Into the Void: The new autobiography from Geezer Butler, bassist and lyricist of heavy metal music pioneers Black Sabbath
£16.60£23.80 (-30%)
A Rough Trade Book of the Year
The much-anticipated first book from Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler
With over 70 million records sold, heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath are one of the most influential bands of all time. From the very beginning, Geezer Butler was at the heart of their success. He named the group, provided the bass behind their distinctive sound and wrote the lyrics that resonated so powerfully with fans around the world.
At long last, Geezer is ready to tell his side of the Sabbath story, from early days as a scrappy blues quartet through to the many lineup changes, the record-breaking tours and the international hell-raising with Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.
Featuring Geezer’s candid reflections on his working-class childhood in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, his almost-life as an accountant and his fascination with horror, religion and the occult, Into the Void reveals the softer side of the heavy metal legend, while holding nothing back.
Like Geezer’s bass lines and the story of Black Sabbath themselves, Into the Void is original, dramatic and one hell of a ride.
Geezer Butler’s book ‘Into the Void’ was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 05-06-2023.
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Additional information
| Publisher | HarperCollins (8 Jun. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 288 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0008476462 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0008476465 |
| Dimensions | 15.9 x 3 x 24 cm |
by Professor Greybeard
The book is well written, it’s like I’m chatting to an old friend about his life and experiences. It’s not sensationalised, there are no gruesome stories and no padding out of events with irrelevant nonsense at all. There are photos included which are nice to see but they don’t get in the way of the story. It genuinely reads like a conversation. It’s better than just about of the other so called books by rock musicians who seem unable to string coherent sentences together, when I say better than many I’m not comparing content, I’m comparing quality and engagement. All in all a thoroughly recommended book and it’s nice to read about What The Butler really saw. Nice one Geezer.
by kidk
Felt the narrative was honest and truthful.
Pros and cons of fame touring and not seeing your money due to being cheated through sheer greed of people when success creeps in. Very good advice for anyone.
Honest about the short lifespan of fame also…
Seems quite a nice man…
by SkullWytch
Overall it’s not bad, some interesting stuff in there about his childhood and early struggles, and all the success and craziness in Sabbath. I gave it one star short of five because of the tedious indulgent ramblings of his beloved Villa…..no one is really interested in them except Villa fans…..apart from that waste of a couple of pages the book is a decent read????????
by Mr Blackwell
….but didnt divulge,im sorry to disagree with the other reviews,in my opinion this isnt a great book,its not bad either,its average.I wanted detail on the albums,the tours ,the fallouts but what i got was a series of anecdotes and memories,a little bit here,a little bit there. Clearly given Geezer’s comments recently,he’s had enough,he’s retired and not coming back, he wants to enjoy the quiet life and he’s earned it.
Im sure had he released this book 10 years ago ,it would have been fire and brimstone but he clearly doesnt have the appetite for that sort of book now and thats fine,i hope it flies off the shelves and he gets a decent pay day,he desereves it.
Geezer Butler probably one of the most underated Bass player’s and lyricist in british rock music,what the book does show despite his appearing to be the calm one, he has had a lot of turmoil and its sad to realise he has had to fight mental health and depression issues most of his life.So while i am unlikely to read this over and over,i salute the man who’s music i have loved since i bought ‘Heaven and Hell’ in 1980 and saw in the paper they were playing the Glasgow Apollo,that night,what a gig only my 2nd or 3rd if memory serves me correctly.Cheers enjoy the retirement,you have earned it and maybe Villa will win something ha ha.
by robert harrison
Great book on Geezer’s journey.
by Mr. Kevin Malcolm
Great insight to the life of Geezer and Sabbath…
by N.Harwell
Brilliant read. Would recommend it for Sabbath fans. Having read Ozzy’s hilarious bio and Tony’s more chronological approach it’s good to read Geezer’s take on life growing up in Aston and Sabbath’s against the odds slog to fame and on to becoming the Masters of Reality.
by M. A. Tozer
Been a massive Sabbath fan since the early 70’s and found Geezer’s angle very interesting.
We all know a lot of the Ozzy and Iommi stories, and I’ve read both of their books, so reading the Sabbath story from the side of Geezer is very interesting, particularly his battle with depression.
All we need now is a book from Bill Ward to complete the set.