Seventh Star
Encyclopedia
Seventh Star is the twelfth studio album by Black Sabbath
, released in January 1986
.
It was originally written, recorded, and intended to be the first solo album by guitarist
Tony Iommi
, but due to label pressures and the prompting of band manager Don Arden
, the record was billed as Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi. Glenn Hughes, ex-Deep Purple
bassist and vocalist, was lead singer but did not play bass on this release.
sound, while some contain a bluesy feel (especially "Heart Like a Wheel"). Seventh Star was the first album to feature long-time keyboardist Geoff Nicholls
as an official band member.
The promo-single and video version of "No Stranger to Love" had additional harmony vocals added by Hughes to make it more "radio-friendly". Actress Denise Crosby
, who would later portray Tasha Yar
in Star Trek: The Next Generation
, was in the video.
There was a tour for the album, but Hughes only performed at the first few shows. Hughes was sacked five dates into the tour, and replaced by Ray Gillen
, who completed both the North American and European legs of the tour, though several dates in the US were cancelled.
Glenn Hughes has performed "No Stranger to Love", "Seventh Star" and "Heart Like a Wheel" at some of his live concerts.
It peaked at number 78 on the Billboard 200
chart.
As with Black Sabbath's previous album, Born Again, Seventh Star has never officially been released on CD
by Warner Bros. for the US
and Canada
. However, it is offered for sale as a download by Apple's iTunes
service in these regions.
Seventh Star was re-released in Europe
on November 1, 2010, in a special edition 2 disc set. Disc 2 includes a concert recorded in 1986, with Ray Gillen
performing vocals for the band. In addition, the single version of No Stranger to Love was included as a bonus track on disc 1.
, though additional lyrics were written by Glenn Hughes, Geoff Nicholls
and Jeff Glixman
.
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, released in January 1986
1986 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
.
It was originally written, recorded, and intended to be the first solo album by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
, but due to label pressures and the prompting of band manager Don Arden
Don Arden
Don Arden , born Harry Levy, 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....
, the record was billed as Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi. Glenn Hughes, ex-Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
bassist and vocalist, was lead singer but did not play bass on this release.
Album information
As this album was not originally intended to be a Black Sabbath record, its sound is a drastic (and intentional) departure from trademark Sabbath sound, especially its predecessor, Born Again. Many of the songs have a very hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound, while some contain a bluesy feel (especially "Heart Like a Wheel"). Seventh Star was the first album to feature long-time keyboardist Geoff Nicholls
Geoff Nicholls
Geoff Nicholls is a musician and keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Nicholls also played in the NWOBHM band Quartz before joining Black Sabbath...
as an official band member.
The promo-single and video version of "No Stranger to Love" had additional harmony vocals added by Hughes to make it more "radio-friendly". Actress Denise Crosby
Denise Crosby
Denise Michelle Crosby is an American actress best known for portraying Security Chief Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
, who would later portray Tasha Yar
Tasha Yar
Lieutenant Natasha "Tasha" Yar, played by Denise Crosby, is a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In the fictional series, the character served as chief of security aboard the USS Enterprise-D for the first season....
in Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, was in the video.
There was a tour for the album, but Hughes only performed at the first few shows. Hughes was sacked five dates into the tour, and replaced by Ray Gillen
Ray Gillen
Raymond A. "Ray" Gillen was an American rock singer, best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s and recording most of the vocals on Phenomena's classic Dreamrunner album....
, who completed both the North American and European legs of the tour, though several dates in the US were cancelled.
Glenn Hughes has performed "No Stranger to Love", "Seventh Star" and "Heart Like a Wheel" at some of his live concerts.
It peaked at number 78 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart.
As with Black Sabbath's previous album, Born Again, Seventh Star has never officially been released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
by Warner Bros. for the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. However, it is offered for sale as a download by Apple's iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
service in these regions.
Seventh Star was re-released in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on November 1, 2010, in a special edition 2 disc set. Disc 2 includes a concert recorded in 1986, with Ray Gillen
Ray Gillen
Raymond A. "Ray" Gillen was an American rock singer, best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s and recording most of the vocals on Phenomena's classic Dreamrunner album....
performing vocals for the band. In addition, the single version of No Stranger to Love was included as a bonus track on disc 1.
Track listing
All music credited to Tony IommiTony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
, though additional lyrics were written by Glenn Hughes, Geoff Nicholls
Geoff Nicholls
Geoff Nicholls is a musician and keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Nicholls also played in the NWOBHM band Quartz before joining Black Sabbath...
and Jeff Glixman
Jeff Glixman
Jeff Glixman is an American record producer. He has produced, mixed or remastered artists such as Kansas, Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, the Georgia Satellites and Black Sabbath...
.
Side one
- "In for the Kill" – 3:48
- "No Stranger to Love" – 4:28
- "Turn to Stone" – 3:28
- "Sphinx (The Guardian)" – 1:12
- "Seventh Star" – 5:20
Side two
- "Danger Zone" – 4:23
- "Heart Like a Wheel" – 6:35
- "Angry Heart" – 3:06
- "In Memory..." – 2:35
2010 Deluxe Edition Disc 2
Recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in London, on 2 June 1986, featuring Ray Gillen performing vocals- "The Mob Rules"
- "Danger Zone"
- "War Pigs"
- "Seventh Star"
- "Die Young"
- "Black Sabbath"
- "N.I.B."
- "Neon Knights"
- "Paranoid"
Personnel
- Glenn Hughes – vocals (on "Original Version" and "Disc 1")
- Tony IommiTony IommiAnthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
– guitar - Dave SpitzDave SpitzDave "The Beast" Spitz is a musician best known for having played bass guitar for the heavy metal group Black Sabbath from 1985 to 1987, appearing on the albums Seventh Star and being credited for The Eternal Idol...
– bass guitar - Geoff NichollsGeoff NichollsGeoff Nicholls is a musician and keyboardist, who is best known as the longtime sideman for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Nicholls also played in the NWOBHM band Quartz before joining Black Sabbath...
– keyboards - Eric SingerEric SingerEric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
– drums - Gordon CopleyGordon CopleyGordon Copley, born in Pasadena, California, is a bassist who briefly played bass for Black Sabbath. He played bass on the Black Sabbath song "No Stranger to Love" on their album Seventh Star. Bassist Dave Spitz played bass on the rest of the songs on the album...
– bass guitar (on "No Stranger to Love") - Ray GillenRay GillenRaymond A. "Ray" Gillen was an American rock singer, best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s and recording most of the vocals on Phenomena's classic Dreamrunner album....
– vocals (on "2010 Deluxe Edition - Disc 2")
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
28 January 1986 | Vertigo Records Vertigo Records Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram... |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1986 | Warner Bros. Records Warner Bros. Records Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies... |
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
1986 | Warner Bros. Records |
| United Kingdom | 1996 | Castle Communications Castle Communications Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group... |
| United Kingdom | 2004 | Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world... |