It was 45 years ago that Black Sabbath’s 3rd album Master of Reality, was released and here’s some neat-o facts about the recording of one of their finest efforts.

  1. Ozzy Osbourne handed guitarist Tony Iommi a joint.  Producer Rodger Bain looped the recording of the cough, added delay and used it as the intro to “Sweet Leaf,”
  2. To make his guitar easier to play with the severed tips of his left fingers, Iommi downtuned his guitar three-semi-tones and Geezer Butler tuned down to match. The side effect was a deeper, darker tone that sounded more sinister than Sabbath’s earlier work
  3.  Master of Reality reached No. 8 in the U.S. album chart, immediately going gold due to advance orders. It was Black Sabbath’s last album to debut in the Top 10 until their reunion album 13, which debuted at No. 1 in 2013.

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