Today is January 31, 2014. That means that 20 years ago, it was Jan 31, 1994. And on that date, came the penultimate studio Black Sabbath album in the Tony Martin era of the band, Cross Purposes!
I’m not doing a full retrospective, because I’m a bit too busy to write about it on its actual birthday, but I couldn’t let this album pass unremarked. This album’s production was a bit interesting. After the fall of the Dehumanizer reunion in late 1992, an awful lot of talk was bandied about with getting back together with Ozzy. That of course, never happened, and during that time, Sabbath worked on a new studio album with Tony Martin again. Legend has it this album was due to be released in 1993, but given the delays in “working it out” with Ozzy, this was shelved into early 1994. One wonders what might have happened to this album HAD they worked it out with Ozzy. Kiss’ “Carnival of Souls” springs to mind here.
Anyway, it did come out, there was a tour behind it – one that I really liked, to be honest. The set list for the Cross Purposes tour was great one. Some tracks were brought back to the set list for the first time in bloody ages. The Wizard showed up again here, as did Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (the full thing), and Symptom of the Universe – including the “Woman child of love’s creation” bit.. They even tried to drop Iron Man from the set list – something I applauded at the time. Was a great set list.
I loved this album, because to be honest, while I enjoyed Dehumanizer, I really loved what Black Sabbath had been doing with Tony Martin up until that point. The Headless Cross & Tyr albums were great, and the after the sidetrack of Dehumanizer, we got back to that with Cross Purposes. Thought it was a great progression on the Tony Martin era. Plus, it had the added oomph of Geezer Butler on here, which I think made this the most SOLID album with Tony Martin on it. Geezer’s bass anchors this album. I used to think the Eternal Idol album was the top of the Martin era for a long time, but I’ve changed my tune on that relatively recently due to the appearance of Geezer Butler on this album.
I remember at the time the lyric “it’s time to kiss the rainbow goodbye” as a dig against Ronnie James Dio. I could never get absolute confirmation that is what the lyric was supposed to be about, but it was a fan story there.
The end of the tour saw the departure of Bobby Rondinelli on drums, and for some South American gigs the return of Bill Ward. In fact, Bill was to carry on at that point, but I’ll get into that whenever I talk about the anniversary of the Forbidden album. :)
I know the Tony Martin era isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I realy think you should seek this album out and give it a shot. There’s a lot of good stuff on here. It is UNFORTUNATELY out of bloody print. I’ve written elsewhere about the non availability of the Tony Martin era on this site – please read that article too – has lots of background info. It is still available for purchase, but given it is out of print, you can pay an arm and a leg because of that reason. Here’s a few links if you wish to purchase a copy:
[ Buy CD from Amazon.com | Buy CD from Amazon.co.uk ]
Below I’ve got a few pictures to check out, plus there is my Cross Purposes discography page which has a lot of other info about the album, too. If you have this one, get it out, and give it a spin.
I’m including a couple of Youtube links as well. The first is the official music video for the “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle” song. The second is a fan made video for the “Dying for Love” song. Finally is a Youtube link for the song “What’s the Use?” which is a track that appeared on the Japanese CD version of this album – AND NOWHERE ELSE. That’s a bloody crime, as IMO, it’s a great track – much in the vein of Neon Knights, and other “fast” Black Sabbath songs. Check ’em out:
Cross Purposes Sticker from my original CD purchase in Jan 1994.
Yeah,Cross purposes ! Sometime back in ’01 a guy had a cassette with ‘Back to eden’ on it and I was blown away. Then,a bandmate had the original cassette and I finally could listen to the full album-minus ‘what’s the use ?’ Then I managed to get some decently rendered mp3s of the full thing (this tume with the bonus track). I really like the Tony Martin era. Let’s pray Tony Iommi wants the TM era remastered soon,now that Sabbath won a grammy and it’s on top of the world…I’d buy it without blinking ! Cheers from Mexico
I like that album too. When it came out I flew to El Paso to see them play there with Motorhead. I saw them here in Dallas too , but the venue here (The Bomb Factory) was not nearly as good. Plus the crowd was better too. Yes the El Paso show was killer. Still have my tour shirt.
I loved Eternal Idol too. I guess what I found a bit frustrating though at that time, was that metal was really exploding and evolving , with speed metal, thrash, etc….and I felt that Sabbath was never going to get their due here making the more melodic, albeit classy and really strong, albums that they were producing with Martin. And the revolving door of everyone but Iommi. But as long as Iommi was there, I was always there to support. Always.
