Headless Cross is the fourteenth album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1989 (see 1989 in music). A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... For other uses, see Black Sabbath (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Heavy metal (sometimes referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the US in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. ... The EMI Group (LSE: EMI) is a British music company comprising of the major record company EMI Music which operates several labels, based in Brook Green in London, England, and EMI Music Publishing, based on Charing Cross Road, London. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Tony Iommi (born Frank Anthony Iommi, February 19, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, England) is a guitarist who is best known as a member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... For other uses, see Black Sabbath (disambiguation). ... The Eternal Idol is the thirteenth studio album by Black Sabbath. ... Tyr is the fifteenth studio album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1990 by I.R.S. Records. ... Heavy metal (sometimes referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ... For other uses, see Black Sabbath (disambiguation). ... See also: 1989 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1989 Record labels established in 1989 other events of 1989 list of years in music 1980s in music // January 7 - Genesis 88 and Sunrise/Back to the Future stage large-scale illegal Acid House party in London January 14 - Paul...

This is the second album to feature singer Tony Martin and the first to showcase renowned drummer, the late Cozy Powell. Tony Martin (born April 19, 1957) was the seventh and final vocalist for the legendary rock band Black Sabbath before the eventual reunion of their original lineup. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Black Sabbath often had alluded to occult imagery and evil themes in their lyrics as well ("Black Sabbath" and "N.I.B." for example), but Headless Cross went further with this, both musically and lyrically. Musically getting a darker and more black tone, and lyrically citing many occult and Satanic references and allusions to the Dark Side (most notably the title track, "When Death Calls", and "Black Moon"), with the only notable opposite being "Call Of the Wild", which could be actually about fighting against the forces of darkness, though this all is up to personal interpretation on how the lyrics read. Vocalist Tony Martin himself even claimed to not have a positive take on religion, citing that it has "been the cause of quite a few wars" in an interview after the release of Cross Purposes. In spring 1989 interview in Britain's Metal Forces magazine, Tony Martin was quoted as saying that the last track, "Nightwing," was about "bats, owls, things like that." Finally, the album cover also comes into play, with the cross decapitated, or "headless" (the vinyl single of the radio edit of "Headless Cross" also shows the cross inverted). Cross Purposes was released by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath in 1994. ... The British publication Metal Forces emerged during the early 1980s and aided greatly in the promotion of Metal genre music. ...

Though Laurence Cottle played bass on the recording, it was only ever to be on a session basis. Although he appeared in the video for the title track Cottle was not featured in any promo photos. Indeed, whilst Sabbath were hammering out a contract with the intended bassist, the promo shoots featured Iommi, Powell and Martin: Geoff Nicholls was once again noticeable by his absence. Neil Murray, bassist from bands like Whitesnake, Gary Moore, Gogmagog and most recently Vow Wow, joined for the tour and would be featured on future tours and albums. Laurence Cottle Laurence Cottle is a session bassist best known for briefly being a member of Black Sabbath. ... Tony Iommi Frank Anthony Tony Iommi (born February 19, 1948) is a guitarist from Birmingham, England, who is best known as a member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... Geoff Nicholls is a musician and keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... Neil Murray is a bassist who has played with over 30 bands including Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, and Gogmagog. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For the former TV host, see Garry Moore. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

Track listing

All songs written by Black Sabbath.

1. "The Gates of Hell" – 1:04
2. "Headless Cross" – 6:15
3. "Devil & Daughter" – 4:32
4. "When Death Calls" – 6:41
5. "Kill in the Spirit World" – 4:59
6. "Call of the Wild" – 5:09
7. "Black Moon" – 3:56
8. "Nightwing" – 6:19

Bonus tracks

9. "Cloak & Dagger" (picture disc only)

Credits

• Tony Martin – vocals
• Tony Iommi – guitar
• Geoff Nicholls – keyboard
• Laurence Cottle – bass guitar
• Cozy Powell – drums
• Brian May – guitar solo on "When Death Calls"

Tony Martin (born April 19, 1957) was the seventh and final vocalist for the legendary rock band Black Sabbath before the eventual reunion of their original lineup. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... Tony Iommi (born Frank Anthony Iommi, February 19, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, England) is a guitarist who is best known as a member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Geoff Nicholls is a musician and keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... The layout of a typical musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers on a musical instrument which cause the instrument to produce sounds. ... Laurence Cottle Laurence Cottle is a session bassist best known for briefly being a member of Black Sabbath. ... The electric bass guitar (or electric bass) is a string instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, or using a pick. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... Brian Harold May, CBE, BSc, DSc, ARCS, FRAS, (born July 19, 1947) is a virtuoso[1][2][3][4] guitarist best known as the lead guitarist and backing, sometimes lead, vocalist for the English rock band Queen. ...

Miscellanea

• "Headless Cross" was praised among critics and fans, being considered the best Sabbath album in years, at least the peak one with Tony Martin. Sales-wise, the album and tour did very well in the UK and Europe, but sales in the US were low, leading to the curtailment of the tour. In interviews the band cited lack of promotion of the live dates to have been the problem.

