Born Again Tour
The Born Again Tour was a world concert tour by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, undertaken from August 18, 1983, to March 4, 1984, in support of their eleventh studio album, Born Again, which was released on September 7, 1983, in the UK and October 4, 1983, in the US.[1][2] It marked the band's sole tour featuring former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan on lead vocals, alongside core members Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, Bev Bevan on drums, and Geoff Nicholls on keyboards.[3][4] The tour encompassed approximately 70 performances across Europe, North America, and Canada, including a headline slot at the Reading Festival on August 27, 1983, and concluding in the United States.[5] Typical setlists blended tracks from Born Again—such as "Trashed," "Disturbing the Priest," and the title track—with Sabbath classics like "War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Paranoid," and "Children of the Grave," often closing with an encore of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" at Gillan's insistence.[3] Staging featured elaborate props inspired by the album's artwork, including a massive 40-foot Stonehenge replica and a demonic baby figure, though the latter led to a notorious incident in Toronto where a stunt performer dressed as the baby fell from a height onto a concrete floor due to missing safety mattresses.[6][4] Despite the lineup's potential, the tour was plagued by internal tensions, excessive drinking, and logistical mishaps, contributing to its reputation as one of Black Sabbath's most chaotic outings and a low point in their career.[4] Gillan departed shortly after the final show to rejoin Deep Purple, while Bevan also left, signaling the end of this unstable era for the band.[5] The tour's excesses, including the oversized Stonehenge set, later inspired satirical elements in the 1984 mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap.[6]Background
Album Promotion
The Born Again album by Black Sabbath was released on September 12, 1983, in the UK and October 4, 1983, in the US, marking the band's attempt to reinvigorate their career following turbulent periods with previous vocalists. It achieved commercial success, peaking at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 39 on the US Billboard 200, reflecting renewed interest in the group despite mixed critical reception.[7][8][9][1] Following the departure of Ozzy Osbourne in 1979 and the acrimonious split with Ronnie James Dio in 1982 after the Live Evil album, Black Sabbath faced uncertainty and declining momentum, prompting the recruitment of Ian Gillan as vocalist to signal a fresh start. The band's history of dynamic live performances underscored the necessity of a tour to capitalize on the album's themes of rebirth and renewal, aiming to re-engage fans and demonstrate the lineup's viability on stage.[6][10] The tour was announced in mid-1983, shortly after Gillan's integration, as a direct promotional vehicle for Born Again, aligning with the album's titular motif of resurrection to revive the band's legacy. Promotional efforts included the release of "Trashed" as the lead single in October 1983, backed by "Stonehenge," alongside a promotional 12-inch featuring "Zero the Hero," which highlighted the album's heavier tracks to build anticipation. Media interviews during this period, including discussions with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, emphasized the tour's role in showcasing the new material live and reconnecting with audiences amid the band's evolving identity.[3][11][6]Lineup Formation
Following Ronnie James Dio's departure from Black Sabbath in late 1982, the band sought a new vocalist to reinvigorate their sound after two successful albums with Dio. In early 1983, manager Don Arden arranged a meeting between guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and Ian Gillan, who had recently left Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and was without a band. After a night of heavy drinking at a pub, Iommi and Butler offered Gillan the role on the spot, with Gillan later recalling he had no memory of the agreement until his manager confirmed it the next day. This collaboration was intended as a one-off project to record and promote the upcoming album Born Again, lasting only about a year before Gillan departed to rejoin Deep Purple.[12][13][14] The core lineup for the tour centered on Black Sabbath's longstanding rhythm section of Iommi on guitar and Butler on bass, with drummer Bev Bevan stepping in at short notice to replace the unavailable Bill Ward, who had participated in the album recording but was sidelined by personal issues. Bevan, formerly of Electric Light Orchestra, brought a solid but unconventional backbeat to the group. Keyboardist Geoff Nicholls continued his role from previous tours starting in 1980, providing atmospheric support off-stage during live performances. This configuration marked a temporary supergroup assembly, blending Sabbath's heavy metal foundation with Gillan's hard rock pedigree.