Customer Reviews

Wheels of Confusion: The Story of Black Sabbath

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For any hard-core fan of Black Sabbath as I am this book offered many unheard of insights of how the band met, and gave personal information about each members contribution to Black Sabbath. During the Book drummer Bill Ward inlightins us on the personal side of the band and speaks very clearly on the down-fall of Sabbth during the post-Osbourne years. Rosen captures the in-depth interviews during Sabbaths creation of Heavy Metal music, and gives the reader emotional experiences of each member in Sabbath. From the outrageous hotel bashings to Ozzys personal side of the Sabbath break-up, Rosen allows the reader hear the story that answers the burning question that many new Black Sabbath fans want, and need to read. Rosen offers valuable information for the Ozzy Osbourne fan. He interviews Ozzys past, and present guitar players, and lets them speak on their experiences on the "crazy train." Steven Rosen has given me a front row seat in the "real play" of the Sabbath story. His "never say die" approach to interviews gave me the insight of the "hard road" Black Sabbath had indured to be able to convey In your face music with real life experiences, and still be accepted by the masses

This book is a poor record of Black Sabbath's history. It lacks details and anecdotes and the writing is bland. The author didn't do very much research - there are not very many people quoted in the book. It relies way too heavily on information provided by Bill Ward, who was on drugs for most the 1970s. How reliable of a source is he? Maybe that explains the lack of details.

I was certianly shocked by the reviews of most of these readers. Most of these reviews by readers were saying how Rosen lacked comprehensive detail of Black Sabbath. For any hard-core fan of Black Sabbath as I am this book offered many unheard of insights of how the band met, and gave personal information about each members contribution to Black Sabbath. During the Book drummer Bill Ward inlightins us on the personal side of the band and speaks very clearly on the down-fall of Sabbth during the post-Osbourne years. Rosen captures the in-depth interviews during Sabbaths creation of Heavy Metal music, and gives the reader emotional experiences of each member in Sabbath. From the outrageous hotel bashings to Ozzys personal side of the Sabbath break-up, Rosen allows the reader hear the story that answers the burning question that many new Black Sabbath fans want, and need to read. Rosen offers valuable information for the Ozzy Osbourne fan. He interviews Ozzys past, and present guitar players, and lets them speak on their experiences on the "crazy train." Steven Rosen has given me a front row seat in the "real play" of the Sabbath story. His "never say die" approach to interviews gave me the insight of the "hard road" Black Sabbath had indured to be able to convey In your face music with real life experiences, and still be accepted by the masses

Rosen's book is not bad -- there are interesting facts throughout the book -- but it fails to be a "definitive account" for 2 reasons. One, Rosen relies almost wholly on Bill Ward. While Ward obviously was there, the book cannot be a true depiction of the band when it is based upon just one member's (admittedly) hazy recollections. Second, Rosen's annoying tendency to wax philosophically for long stretches nearly ruins the book. At times, "Wheels of Confusion" reads more like an essay than anything else. Only for the curious.

This book could have achieve much more than it did, had the writer spent mroe time really checking the facts. I had the impression the book was rushed to meet some dead-line, I don't know. Anyway, it's the best thing ever produced about Black Sabbath and it's worthwhile read for die-hard fans, only. It does not reach the quality of HAMMER OF THE GODS or RUN TO THE HILLS.

Weak. It's the only word that comes through my mind after erading this book. IT should be placed " BILL WARD " as the writer, not Steven Rosen. All book long there are quotes by Ward. The other members appears, also, but the writing style is awful, very bad indeed. There's still room for someone else try to write the ultimate Sabbath biography ..

BAsed almost completely on interviews with drummer Bill Ward, the writer's narrative is boring.

At times this work seems rather impressionistic; by this I mean it is more of a long essay on the joys of loving Sabbath and appreciating the work of the musicians (especially the original four). Bill Ward gets many quotes, which is a plus, but overall it is far from a definitive biography. Rosen's heart is in the right place, but the definitive biography remains to be written.

Author Steven Rosen has written a solid narrative about one of the world's greatest bands of all times, mainly indicated for who never read histories about the band. Without stoping too much in telling the "dirty" stories about the band (drugs, etc) he tries to analise the songs and phases of the band, and gives a general portrait of Ozzy, Iommi, Bill and Geezer. Very good reading.

This appears to be written too quickly and erratic .Should of had more indepth interviews with the original four!!!! jeff kuehn