Since Ozzy Osbourne’s passing last month , I have been listening to Black Sabbath . A lot of Black Sabbath . So much Black Sabbath that I sometimes find myself speaking with a tritone-style modulation. Okay, maybe not that much Black Sabbath. But my recent spin through their catalog has confirmed a simple truth.

Sabbath rules.

Black Sabbath was about more than just Ozzy. All the band members were essential: Tony Iommi, the dark prince of guitar riffs and a two-fisted ladies man; Geezer Butler, the mild-mannered bassist and master lyricist; and Bill Ward, the easy-going and hard-drinking drummer. (There is also Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy’s temporary replacement and elfin-sized “devil’s horns” gesture originator. More on him later.) But Ozzy was the star of the show. And he was perfect

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