Technical Ecstasy

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Technical Ecstasy
Studio album by Black Sabbath
Released	September 25, 1976 (US) October 8, 1976 (UK)
Recorded	Criteria Studios
Genre	Heavy metal, Progressive Rock
Length	40:35
Label	Vertigo (UK) Warner Bros. (US) Castle (UK) 1996 Sanctuary (UK) 2004
Producer(s)	Black Sabbath
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Black Sabbath chronology
We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll (1975)	Technical Ecstasy (1976)	Never Say Die! (1978)

Technical Ecstasy is the 1976 album from heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It is regarded in some circles as the weakest Ozzy Osbourne-era album. During the time period in which this album was made, the band was heavily into drugs.

Technical Ecstasy continued the band's separation from its signature doom and darkness that had been such a trademark of the band's early career. While the album's lyrics dealt with topics such as drug dealers, prostitution, and transvestites, the music itself was seldom dark, and tracks like "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" and "It's Alright", (sung by drummer Bill Ward - a decision supported by Ozzy Osbourne), were very different from Black Sabbath's earlier recordings. Also, the band continued experimenting with keyboards and syntesizers moreso than previous albums. The track "She's Gone" features orchestrations.

The song "Dirty Women" deals with the issue of prostitution.

Osbourne left the band briefly following the release of the album. He would eventually rejoin for the follow-up album, Never Say Die!.

The cover art is designed by Hipgnosis.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Track listing

1. "Back Street Kids" – 3:47
2. "You Won't Change Me" – 6:42
3. "It's Alright" – 4:04
4. "Gypsy" – 5:14
5. "All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" – 5:07
6. "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" – 3:30
7. "She's Gone" – 4:58
8. "Dirty Women" – 7:13

All songs written by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne

[edit] Credits

• Ozzy Osbourne - vocals
• Tony Iommi - guitar
• Geezer Butler - bass guitar
• Bill Ward - drums, vocals on "It's Alright"

with

• Gerald Woodruffe - keyboards

v • d • e Black Sabbath

Ozzy Osbourne • Tony Iommi • Geezer Butler • Bill Ward Dave Walker • Ronnie James Dio • Vinny Appice • Ian Gillan • Bev Bevan • David Donato • Glenn Hughes • Dave Spitz • Eric Singer • Ray Gillen • Tony Martin • Bob Daisley • Jo Burt • Terry Chimes • Laurence Cottle • Cozy Powell • Neil Murray • Bobby Rondinelli • Mike Bordin • Geoff Nicholls Discography Studio albums: Black Sabbath • Paranoid • Master of Reality • Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 • Sabbath Bloody Sabbath • Sabotage • Technical Ecstasy • Never Say Die! • Heaven and Hell • Mob Rules • Born Again • Seventh Star • The Eternal Idol • Headless Cross • Tyr • Dehumanizer • Cross Purposes • Forbidden Live albums: Live Evil • Cross Purposes Live • Reunion • Past Lives Compilations: We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll • Under Wheels of Confusion • The Sabbath Stones • Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978 • Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978) • Greatest Hits 1970-1978 • Black Sabbath: The Dio Years