Rap and Country have made the list so far. Billions Club is a playlist first launched in 2020 that includes all of the songs on Spotify that have surpassed one billion streams on the platform. After the achievement, Spotify gifts artists the Billions Club plaque.Continue reading


Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi Reunite to Close The Commonwealth Games in Their Hometown


Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi reunited today, August 8th, 2022, to close the Commonwealth Games in their hometown of Birmingham, England, where the band formed over 53 years ago. They performed a short version of their song “Iron Man” as well the full version of their songs “Paranoid,” both genre classics. The band was joined by Black Sabbath backing musicians Adam Wakeman, who played bass and keyboards, and drummer Tommy Clufetos. No word if Geezer Butler or Bill Ward were approached for the gig. This was Ozzy’s first live perfromance, other than television, since Ozzfest LA on New Year’s Eve in 2018. Last month to open the games, Iommi and acclaimed saxophonist Soweto Kinch led a “dream sequence” piece, titled “Hear My Voice”, based on the lead track from the 2020 film “Trial Of The Chicago Seven” at the event on July 28. After Tony and Soweto played an extended instrumental lead-in, they were joined by the City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and a 700-strong community choir.

Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Black Sabbath – “Paranoid” Turns 50


 

With bands taking so much time between studio albums these days, it’s astonishing to believe that in the space of just three years, between 1970 and 1973, Brummie icons Black Sabbath released no less than five of the most important records in the annals of heavy metal.

Continue reading


You Can Create a Metal Lyrics Generator to Help You Avoid the Coronavirus


While everyone is freaking out about the Coronavirus, metal fans can remain calm and get some help with their hygiene. The advice from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and The World Health Organization (WHO) is to not touch your face, wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds. Some have made Tik-Tok’s of them singing songs to pas the 20 seconds. Now Twitter user William (@neoncloth) has created an awesome lyrics generator to help you wash your hands long enough. We chose Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’, because it rules and everyone should know this song! These are not limited to metal or rock, but what is more metal than beating back a life-threatening virus? Continue reading


Weezer Surprise Releases Covers Record – “The Teal Album”


On the back of the international hit covers of Toto songs ‘Africa’ and ‘Rosanna’, Weezer has released a full covers album of 1980s megahits, pop rock earworms, 1990s RnB track, and one classic metal song! They announced the release on social media. In addition to ‘Africa’, some of the more memorable tracks include A-Ha’s ‘Take On Me,’ Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World,’ The Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)’, Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’, Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’ and TLC’s No Scrubs’. Weezer has always had a love of covers and frequently closes their shows with Iron Maiden covers. Buy and stream The Teal Album below. The band will release their brand new album, The Black Album this March, followed by more tour dates with the Pixies. Continue reading


Ozzy Kicks Off Farewell Tour, Watch Fan-Filmed Footage


Blending his biggest hits from his solo career and a bit of Black Sabbath nostalgia, Ozzy Osbourne kicked off his farewell as a touring last night in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Stone Sour provides the direct support on all dates. Dubbed the “No More Tours 2” Tour, this is reportedly Ozzy’s final stint of long runs of concert dates, although like Sabbath he hasn’t ruled out one-off festival appearances and concerts in the future. He is adamantly not retiring and has wavered off and on about making new music. He also hinted at a future Ozzfest in New York City, but it appears there won’t be one in 2018.Continue reading


Black Sabbath Share “Paranoid” Live Performance Clip From “The End” Film


Black Sabbath‘s ‘The End‘ film, which captures the band’s farewell show at the Genting Arena in England, will be released on several formats on November 17th via Eagle Rock Entertainment. Today they’ve shared the ‘Paranoid’ performance clip from that special night online for our viewing pleasure. Continue reading


Spaceship Playlist – Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch


Clutch, by Evil Robb Photography

Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch, by Evil Robb Photography

In a new feature for Ghost Cult, we doing a new twist on the old “desert island discs concept. We are asking artists if they were leaving the Earth in a spaceship and never coming back, what music would they take with them for the trip. Our first traveler is Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch. JP’s chose says a lot about him as a fan and an artist:

 

John-Coltrane-A-Love-Supreme- album cover ghostcultmag

 

“There are some records that are just part of my collection that they always get listened to, and John Coltrane’s Love Supreme is one of them. The Bad Brains’ Rock for Light would be another one. Black Sabbath Paranoid would be another one. The Allman Brothers at the Filmore would be another one. These are classic records that really stood the test of time, not only the songs themselves, but the performances of the records, and for me that’s really important.”

Black Sabbath Paranoid album cover ghostcultmag

You can catch Clutch on tour with Lamb of God and Corrosion of Conformity. The band continues to support 2015’s Psychic Warfare (Weathermaker Music) album:

[amazon asin=B011CKVTNI&template=iframe image1]