• The track "When Death Calls" has a guitar solo by Queen guitarist Brian May. This is very uncommon for Tony Iommi to play alongside another guitarist. He had even talked Geezer Butler to take up the bass because of this. They also appeared together on Tony Iommi's self-titled solo album (as Iommi said in an interview, he could not do a collaboration album without May, as they are good friends). They also appeared together in Rock Aid Armenia' video on Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water.

• The song "Call of the Wild" was originally going to be titled "Hero", but seeing as Ozzy Osbourne used that title on his album "No Rest for the Wicked" released that same year, Tony Iommi opted to change it to its current title. "Devil And Daughter" also had the original title "Devil's Daughter", but was changed for the same reason.

• "Devil And Daughter" itself is about Don Arden and Sharon Osbourne, Black Sabbath's former manager and his daughter, who is also the wife and manager of Ozzy Osbourne, respectively. "Digital Bitch" from the album Born Again is believed to be about them too.

• "Call of the Wild" and "Devil and Daughter" are also the only songs that don't end slowly fading out with Tony Martin ad-libbing (though "Nightwing" has only the band performing fading out with no ad-libbing on Martin's part)

• "The Gates of Hell" was used as an intro track many times during various tours over the years up till the "Reunion" shows. Also, "Headless Cross" was a quintessential live track performed during said tours; the only other track used for post-Headless Cross tours being "When Death Calls".

• "Headless Cross" yielded two radio singles; an edit of the title track and "Devil and Daughter"

• The first recording of "Black Moon" was a B-side to a single off "The Eternal Idol", performed in a different key.

• "Headless Cross" is about a part of a town south of Sabbath's native Birmingham, Headless Cross in Redditch, and is reportedly named after all the church crosses were defaced during the plague that struck the town's inhabitants centuries earlier.^{[citation needed]} (See: Headless Cross, Hereford and Worcester)

• "Devil and Daughter" contains a verse that is almost identical to some lyrics to "Valley of the Kings", by Blue Murder, released the same year and month (April 1989). Tony Martin had been involved in Blue Murder briefly prior to recording Headless Cross and had started to contribute some lyrics. John Sykes finally took singing duties in Blue Murder, but kept the Tony Martin lyrics on "Valley of the Kings", while crediting him. These lyrics were: "You'll hear it in the wind / These sinners never sinned"

• Vocalist Tony Martin actually now resides in the area of Headless Cross, Redditch, England. He recorded his solo album "Scream" in his house, apparently to the dismay of his neighbors. [1]

Queen are an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by Brian May, Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor, with John Deacon joining the following year. ... Brian Harold May, CBE, BSc, DSc, ARCS, FRAS, (born July 19, 1947) is a virtuoso[1][2][3][4] guitarist best known as the lead guitarist and backing, sometimes lead, vocalist for the English rock band Queen. ... Front cover of The Earthquake Album Rock Aid Armenia was a joint humanitarian effort by an elite group of contemporary hard rock and heavy metal musicians who gathered at the historic Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London on July 8, 1989 for a project to raise money to help those affected... This article is about the rock band. ... Smoke on the Water is a famous and influential rock song by British rock band Deep Purple. ... Ozzy Osbourne (born John Michael Osbourne, December 3, 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, England) is the lead vocalist of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, a popular solo artist, and the star of the reality show, The Osbournes. ... Tony Iommi (born Frank Anthony Iommi, February 19, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, England) is a guitarist who is best known as a member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... Don Arden (born Harry Levy, January 4, 1926) was an English music manager, agent and businessman, best known for overseeing the careers of rock groups Small Faces, Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath. ... Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, then Arden; born October 9, 1952) is a well-known English music manager and promoter, television personality and presenter. ... Tony Martin (born April 19, 1957) was the seventh and final vocalist for the legendary rock band Black Sabbath before the eventual reunion of their original lineup. ... Birmingham (pron. ... Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England. ... Church Green and St. ... Blue Murder was a melodic heavy metal band from England, founded by drummer Carmine Appice, ex-Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes and ex-The Firm bass player Tony Franklin, in late 1985. ... Tony Martin (born April 19, 1957) was the seventh and final vocalist for the legendary rock band Black Sabbath before the eventual reunion of their original lineup. ... Blue Murder was a melodic heavy metal band from England, founded by drummer Carmine Appice, ex-Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes and ex-The Firm bass player Tony Franklin, in late 1985. ... John Sykes, born July 29, 1959 in Reading, England, is a Heavy Metal/Hard Rock guitarist in the United Kingdom who has played in bands Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Blue Murder and his solo project John Sykes. ... Blue Murder was a melodic heavy metal band from England, founded by drummer Carmine Appice, ex-Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes and ex-The Firm bass player Tony Franklin, in late 1985. ... Tony Martin (born April 19, 1957) was the seventh and final vocalist for the legendary rock band Black Sabbath before the eventual reunion of their original lineup. ... Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England. ...

External links

• Album information and lyrics