Jeff. I was at the Bomb Factory show, too. Motorhead and Morbid Angel opened.
Saw Sabbath on this tour in Newport, S.Wales. Great stuff. Godspeed and Cathedral on support. Godspeed were beyond awful, but did result in my spending their set in the bar. Cathedral were awesome (first time I’d heard of them). A truly solid Sabbath show. Tony M wasn’t well during this show, but gave it his all. Me n my first long-term girlfriend went – her first gig was a Sabbath gig. In all honesty, I’ve seen Sabbath with Dio, Ozzy, and Tony M. Dio was fantastic, and Tony was a very close second. Every time I see Sabbath with Ozzy I love the music, but find Ozzy live excruciating. Thing I love about this site, It’s gives Tony M’s contribution to Sabbath it’s proper recognition and respect. Thanks Joe…
Listening to this album a few days ago, Virtual Death sounds like a song written for Ozzy’s vocals.
Tony dose a very creepy vocal that for my ears is not that far from wheat Ozzy might do.
Great album, I had to buy another copy after my ex-wife took my original, $40 well spent.
I hate ex-wives. Mine left with over 1500 cds, which included everything Sabbath put out, lots of imports, lots of bootlegs and memorabilia. That was a few years ago. I have replaced all the cds, (no cost too great) and I am listening to cross purposes right now. Better to lose an ex than my Sabbath collection!
What a great Album. My first real Martin experience. Always loved the production, the lyrics and the doomy wipes. I think Martin never sung netter than on dying for love and the Hand that rocks the cradle.
Excellent comments above from the fans of this era of Sabbath! I have always liked this album as well as the other Martin albums preceding it! Virtual Death, what classic Sabbath that is! Good strong songs overall & well recorded & mixed & it makes Dehumanizer sound dated with Vinnie Appice’s appalling drum sound!
Bobby Rondinelli plays very well indeed & has a cracking snare drum sound, brilliant!
I own the original vhs of this tour & have always enjoyed it! I have seen a ‘dodgy’ dvd in a few stores over the years, but never purchased it, as it only has certain songs on it & as I said, it looks dodgy indeed! A cracking version of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath on that concert, where Martin drops his vocal range down a few steps & it works brilliantly! Hooray!
Great album…!!!
I just love Dying for love… the music and the lyrics about the terrible war in the old Youguslavia…
It was my third Sabbath concert here in São Paulo, Monsters of Rock, 1994. Three quarters of the original Sabbath alongside Martin and Nicolls ( I love the picture of the band including Nicolls). I had watched Sabbath twice before in 1992 with Dio ( MAY HE REST IN HEAVEN) during the Dehumanizer World tour…!!! I’m very lucky to have watched these three awesome gigs…
I also like other songs such as Virtual Death and Cross of Thorns( lyrics about Ireland and all the problems and deaths related to Politics and Religion). Tony Martin wrote fantastic lyrics…!!!
Hail Martin, Bill, Bob and Nicolls and God bless Black Sabbath…!!!
Peace and Love…!!!
Great album…saw them on tour at Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT. Small club…awesome show. Was about 5 feet from the stage and was literally blown away. You’re right Joe…great set list.
Thanks for reminding me why I checked out after Born Again.
The best thing I can say about this album is:
OH.
MY.
GOD.
Love this album! Probably the most underrated album in the Sabbath catalog.
I saw this tour at some dismal old gymnasium on the Univ. of Maryland campus. I got to stand 10 ft. from Iommi and watch him conjure those sounds up close. That was a very special experience.
I still have my original cassette copy of Cross Purposes, and now have a cd copy. This has always been a strong album and the cd copy I recently acquired has really reignited the album for me. I loved the preceding album with RJD, Dehumanizer, but always felt the rubbish murky production let it down. The clear and powerful production on CP blew away Dehumanizer for me. There’s some excellent tracks to be had, my favourites being I Witness, Virtual death, Immaculate Deception, and Evil Eye. Quality songs. What makes the album for me is Geezers playing. Being a bassist myself no one really matches Geezer and he brings that extra edge to the whole album, pure musicianship. No disrespect to other bassist’s Tony has had but Geezers THE MAN when it comes to backing up Tony’s riffage. Unfortunately I did not see them on the CP tour and I really don’t know why – I was there on the Headless Cross tour at Bradford St Georges Hall UK where Tony leant down and gave me a plectrum, unforgettable that (!!! long since lost I’m afraid !!!) then on the Tyr tour at Sheffield City Hall UK as well as on the Dehumanizer tour at Newcastle City Hall UK. Why I did not attend the CP is a mystery but there you go. I also had a video/cd box set of CP tour recorded at Hammersmith Odeon UK. I always enjoyed this set and although Tony Martin was not at his best on this it was still a sterling show with a great set list. Overall – a quality album which deserves more respect. I did not like to read Geezers comments made later referrng to CP as a ‘horrible album’ – that was uncalled for. CP and Eternal Idol are the two best Tony Martin era albums I think. An album I enjoy to this day. Happy Birthday Cross Purposes, 20 years, where does precious time go??? God bless Tony Iommi.
