Mythology (English Blues band)
Encyclopedia
Mythology were an English
blues
band
based in Carlisle that formed in early 1967, out of The Square Chex. This band featured future Black Sabbath
founding members Tony Iommi
and Bill Ward.
Neil Marshall (born Neil Martin Marshall, in 1944, in Carlisle, Cumberland
), lead singer Mike Gillan, lead guitarist Frank Kenyon (born 12 October 1945, in Carlisle) and Terry Sims on drums
. All had been in The Square Chex formed in 1965 with Gillan on lead vocals, Jimmy Wyllie on bass, Danny Little on drums, Ray 'Smokestack' Parr on lead guitar and Ian 'Mel' Meldrum on drums. Terry Sims replaced Little and Meldrum, Frank Kenyon (ex The VIP's) replaced Parr and Neil Marshall (ex The Street) replaced Wyllie in 1967. The band changed their name to Mythology in early 1967. Gillan left in December 1967 after a short tour of Europe and was replaced by a Newcastle singer called Rob. A week later Kenyon left. In January 1968, former members of The Rest, Tony Iommi (born Frank Anthony Iommi, 19 February 1948, Aston
, Birmingham
, Warwickshire
) and Chris Smith (born Christopher Robin Smith, 1949, Erdington
, Birmingham
) replaced Kenyon and Rob on lead guitar and lead vocals respectively. Bill Ward, also formerly of The Rest, replaced Sims on drums in mid February 1968. Ward made his debut with the band on 17 February 1968 at the Globe Hotel in Main Street, Cockermouth, Cumberland. On 30 April 1968, the band supported The Move at the 101 Club in Carlisle and on 4 May 1968 they supported Gary Walker and the Rain at the Clockwork Orange in Chester, Cheshire.
Mythology had some regional success but eventually disbanded after an incident where all four members were arrested and fined 15 pounds for possession of cannabis
resin on 27 May 1968. Much of their gigging work dried up after this event, and they soon disbanded after the final show at the Queen's Hotel, in Silloth
on 13 July 1968.
After the dissolution, Ward and Iommi, along with Ozzy Osbourne
and Geezer Butler
, founded a new band, the Polka Tulk Blues Band, later called Earth and finally renamed Black Sabbath.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
based in Carlisle that formed in early 1967, out of The Square Chex. This band featured future Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
founding members Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
and Bill Ward.
History
The founding members of the band were bassistBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Neil Marshall (born Neil Martin Marshall, in 1944, in Carlisle, Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
), lead singer Mike Gillan, lead guitarist Frank Kenyon (born 12 October 1945, in Carlisle) and Terry Sims on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. All had been in The Square Chex formed in 1965 with Gillan on lead vocals, Jimmy Wyllie on bass, Danny Little on drums, Ray 'Smokestack' Parr on lead guitar and Ian 'Mel' Meldrum on drums. Terry Sims replaced Little and Meldrum, Frank Kenyon (ex The VIP's) replaced Parr and Neil Marshall (ex The Street) replaced Wyllie in 1967. The band changed their name to Mythology in early 1967. Gillan left in December 1967 after a short tour of Europe and was replaced by a Newcastle singer called Rob. A week later Kenyon left. In January 1968, former members of The Rest, Tony Iommi (born Frank Anthony Iommi, 19 February 1948, Aston
Aston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
) and Chris Smith (born Christopher Robin Smith, 1949, Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
) replaced Kenyon and Rob on lead guitar and lead vocals respectively. Bill Ward, also formerly of The Rest, replaced Sims on drums in mid February 1968. Ward made his debut with the band on 17 February 1968 at the Globe Hotel in Main Street, Cockermouth, Cumberland. On 30 April 1968, the band supported The Move at the 101 Club in Carlisle and on 4 May 1968 they supported Gary Walker and the Rain at the Clockwork Orange in Chester, Cheshire.
Mythology had some regional success but eventually disbanded after an incident where all four members were arrested and fined 15 pounds for possession of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
resin on 27 May 1968. Much of their gigging work dried up after this event, and they soon disbanded after the final show at the Queen's Hotel, in Silloth
Silloth
Silloth is a port town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It sits on the shoreline of the Solway Firth, west of Carlisle. It has a population of 2,932....
on 13 July 1968.
After the dissolution, Ward and Iommi, along with Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and Geezer Butler
Geezer Butler
Geezer Butler is an English musician and songwriter. Butler is best known as the bassist and lyricist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He was also involved in Heaven & Hell from 2006 to 2010.-Career:Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, with old friend John "Ozzy" Osbourne in the autumn of...
, founded a new band, the Polka Tulk Blues Band, later called Earth and finally renamed Black Sabbath.