BLACK SABBATH: More Information Surfaces About Unreleased 1969 Track

September 28, 2003

Rob Dwyer of BLACK SABBATH fan site Black Sabbath Live Project reports that a recently discovered 7" demo (possibly an acetate) of an unreleased 1969 BLACK SABBATH track called "When I Came Down" fell into the hands of an American collector named Joe D'Agostino. It appears to have been recorded during the period in which the band was doing gigs under the names EARTH AND BLACK SABBATH (between March and October 1969). "When I Came Down" may very well be the third EARTH demo to surface, with "Song For Jim" and "The Rebel" being the first two. Undoubtedly, it is the most significant BLACK SABBATH track to come to light in many years. While there are probably many more gems still locked in away in the vaults, so few have been heard by anyone outside of the band and their insiders.

Says Joe, "It's a 2-track demo 7" record from SABBATH (possibly EARTH) with 'When I Came Down' on the A side and a very poorly mixed version of 'The Wizard' on the flip. In case you haven't heard 'W.I.C.D.', it's a short track muck in the vein of material from the debut LP. Ozzy's vocals are loud and strong and Iommi is in there with the riffs. You can hardly hear the guitar on 'The Wizard'. The vocals and harmonica come through well though. The sleeve is red and black with Zella Records address and phone number printed on front and back as well as on the label. [Note: The record label indicates that they were actually recorded at Ladbrooke Sound Studios in Birmingham. Zella was probably the distributor for this particular studio.] The track titles are also handwritten on label.

“I picked this piece up from a lucky fellow who received it as a gift from Iommi back in the sixties. He also sold me 2 incredible scrapbooks with articles dating back to the EARTH days! Included also was a slide from a photo he took when they were still EARTH. I had the slide developed and the photo is really cool (posed, not live). If THIN LIZZY's 'Farmer' 7" goes for over $1000, my record is easily worth more than double that. Wouldn't you think? The LIZZY piece though extremely rare was officially released in 1970. It has since been bootlegged and the A side has been officially released on CD."

For more information, including photos of the acetate/7" single, click here.

(Thanks: Black Sabbath Live Project)

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