God Bless all Sabbath members… God bless Joe for sharing with us his love for Sabbath… God bless Ozzy…. You know guys…!!! I love Ozzy too…!!!
Keep on Praying for Iommi…!!!
Peace and Love….!!!
Happy 20th anniversary Cross Purposes,always loved this album cover.Guitar solo on Immaculate Deception is very strong and Cross of Thorns was also quite good. Black Sabbath 4ever.
EI, HC, T, CP, and F were Tony Iommi’s solo albums and as such – they’re okay …
Except they’re NOT solo albums. The only one that might qualify is Seventh Star. But the others are Black Sabbath albums – whether you like it or not. It’s not up to US to define that.
…and the winner for most ridiculous and pointlessly holier than thou comment ever on this site is…
*drum roll*
The song ‘Metal Prophet’ on Black Sabbath’s as-yet-unannounced ’14’ will be a powerful, and heartfelt expression of gratitude on the part of Tony Iommi for having his delusion, namely that writing five excellent records with TM on vocals under the Black Sabbath name was a good thing, removed.
The riff will be heavier than a Billion elephants, and the solo will actually make us all cry out, ‘Thank you Metal Prophet, we were so wrong!! Thank you for lifting the veil. We see, now, that I Witness, Headless Cross, Feels Good To Me and Anno Mundi were not awesome songs, as we thought, but just okay;
I feel robbed. Damn you Tonys (plural)
;o)
Those five albums were just Iommi’s solo fill-ins between Ozzy and Ronnie … No one seriously considers Tony Martin to be a real Black Sabbath singer … Wherever there is is a conflict of opinions regarding the best Sabbath vocalist – people are usually comparing Ozzy and Dio … Moreover, lots of fans maintain that Dio-era Sabbath was the best … I wonder why Geezer and Iommi were performing as Heaven and Hell with Ronnie but not as Headless Cross with Martin back in 2007 – 2009 … Morover, Martin was complaining that Iommi has never contacted him after Forbidden as if those five albums he sang on never existed … It’s just that the label forced Iommi to record those five albums under BS monicker to cash in on the band’s name …
You can think that if you want. You’re not right, of course. Shrug.
Metal Prophet, yeah right…….Not! When you say ‘No-One’, I didn’t realise that you represented all of human kind, incredible! What you should have said was ‘I don’t seriously consider Tony Martin to be a real Black Sabbath singer’! But that would not sound as convincing now would it? It is your opinion only, just the same as anyone else who has an opinion!
Tony Martin is a far better vocalist than Ozzy, that is if you are talking musical ability & performance or simply are you falling for the iconic Ozzy maybe, because he was there for the first 8 albums & is the original ‘classic’ Sabbath vocalist! Which as we know doesn’t make him a quality vocalist at all, he sings melodically & did the job, but he isn’t a quality lead vocalist! Secondly, Geezer had nothing to do with Headless Cross & Tyr & a few others, so why would you mention him with Iommi & Martin regarding the hypothetical 2007-2009???????? Thirdly, the record companies didn’t force Iommi at all, he signed to IRS after The Eternal Idol album, IRS which was run by Miles Copeland who stated that he wanted classic Sabbath, ie, hard, heavy etc! Iommi was only ‘hassled’ by a record company for the only ‘solo’ record that you have not mentioned, yes that’s correct, Seventh Star, which Joe mentioned in response to your first comment!
I’m with Metal Prophet on this, especially this line:
“… It’s just that the label forced Iommi to record those five albums under BS monicker to cash in on the band’s name …”
Exactly. But as even Joe admits, SS should also be included, as it and the 1987-95 albums (not including Dehumanizer of course) do not uphold Black Sabbath’s legacy.
