Geezer Butler/Black Sabbath & Rickenbacker bass

[hieronymous]

This kind of blew me away - I've seen pictures of Geezer playing a Ric, but never actual live footage. I searched, but didn't see this posted before.

Looks like full-width inlays in the few times the camera stays on him for any length of time.

The funniest thing is, it sounds pretty much like his P-Bass sounded on Paranoid, probably due to playing style more than the bass itself.

[loendmaestro]

Yeah, this has been covered a coupla times here I think. The coolest thing about that bass is that it used to belong to Glenn Hughes, who used it early in his tenure with Deep Purple. Check out the LP Burn for that bass on record, & the cover of "Made In Europe" for a pic of it -- even though MIE was actually recorded with a P-Bass in '75. Apparently he traded it to Geezer for a T-Bird. Also, I believe that the story about that show that the live footage is from is that Geezer wasn't ready for the gig, or didn't have his personal belongings....something like that. That's why he ended up with the Rick for that show. Cool nonetheless!

Hard to actually see, but it's there!

[hieronymous]

I had no idea that was Glenn Hughes's bass!!! I am very familiar with that album cover - I had it on vinyl and practically wore it out! Kind of disappointing to find out it's not the Ric that I'm hearing - that version of "You Fool No One" has the most amazing bass sound when it comes in.

[loendmaestro]

I'm with you man. For years I thought it was a Rick too. (I still swear it sounds like one!)

[mikes123]

Yea I saw the snowblind video and Geezer was playing a rick. I think the footage is from the same tour cause Ozzy is wearing that same ridiculous white jumpsuit.