It might be hard to believe, but after 56 years, there has never been an official Black Sabbath photo book. That now changes with legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin. Ozzy, Bill Ward, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler had all written memoirs about their time in Black Sabbath, but they never collaborated on an official Sabbath book. Making Black Sabbath – The Masters of Reality a first for the inventors of heavy metal.
It’s a photo book assembled by the band’s longtime photographer Ross Halfin with input from all four members. It will be published in October by Rufus Publications. The standard edition costs $134, a super deluxe signed edition limited to 300 copies costs $878 and the super deluxe signed metal edition limited to 200 copies costs $1283.
The 500-page book features photos from Halfin’s archives along with new essays from writers Geoff Barton and Dave Ling who interviewed all four band members especially for the book.
Halfin says that the project had been in the works long before Sabbath’s final show was announced.
“Ozzy and Sharon wanted the book out soon after the final show in Birmingham but Ozzy suddenly passing away caused the music world to stop. Ozzy was fully involved with the book, so now, we all thought the time was right, one year after Back to the Beginning, to announce the project.”
Just for our enjoyment, here’s one of the last times Black Sabbath were in the studio together.