Ted
If you look at the official Black Sabbath website, you may get the impression that there were no albums recorded by the band between 1978 and 2013 … What the fuck? … I’m not sure that Tony and Geezer have given their approval of that … Do they even know that this website even exists? … Any opinions, guys? …
That site is run by their current label, who likely just wants to sell the current version of the b(r)and. Possibly some of the recent legal fun about the ownership and usage of the band name is related.
I prefer Eternal idol over Cross purposes which is one of the weakest Sabbath albums
Truly a favourite of mine, this one is. From beginning to end, I just enjoy it so much. It has a really good ebb and flow to it as well; a good mixture of fast and slow, dark and light.
On the subject of Tony Martin, I gave ‘Forbidden’ another good listening. It’s really not a bad album at all. it reminds me of the criticism Dio’s ‘Angry Machines’ garnered. They tried something new, rather trading off expectations and were pilloried for it. Too me, it’s an odd thing. People criticise it as ‘Not a Sabbath album’, yet Heaven Hell was as far from Paranoid as you could get. And Tyr as far from Heaven and Hell, etc etc. It’s not an awesome album, sure – but hardly the ‘fart in church’ it’s regarded as either.
Personally, I say Sabbath should get rid of Ozzy , even for a year, and do one final TM album. The line-up and music are as relevant as any other period, and the TM fans (me included) would love to hear it. Tony Iommi has seemingly written this line-up out of history, and that’s a disservice to the fans who stuck with him through the ‘revolving door’ period. TM brought stability and credibility – especially in Europe.
Serenity – I agree with your comments, but I don’t think it is Iommi who has neglected the Martin era. I Have seen & read interviews with him over the years & he pays due respect to Martin & that material! I think there are ‘other’ influences there in regards to that period in Sabbath’s history being deliberately neglected & preferably forgotten! Mainly the Osbourne camp & perhaps even Geezer Butler? They have both said ‘things’ over the years that put down that era, enough said really! Cheers.
Not at all familiar with Cross Purposes, but I just got a hold of it and upon first listening, really enjoyed Cross of Thorns, Virtual Death and Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Gotta give the other tracks some more time, but I am somewhat impressed already. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I’ve owned Headless Cross and TYR since they first came out, but for some reason never pursued Purposes or Eternal Idol (only familiar with the title track and The Shining on that one).
Digging the Cozy Powell-like reverb on Rondinelli’s drums!
I would love to see Iommi, Butler, Martin, and Rondinelli, reform as “Cross Purposes”, record a new album, and do a tour featuring the music from all the Sabbath albums that Martin sang on, when the promo cycle for “13” is over and Ozzy makes another solo album.
It was my first bs album with tm on ot and the secon bs album at all. it’s best tm album in his whole carer in my opinion, and best tm era of bs album as well. I wish there were b. ward on it – it would make a history even more.
Cross Purposes is one of my ALL TIME favorite BLACK SABBATH albums. I love it from start to finish. I felt that was a great line up with Bobby Rondinelli too. CP is in the top 5 of my favorite Black Sabbath releases. By the way Iommi is Black Sabbath. Joe thanks for sticking to your guns.!
Absolutely superb album from the Tony Martin era!!
Feel the TM love, LOL ;o)
Cross Purposes is a very good album. I still have the old casstte too. The first time i heard it i wasn’t too cray about it but Over the last 20 years i have grown to like it a lot more.
I absolutely LOVE Cross Purposes, but I think a better name for the album (especially with that glorious cover) would have been “Immaculate Deception”! Such a Powerful album…Finally Tony Martin & Geezer Butler together, and I’m not afraid to say that I was Overjoyed when they brought TM back, personally I was angry when I heard they were getting rid of TM so Dio could come back…talk about a slap in the face to Tony! I knew that lineup wouldn’t last, hell, it didn’t the first time…and honestly Cross Purposes is a Much better album in Every Way than Dehumanizer! Ozzy will always be the definitive Black Sabbath singer, but next to him Tony Martin is The Man, and I’m not afraid to admit my favorite Black Sabbath singer, even over Ozzy! I can only imagine how Great “Forbidden” could have been if (in addition to ditching Ernie C, and getting a Real Producer) the lineup was Iommi, Martin, Butler, Nicholls & Ward!
thank you joe for remembering me, there was more sabbath than only the ozzy years. in 1994 i enjoyed my first sabbath gig in erfurt, germany. listening to anno mundi, psychophobia or headles cross with tony was as phenomal as loner or god is dead with ozzy. tony martin, wherever you are, thank you very much for some fucking great years with you as a sabbath family member!!!!!
