Into the Void

From Birth to Black Sabbath—And Beyond

By: Geezer Butler

Narrated by: Geezer Butler

A rollicking, effusive, and candid memoir by the heavy metal musician and founding member of Black Sabbath, covering his years as the band’s bassist and main lyricist through his later-career projects, and detailing how one of rock’s most influential bands formed and prevailed.

With over 70 million records sold, Black Sabbath, dubbed by Rolling Stone “the Beatles of heavy metal,” helped create the genre itself, with their distinctive heavy riffs, tuned down guitars, and apocalyptic lyrics. Bassist and primary lyricist Geezer Butler played a gigantic part in the band’s renown, from suggesting the band name to using his fascination with horror, religion, and the occult to compose the lyrics and build the foundation of heavy metal as we know it.

In Into the Void, Butler tells his side of the story, from the band’s beginnings as a scrappy blues quartet in Birmingham through the struggles leading to the many well-documented lineup changes while touring around London’s gritty clubs (Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and The Who makes notable appearances!), and the band’s important later years. He writes honestly of his childhood in a working-class family of seven in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, his almost-life as an accountant, and how his disillusionment with organized religion and class systems would spawn the lyrics and artistic themes that would resonate so powerfully with fans around the world.

Into the Void reveals the softer side of the heavy metal legend and the formation of one of rock’s most exciting bands, while holding nothing back. Like Geezer’s bass lines, it is both original, dramatic, and forever surprising.

The iron man

I couldn’t stop listening. Geezer provided great detail of the story of my favorite band. Will listen again.

Brothers of Doom

From Ozzy to Iommi, its a struggle to finish line cuz its so good! Geezer mind is sharp and intact.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Great stories behind all the Sabbath albums, tours, and lineups that Geezer was involved in. Definitely recommend the audio, as his laid back speaking manner and accent give the book a personal feel that you wouldn't get with a hired gun. Out of the all the Sabbath books (by members and otherwise), this is hands down the best - although Geezer is clearly wrong in thinking the Born Again album cover is horrible. That quibble aside, horns high for Mr. Butler!

Probably the best rock n roll biography I’ve ever read

I’ll be listening to nothing but Sabbath, Dio, Heaven & Hell, GZR, etc… for the foreseeable future! Raw, real, heartfelt, humorous and tragic; my man Geezer says it all here!

Plenty of good stories from one of rock’s great innovators

He did a fantastic job narrating his own bookTakes the listener through all 5 decades of music; it’s incredible that they’re all still alive! Highly recommend.