[4][5] Iommi viewed the inclusion of Gillan as an opportunity for a fresh start following the internal tensions of the Dio era, aiming to inject new energy into the band while capitalizing on Gillan's prominence as a vocalist. Gillan's powerful, soaring style was seen as a strong match for the album's more melodic and anthemic hard rock direction, distinct from the darker tones of prior Sabbath releases, though it required adapting to the band's catalog of classics. The choices reflected a pragmatic approach: with Ward out, Bevan's reliability filled the drumming void, and Nicholls' continuity ensured keyboard elements from the album translated to the stage without disruption.[15][4] Pre-tour rehearsals in 1983 focused on integrating Gillan into the set, including adaptations of older Sabbath material, but faced initial challenges as Gillan admitted disliking much of the band's back catalog and struggled to memorize lyrics for songs like "War Pigs." To accommodate this, he relied on a scrapbook of notes propped against stage monitors during early sessions and performances. Conflicts arose from mismatched expectations—Gillan approached the material with a looser, improvisational flair that clashed with Sabbath's structured heaviness—necessitating adjustments like simplified arrangements and additional run-throughs to align his delivery. Absurd staging ideas, such as dwarf performers on Stonehenge replicas, were tested but quickly revealed logistical flaws, foreshadowing tour mishaps. These hurdles were resolved through intensive practice, allowing the lineup to gel sufficiently for the road.[4][14]Performance Elements
Set Lists
The set lists for Black Sabbath's Born Again Tour featured a mix of tracks from the 1983 album and the band's classic repertoire, typically lasting around 90 minutes and structured to highlight new material while satisfying fans' expectations for staples. Shows often opened with the high-energy "Children of the Grave" from 1971's Master of Reality, immediately transitioning into the album opener "Hot Line" to establish the tour's promotional focus. This was followed by "War Pigs," a frequent early highlight that bridged the old and new eras of the band's sound.[16][17] The core of the set drew heavily from Born Again, incorporating seven of its eight tracks: "Born Again," "Digital Bitch," "Disturbing the Priest," "Stonehenge," "The Dark," "Zero the Hero," and "Hot Line." These were interspersed with classics such as "Supernaut" from Vol. 4, "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" from Technical Ecstasy, and "Iron Man" from Paranoid, creating a balanced program that emphasized Tony Iommi's riff-heavy style and Ian Gillan's vocal range. Instrumental sections like "Stonehenge" and "The Dark" often served as transitions, sometimes merged with "Zero the Hero" in medley form to maintain momentum. Additional staples included "Heaven and Hell" from the prior album and occasional solos, such as guitar and drum breaks, to showcase the lineup's musicianship. The track "Trashed," despite being the album's lead single, was rehearsed but never performed live, likely due to time limitations in the packed sets.[18][3][19] Encores consistently closed with Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water," a nod to Gillan's former band that was played over 60 times across the tour, followed by "Paranoid" as the final send-off. Variations emerged over the tour's run, particularly with the addition of "Neon Knights" from Heaven and Hell starting in January 1984 during the North American leg, replacing or supplementing earlier selections to refresh the performance. Early European dates leaned more toward album tracks like "Disturbing the Priest," while later shows incorporated more extended jams on classics to accommodate audience demands. These adjustments ensured the set lists remained dynamic without deviating from the tour's core structure of eight to ten songs per show, blending approximately 40% new material with established hits.[20][21][5]| Typical Set List Structure (1983-1984) |
|---|
| 1. Children of the Grave |
| 2. Hot Line |
| 3. War Pigs |
| 4. Disturbing the Priest / Stonehenge |
| 5. Supernaut |
| 6. Rock 'n' Roll Doctor |
| 7. The Dark / Zero the Hero |
| 8. Digital Bitch |
| 9. Iron Man |
| 10. Neon Knights (added Jan. 1984) |
| 11. Born Again |
| 12. Heaven and Hell |
| Encore: |
| 13. Smoke on the Water |
| 14. Paranoid |