I like the Tony Martin albums, but having seen them live, i don’t think Tony was the best Sabbath vocalist. I don’t like the Dio era. Heaven & Hell was a really decent album but after that i thought his albums were lacklustre and missing the cohesion and togetherness, (and the live album, ‘Live Evil’ is dreadful) as if they were pulling in different directions. I thought ‘Dehumaniser’ was a poor album. Having said all that ‘Forbidden’ wasn’t one of their best either. Even the ‘Black Sabbath ft Tony Iommi’ incarnation was a better album. But the Tony Martin era should be respected and not forgotten.
This is one of my favorite Black Sabbath albums. I saw them live as well during this tour.
The album has great riffs, great singing, I love the drums on it…absolutely one of my favorite albums.
I am with you, admittedly the “Ozzy” years are and always will be legendary, we can talk, argue discuss until we are black and blue,we all have our fave Sabbath eras, you cannot surpass the “originals”. I guess the house is divided between the “Dio” and “Tony The Cat Martin” albums, and i’ll may as well “add” Seventh Star
album with Glenn Hughes, to add fuel to the fire, i must admit there is some killer material with the other 3
vocalists, but i guess at times some of the material was a little patchy, but the great thing to me was Tony’s
incredible “riffing” throughout each album, and pretty good singing.
Black Sabbath should have toured doing Tony Martin material only ,when Martin was vocalist, and not mixing in Dio or Ozzy material on his gig ,this worked well for Ronnie, when he sang his material only ,not mixing in Ozzy material.Unlike some ,I enjoyed Tony Martin’s vocals and proud to call him Black Sabbath.Remember he is Tony Martin and not Dio or Ozzy Thanx Black Sabbath 4ever
Will you do article about it’s tour?
On my youtube channel there is a VHS rip of teh full concert, as on bootleg DVDs thhere were only 9 songs.
You could include this concert here.
In October I saw Tony Martin, Bobbi Rondinelli, Geoff Nichols and other famous rockers performing “I Witness”.
It was really great and fresh.
The audience sang it together with Tony.
By the way, Tony also sang Rainbow songs and even Alice Cooper material together with Greg Smith.
I wish they will continue their touring.
I think it is the most solid produced album of the Martin era. Maybe because it is the only one with Geezer on it. It has a deeper, darker sound than the others of that period. More like a Black Sabbath album should sound. Saw this tour in Kalamazoo, Michigan.Jan or Feb because we drove in a snowstorm. They played at the Kalamazoo State Theatre. Because of no Ozzy or Dio ,we had excellent center stage seats in a much smaller venue. Having seen all of Sabbath’s tours since then, this setlist has always been one of my favs! It was a Sabbath timeline list, one great song after another. Still awesome hearing “Time Machine” as the opener!
I was at that gig; see my post.
Cross Purposes is actually more then a bit of an underated album. Geezer’s presence makes this the only Tony Martin era album that isn’t a Tony Iommi in everything but name. Tony’s guitar work is SO MUCH BETTER on this album then on the last one, my God. Also even better then on The Devil You Know. most of which I loved profusely. I haven’t memorised 13 yet unfortunately but from what I;ve heard so far it is destined to become my second favorite (first being Born Again, THE DEMO VERSION). Tony’s lyrics for the most part are great on here too. 7 songs on here are really amazing and the rest I can definitely live without. This album should not be out of print. But thankfully for those of us who want it is perfectly legal now to get it for free! Geezer’s heart though wasn’t in this album, and I really don’t feel much of his presence standing out here. Not only that Bobby Roddeneli’s style COMPLETELY doesn’t suit Sabbath in the slightest. I understand that Bill Ward probably wanted to spend time with his kids during the time this was being made, and that Vinny left not long after Dio did, going back to Dio, BUT WHAT WAS COZY POWELL DOING AT THIS TIME? TYR is, again, a Tony Iommi solo album, but other then that it’s better then Dehumanizer in every way except singing and bass. Also better then this album. I like 7th Star too despite. Couldnt get into Eternal Idol though. The set list for this tour though was fantastic, TMartin sings Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Symptom Of The Universe better then Ozzy ever did. His version of Mob Rules is good too. But the band didn’t sound right to me until Bill Ward came back. The great thing about that is that he got to redo his drums for Neon Knights and Children Of The Sea and to do them better then studio version; The drums on Heaven and Hell suck because Bill’s heart wasn’t in it. Surprised how good they are on Born Again considering that though. Bill Ward can also play Time Machine better then Vinny Appice ever did. For proof of some of what I’m saying here, get Children Of The Sea Live 1994 (DVD).
