Black Sabbath: Paranoid

With Paranoid celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Classic Albums/Black Sabbath episode is particularly timely. Music buffs will relish at the 97-minute DVD that touches upon everything from Black Sabbath’s influences, the songwriting process behind tracks like “War Pigs and “Iron Man,” the band’s introduction into America, and even hands-on explanations of the riff work from Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler. In stark contrast to the band’s self-titled debut album (recorded over two days and mixed in one), Paranoid was allowed an opportunity to be crafted in more accommodating studio environment. Those sessions bore a variety of intriguing stories, specifically one that details how “Paranoid” was written off-the-cuff after executives requested a “short song.”

Guest Stars (10)

Geezer Butler as Self

Tony Iommi as Self

Ozzy Osbourne as Self

Bill Ward as Self

Phil Alexander as Self - Editor-in-chief (Mojo, Kerrang!)

Tom Allom as Self - Engineer

Henry Rollins as Self - Musician / Author

Steven Rosen as Self - Author / Journalist

Joe Smith as Self - Executive vice president (Warner Bros. 1970-1972)

Deena Weinstein as Self - Professor of sociology / Author / Journalist