Black Sabbath Members, Gear & Sound

English heavy metal band

Genre

Rock Pop rock Blues rock Progressive rock Psychedelic rock Metal Hard rock Doom metal Stoner rock Power metal Classic rock Heavy metal album rock birmingham metal uk doom metal nwobhm traditional doom metal

Members

Select a Black Sabbath band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

Tony Iommi

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist Composer

Groups:

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes Rock Aid Armenia Heaven & Hell Hale & Pace and the Stonkers Mythology Velvett Fogg WhoCares

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Geezer Butler

Roles:

Bassist Keyboardist

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Heaven & Hell G//Z/R Deadland Ritual Bullring Brummies

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Rick Wakeman

Roles:

Keyboardist

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Yes YES featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman Strawbs Rick Wakeman & Adam Wakeman Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe The “Just a Minute” Team The English Rock Ensemble The Crowd Dib Cochran & The Earwigs

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Bill Ward

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Mythology Bullring Brummies

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Bob Daisley

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Dio Rainbow Chicken Shack Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force Uriah Heep Mungo Jerry Gary Moore Band Last Temptation Bitter Pill Living Loud Stream Mother’s Army Blizzard Of Ozz

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Glenn Hughes

Roles:

Singer Bassist

Groups:

Deep Purple Kings of Chaos The Dead Daisies Trapeze Phenomena Black Country Communion Heaven & Hell Hughes/Thrall California Breed Michael Men Project Hughes Turner Project Voodoo Hill The Finders Keepers

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Ozzy Osbourne

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Various Artists for Children's Promise The Crystal Method With Ozzy Osbourne, DMX, Ol' Dirty Bastard & Fuzzbubble Blizzard Of Ozz

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Don Airey

Roles:

Keyboardist

Groups:

Judas Priest Deep Purple Ozzy Osbourne Whitesnake Wishbone Ash Saxon Rainbow Jethro Tull Divlje Jagode Electric Light Orchestra Phenomena Gary Moore Band Empire Cozy Powell's Hammer Don Airey & Friends Hollywood Monsters The Don Airey Band The Company of Snakes Living Loud Sinner Colosseum II

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Ronnie James Dio

Roles:

Singer Bassist Keyboardist

Groups:

Dio Rainbow Elf Heaven & Hell Ronnie Dio and the Red Caps Ronnie Dio and the Prophets

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Cozy Powell

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Whitesnake Rainbow Peter Green Splinter Group Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force Emerson, Lake & Powell Ideal Milk Phenomena The Jeff Beck Group Cozy Powell's Hammer Ace Kefford Stand Hale & Pace and the Stonkers The Brian May Band Forcefield Big Bertha

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Eric Singer

Roles:

Singer Drummer

Groups:

Kiss Alice Cooper The Cult Avantasia BADLANDS Paul Stanley’s Soul Station Stream The Brian May Band ESP Drive

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Vinny Appice

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Dio Dunsmuir Heaven & Hell Power Project Last Temptation Kill Devil Hill Last in Line Resurrection Kings 3 Legged Dogg Appice Black Knights Rising 9 Chambers Hollywood Monsters Derringer

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Neil Murray

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Whitesnake Peter Green Splinter Group National Health Warumpi Band The Secret Police Phenomena Hale & Pace and the Stonkers Colosseum II The Brian May Band The Company of Snakes VOW WOW

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Geoff Nicholls

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Keyboardist

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Mike Bordin

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Korn Ozzy Osbourne Faith No More Supergroup A The Chickenfuckers Faith. No Man. Pop-O-Pies Sharp Young Men EZ-Street Fart Sandwich Posse Haircuts That Kill

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Tommy Clufetos

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Rob Zombie Alice Cooper Tommy's RockTrip L.A. Rats

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Gerald Woodruffe

Roles:

Keyboardist

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Adam Wakeman

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist Composer

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Supergroup B Supergroup A Strawbs Rick Wakeman & Adam Wakeman Adam Wakeman & Friends Headspace Curfew

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Ian Gillan

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Deep Purple Rock Aid Armenia Ian Gillan Band Episode Six Gillan WhoCares

Needs more gear

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David Spitz

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

White Lion Great White Stream

Needs more gear

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Craig Gruber

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Rainbow Elf Bible Black

No gear added

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Bev Bevan

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Electric Light Orchestra The Move Electric Light Orchestra Part II Denny Laine and The Diplomats

No gear added

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Bob Rondinelli

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Blue Öyster Cult Quiet Riot Sun Red Sun

No gear added

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Terry Chimes

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

The Clash Hanoi Rocks Generation X The Crunch The London Cowboys

No gear added

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Dave Walker

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Fleetwood Mac Savoy Brown Humble Pie The Idle Race

No gear added

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Ron Keel

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Groups:

Keel Ron Keel’s Fair Game Steeler

No gear added

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David Donato

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

White Tiger

No gear added

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Ray Gillen

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

BADLANDS Phenomena Sun Red Sun

No gear added

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Jo Burt

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

No gear added

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Tony Martin

Roles:

Singer Music Producer

Groups:

Giuntini Project Cozy Powell's Hammer Forcefield

No gear added

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Bob Marlette

Roles:

Keyboardist Music Producer

Groups:

Ozzy Osbourne Lynyrd Skynyrd Rob Zombie Alice Cooper Vandenberg Two Sahara Snow

No gear added

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Laurence Cottle

Roles:

Bassist Music Producer

Groups:

The Project The Don Airey Band Don Airey & Friends

No gear added

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About

Black Sabbath is a pioneering English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1968. The original lineup consisted of Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums). With their dark, heavy sound, Black Sabbath laid the groundwork for the genre of heavy metal, influencing countless subgenres such as doom metal and stoner rock. Their music is characterized by haunting lyrics, powerful riffs, and a blend of rock, blues, and metal elements, solidifying their legendary status with iconic albums like Paranoid and Master of Reality.

How to Sound Like Black Sabbath

The sound of Black Sabbath is both heavy and ominous, often driven by Tony Iommi's thick, distorted guitar riffs and Geezer Butler’s pounding bass lines. The band’s aggressive and doom-laden sonic character emerges from the use of down-tuned guitars, which create a darker, more menacing tone. Iommi frequently employed a Gibson SG paired with Laney amplifiers to craft his signature sound. His use of effects like the Analog Man Beano Boost added a raw edge to his playing, while the rhythm section, anchored by Ward's powerful, straightforward drumming, provided a relentless, driving force. Together, their music evokes a sense of foreboding and intensity, capturing the essence of heavy metal in its purest form.

Discography

Black Sabbath (2014 Remaster)

1970

Master of Reality (2014 Remaster)

1971

Vol. 4 (2021 Remaster)

1972

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (2014 Remaster)

1973

Sabotage (2014 Remaster)

1975

Technical Ecstasy (2013 Remaster)

1976

Never Say Die! (2013 Remaster)

1978

Heaven and Hell (Deluxe Edition)

1980

Mob Rules (Deluxe Edition)

1981

Live Evil (Live) [2008 Remaster]

1982

Live Evil (2008 Remaster)

1982

Born Again (2004 Remaster)

1983

Seventh Star (2004 Remaster)

1986

The Eternal Idol (2025 Remaster)

1987

Headless Cross (2024 Remaster)

1989

Tyr (2024 Remaster)

1990

Dehumanizer (2008 Remaster)

1992

Cross Purposes (2024 Remaster)

1994

Forbidden (2024 Tony Iommi Remix)

1995

Reunion

1998

2013

The End (Live)

2017

Get the Black Sabbath Sound

Want to sound like Black Sabbath? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.