I have fond, and not-so-fond, memories of this era.
A friend of mine ran a record shop, where, of course, I bought the album. He told me a story of a guy who had bought it and then wanted his money back the next day because “Ozzy’s not on it, man.” He didn’t get his money back.
I had just moved into a new apartment and started a new job when this album came out, so of course it was the soundtrack to that. The new apartment stayed. The new job rapidly went to hell in a handbasket.
I remember being socked-into said new apartment by snowstorms. “Cross Purposes” and a fair bit of Scotch kept me from going completely nuts.
Fortunately, I got to see the tour for this, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was COLD that night. Motorhead and Morbid Angel were on the bill. My friend and I didn’t watch much of Morbid Angel; the ultra-satanic death metal just isn’t our bag (the drummer certainly had fast feet, though). Motorhead were great, with the inimitable Lemmy in fine form; very entertaining. Black Sabbath were also at top form, with the exception of TM having a bad cold, but the guy was such a trouper to press on through the gig. Bobby Rondinelli visually reminded me a lot of the late Eric Carr. One moment I remember was Tony, Geezer, Bobby and Geoff launching into a short impromptu jam. After it was done TM came back out on stage and said “nobody does it like these guys!” True indeed. Hardly anyone knew who TM was; in fact he introduced himself at the beginning of the set. He made a few converts that night, though.
The album itself still stands up. I think the production on Bobby’s drumming could have been better. He’s an excellent drummer but his drums sound too muted. As well, I wish there would have been more doomy, “creepy” tracks like “Virtual Death,” which is one of my all-time favourite Sabbath tracks.
It is unconscionable to me the way Tony Martin has been treated by Tony Iommi. Iommi is, and will always be, my #1 guitar hero, but it seemed like TM was just his “fallback” guy when Ozzy or Dio weren’t available. He deserves better than that.
I actually RAN to the record shop the day this came out. The parking lot of the mall was jamming, so I had to park REALLY far away. Literally RAN to get it. I loved all eras back then, as I do now.
Dondoubleu3
Cross Purposes is THE best Tony Martin era Sabbath CD. From the manic start to I Witness to the heavy as it gets end of Evil Eye, the music on this CD is solid and thoroughly enjoyable. There is not one bad or weak cut on the CD. In my opinion the second best Martin era work is Eternal Idol and what makes Cross Purposes better is Geezer Butler. I feel he really compliments his band mates and this CD is a testament to his talent and song writing ability. Geezer really brings in the classic Sabbath sound in Evil Eye and Virtual Death. Cross of Thorns, Dying for Love and Back to Eden have great melodies and I can’t understand how the songs on this CD are not rock standards. I’ll add that Bobby Rondinelli’s drumming is crisp and powerful. I recently had the opportunity to see Bobby with George Cintron in a small club in Smithtown Long Island. Bobby played on a small drum set but his pounding almost drowned out the guitar, bass and vocals. He was fantastic during the show and it’s unfortunate we didn’t get to hear more of him on other Sabbath works, though we know that in and around 1994 the end of the “new’ and ever changing Sabbath line-ups were coming to an end. Cross Purposes is a hard to find CD, but hopefully a remaster will be on shelves soon.
No need to remaster this album just a reissue would be fine. Most remasters these days are a brickwalled mess.
The 2 CD Sanctuary/Universal reissues done so far were very dynamic, and tonally, were close to the original vinyl pressings. Assuming that the Tony Martin era is remastered by the same person (and assuming that the others were actually remastered), they should sound fine. The only one I’m worried about is Forbidden. That album is supposed to be remixed by Tony Iommi for the reissue. We can only hope that it’ll be better sounding than the original CD…
Wow, time flies. Great article.
Cozy had been touring as part of Queen guitarist Brian May’s backing band doing his “Back To The Light” solo tour at the time (as was fellow Sabbath member Neil Murray on bass) – between ’92/’93.
In ’94 he did a couple of shows with Queen touring keyboardist Spike Edney, in a group called the SAS Band – which was essentially Brian’s backing band, but with Jamie Moses doing lead guitar as well as his rhythm tracks during these shows, and featuring Spandau Ballet member Tony Hadley on vocals. Below is a link to the band playing Queen live staple “Tie Your Mother Down” from a show in October, 1994.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7X2GQkQADg