Ozzy-Era Female Audience

[Jeff]

One of the clichés I've seen develop about Black Sabbath through the years is that they are a "guy's band."

Don't get me wrong, I think this is true to a fair extent.

But find a picture from the front rows one of their US shows in the 70s and the females are not hard to find. Not to mention the numerous bootlegs out there with girls screaming their lungs out.

I wonder if this perception sort of developed during the Dio-era?

When the promo video came out for EotB I was surprised how many comments seemed to indicate that the audience should be a bunch of sweaty males. Have people who say stuff like this ever been to a Sabbath show with Ozzy?

[Jeff]

That video showed a trendwhore crowd, even if they were females they looked like a Rihanna crowd than a Sabbath one.

Apart from women you also saw the occasional black guy in the 70s audience, atleast on film. That era just seemed like one that was more free flowing and less divisive. Now everyone's decked out in black t-shirts and throwing the horns like in a religion.

Even if the video was exaggerated, the idea that a more realistic audience would be made up solely of metal dudes is at least as inaccurate.

[Jeff]

This is part of the front row in Santa Monica, Sept. 4, 1975. Five songs from this show were broadcast on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert." Notice not only females but the way people are dressed. Wouldn't standard rock history writers have you believe that everybody should be in leather?

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/t...psea96835c.jpg

[EDTRADER]

Well thats not guys having their tits out during dirty women.

[Jeff]

Well thats not guys having their tits out during dirty women.

Another great example.

I guess the question is: Where exactly does this impression originate?

Jimmy Norton once talked on the Opie and Anthony show about how Sabbath never sold sex. They never sold sex appeal. Very true and a difference between them and many of their peers. But then the three of them kind of laughed and said they really couldn't have anyway. It's things you hear like this, and not to mention Ozzy discussing Sabbath as a guy's band in his book. I think what has happened is that people assume because Sabbath never really marketed sex appeal, that their fan base was almost entirely male. But history simply doesn't bear this out in pictures and recorded evidence. I'm not comparing them to an Elton John concert, but I think the original band always had an appeal to females. It seems to me that this is simply something which has become exaggerated in recent years. Probably because of the rise of "heavy metal" as a genre and Sabbath sitting atop its throne. But Sabbath never really fit neatly into a bag in their heyday. And I suspect their audience was like this to an extent. Perhaps this vaired in different parts of the world, but US shows from the 70s seemed to have plenty of females. And some of them very vocal.

[Jeff]

That's just what I was talking about. When I went to a Sabbath gig last year I went looking like a Floyd fan, even if I normally have a black leather jacket in winter. I was depressed seeing a hall full of trucker types looking like mini-Zakk Wyldes in black t-shirts.

Definitely not the case when I saw them last year. 20,000 people of all kinds. Sure, people like you describe, but nowhere near a dominant portion that I noticed.

[Billy Underdog]

Well thats not guys having their tits out during dirty women.

Hear hear!

@ Ron Paul: Not everyone is as negative as you, when i was at Sabbath this fall, even more; both Ozzy solo-gigs i've been to, and actually almost every metal-show i've been to (big almost there), there've been surprisingly lot's of what i'd call "straight-dressed" people, and very little "mini-Zakk Wyldes in black t-shirts". I think AlexBarghest would agree with me when i say; i didn't think he looked like a "typical" Sabbath-, or for that matter, Metal-fan. And i'm pretty sure he thought the same about me...

@ Jeff: I don't know, man... As Stinky points out with mentioning what he calls the "Rihanna"-crowd, there will always be those mainstream kids on a show. Be it Sabbath, or Ozzy, but ofcourse spec. Sab With Ozzy... after that whole Osbournes-thing.
Hell, i've seen the same thing at Metallica, even Mayhem when they had a little local media-hype in front of the Ordo Ad Chao-album.

The lack of responce on the "leather-jacket"-thread on this very forum should say it all, really... Thinking about it; over the last whatever (5?) years i've seen more rappers in leather-jackets than metal-heads. Though i luckily still know of some few and proud who take it all out, 80's n' patches n' everything

[Now in Darkness]

I agree with your OP Jeff. Any Sabbath show or Ozzy show I've been to was crawling with chicks, old farts like me, and older farts and couples in the 60+ category. I think it comes from the folklore of people who want to think that they are part of some exclusive club, and don't want to admit that they are fans of one of the biggest bands in the world. It plays to the sense of self when people say that Sabbath is a guys band, and somehow an obscure entity that they latched on to. My wife is one of those chicks that is at those shows, and she is a large part of the reason as to why we are flying 1/4 of the way across our country to see 2 shows in April. One other thing that might factor into the folklore is that Sabbath were pretty ugly dudes, except Ozzy, and did not have the centerfold look that some bands had. Tony's bowl cut bangs were just too far ahead of their time . Sabbath are a band for all music fans. I mean, my Mom even appreciates them, although that took time.

[Billy Underdog]

Yes, but I believe I was talking about my experience and not what went down in Norway?

Sorry, i thought you were talking about the topic of this thread... I didn't read the cue that said "my experience" and "in Norway" are two different things... My fault... Again, i guess...

[Spiralarchitectx1]

Gotta be honest when I go to see a band I'm there for the band only, I don't really take that much notice on chicks or what people are wearing etc(that's what you do in nightclubs not gigs)
If it's pussy your after I think Mötley Crüe are doing a farewell tour soon

[Billy Underdog]

If it's pussy your after I think Mötley Crüe are doing a farewell tour soon

Best thing said tonight!!!

[Billy Underdog]

Yes, it would be, since my experiences aren't in Norway. Try using a little less drama in your posts.

Still, you don't point out where your experience differ from my experience regarding the topic... So i wouldn't throw that use of the word Drama around like that if i were you, D-Queen.

[Spiralarchitectx1]

Yo Viking and Terence!
Stop it lol,


Check this song out, if you don't like it I'll give you both 5 dollars(or euros)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PakoE1eBps

[Billy Underdog]

Yo Viking and Terence!
Stop it lol,


Check this song out, if you don't like it I'll give you both 5 dollars(or euros)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PakoE1eBps

I know enough depressed wannabe Norskies, not to mention Swedes, to bother listening to their wannabe-something music. Give me 5 bucks (Euro's ofcourse) NOW!!

No, seriously; i think this is kinda laughable, though if someone'd (you maybe?) dragged me along to a live show of theirs i probably would've loved the hell out of it...

[Spiralarchitectx1]

I know enough depressed wannabe Norskies, not to mention Swedes, to bother listening to their wannabe-something music. Give me 5 bucks (Euro's ofcourse) NOW!!

No, seriously; i think this is kinda laughable, though if someone'd (you maybe?) dragged me along to a live show of theirs i probably would've loved the hell out of it...

Feel a bit sad now
I really like this band pal, see many parallels between these and sabbath too.