Finding the gig dates in this section has been no easy task! When I first began digging for Sabbath gig dates, there was a huge chasm between the years 1966-69 with only scattered gig dates known. I cannot thank Dave Tangye and Keith Jefferson enough for their kind and generous contributions with the early dates. Without them, most of the Mythology, Polka Tulk and Earth dates would remain a mystery. There are still plenty more to find, but at least we have a running start now!
(1940's through 1962)
This section will discuss the various bands that the original members of the band were involved with before they became BLACK SABBATH. I will mainly cover those groups which they spent a significant amount of time with. Other bands will be summarized below.
Tony Iommi was also briefly in a few early groups such as THE IN CROWD and THE BIRDS AND THE BEES both of which were pre-1966.
It is said that John "Ozzy" Osbourne's 1st music experience was in a band called THE PROSPECTORS, which also included future Polka Tulk slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips. He also played with local groups like THE BLACK PANTHERS and APPROACH. Ozzy also filled in for the ailing singer of MUSIC MACHINE in early 1966 for a brief time. That year, Ozzy also served six weeks of a three-sentence in Winston Green for non-payment of a 25 pound fine he incurred for breaking into Sarah Clarke's clothes shop.
(1964-65)
Neil Cressin (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Alan Meredith (guitar), Pat Pegg (drummer), Dave Whaddley (bass)
From Brumbeat.net: "THE ROCKIN' CHEVROLETS played every week at the Bolton Pub in Small Heath and were soon getting many other bookings. Tony Iommi's talent as a guitarist was clearly evident even in those days as the audiences went wild when he played brilliant renditions of instrumental numbers by groups such as THE SHADOWS and THE DAKOTAS."
"Finally THE ROCKIN' CHEVROLETS were offered work over in Germany. Thinking this would be their big break, Tony decided to quit his factory job and go full-time with the band. Then - disaster struck. On his last day at work, Tony Iommi had an accident in which the ends of two fingers on his right hand were sliced off by the machine he was operating."
(1965-1967)
Chris Smith (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Bill Ward (drums), ? (bass)
Bill Ward formed this group while still in school with some friends and continued with them for several years afterward. This was also the first collaboration between Ward and Tony Iommi. Chris Smith previously sang for a group known as Method Five.
(1966- Summer 1968)
John Butcher (vocals), Ozzy Osbourne (vocals) [joined towards the end], Terence "Geezer" Butler (rhythm guitar), Roger Hope (lead guitar), Mick "Rem" Hill (bass), Tony Markham (drums)
Terence Butler originally played rhythm guitar for this Birmingham 5-piece. RARE BREED played psychedelic rock, including covers of "My White Bicycle", "Light My Fire", "Walkin' The Dog" and "Lucifer Sam". John Butcher was the lead vocalist of the band up until towards the very end, when he left to pursue a better offer. The band spotted an advertisement at Ringway Music Store which read "Ozzy Zig NEEDS a gig" and also mentioned that he owned his own PA system. Indeed, John "Ozzy" Osbourne did get the gig, but never performed live with Rare Breed, as they disbanded only days later! Nevertheless, it was this chance meeting that united Geezer Butler and Ozzy.
(Early 1967 - July 1968)
Mark I (Early '67 - December '67) - Neil Marshall (bass), Mike Gillan (vocals), Frank Kenyon (lead guitar), Terry Sims (drums)
Mark Ia (December 1967) - Neil Marshall (bass), Rob (vocals), Frank Kenyon (lead guitar), Terry Sims (drums)
After a short European tour in 1967, vocalist Mike Gillan quit the band. He was replaced for a very short time by a singer from Newcastle named Rob
Mark II (January 1968 - February 1968) - Neil Marshall (bass), Chris Smith (vocals), Tony Iommi (lead guitar), Terry Sims (drums)
A week after Rob joined as vocalist, guitarist left too, later joining a Carlisle band called TIMOTHY PINK. When Iommi arrived for his audition, he brought ex-THE REST singer Chris Smith in tow. Rob was dismissed without ever having played live with the band.]
Mark III (February '68 - July '68) - Neil Marshall (bass), Chris Smith (vocals), Tony Iommi (lead guitar), Bill Ward (drums)
When original Terry Sims opted to leave in mid-February, ex-THE REST drummer Bill Ward joined, making the new lineup essentially a reunion of THE REST with Neil Marshall on bass!
After just a few months of gigging, the band was thrown into a tailspin when their practice flat at Compton House was raided by police in May 1968. Smith, Iommi and Ward were given 2-year conditional discharges and £15 fines for possession of cannabis resin. The elder Neil Marshall (24 at the time) got a stiffer 2-year probation.
The band's morale and money seeped away quickly after this, prodding them to disband after a gig in Siloth on July 13th, 1968.
Timeline & Gigs Known Audios Gallery
(August 1968)
John "Ozzy" Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Terence "Geezer" Butler (bass), Jimmy Phillips (slide guitar), Alan "Aker" Clarke (saxophone), Bill Ward (drums)
![Advertisement for Polka Tulk's very first gig! [From the new book HOW BLACK WAS OUR SABBATH]](http://www.sabbathlive.com/sabtours/albums/album58/680824_Carlisle.jpg)
POLKA TULK BLUES BAND was actually the earliest incarnation of the band we now know as Black Sabbath. Iommi and Ward had emerged from the ashes of MYTHOLOGY to form this project with Osbourne and Butler of RARE BREED, as well as Jimmy Phillips & Alan Clarke.
After only a few rehearsals, the band went off to play its first gig in Carlisle and another in Worthington. When they returned home to Birmingham, Iommi dismissed Phillips and Clarke for "musical differences"!
It has been said that the band dropped "blues band" and went as POLKA TULK, but this must have been for a VERY short time, given that the band only lasted a month!
Polka Tulk Blues Band Gigs & Timeline
(September 1968 - August 1969)
John "Ozzy" Osbourne - lead vocals Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi - lead guitar Terence "Geezer" Butler - bass guitar William "Bill" Ward -drums
