Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler was born on 17 July 1949 and is an English musician and songwriter.
27 Facts About Geezer Butler
2.
Geezer Butler is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath.
3.
Geezer Butler grew up in a working-class Irish Catholic family in Birmingham.
4.
The Geezer Butler family had seven children and were poor, typically having "no money whatsoever".
5.
Geezer Butler was heavily influenced by the writing of Aleister Crowley as a teenager.
6.
Geezer Butler cited a loss of belief, and feels that everyone should sooner or later decide for themselves what to believe in.
7.
Geezer Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, in late 1967, with John "Ozzy" Osbourne soon joining as lead vocalist.
8.
At that time, Geezer Butler was dating a girl who lived near Tony Iommi, and Iommi's earliest memories of Geezer Butler involved seeing him walking past his house every day to visit her.
9.
Later, Iommi and Geezer Butler became acquainted when their bands played at a nearby nightclub.
10.
When Sabbath was formed, Iommi made it clear that he did not want to play with another guitarist, so Geezer Butler moved to bass.
11.
Iommi described Geezer Butler as being "from another planet" in the band's early days; he took LSD, wore Indian hippie dresses, and was very peaceful.
12.
At the time Black Sabbath was formed, Geezer Butler was studying to become an accountant, and this training resulted in him managing the band's finances in the early days.
13.
The 1980 album Heaven and Hell was recorded with bassist Craig Gruber but Geezer Butler returned to the band at the last minute and re-recorded the bass parts prior to release.
14.
Geezer Butler again left the band in 1984 after touring in support of their 1983 album, Born Again, although he returned months later as the band attempted a comeback with vocalist David Donato.
15.
In 1988, Geezer Butler joined the backing band of his former Sabbath bandmate Osbourne to take part in the No Rest for the Wicked World Tour.
16.
Geezer Butler rejoined Black Sabbath in 1991 for the reunion of the Mob Rules line-up, but again quit the group after the Cross Purposes tour in 1994.
17.
In 1995 Geezer Butler again joined Osbourne's band to perform on the Ozzmosis album.
18.
Geezer Butler returned to Sabbath once more for the 1997 edition of Ozzfest, and has remained with the band since.
19.
Geezer Butler rejoined Iommi and Osbourne to record 13 and toured in support of the album, which reached its conclusion in 2017.
20.
Geezer Butler is regarded as one of the most influential bassists in heavy metal.
21.
Geezer Butler was divorced from his first wife in 1980.
22.
Geezer Butler says Biff is very religious and brings up his children in the Catholic faith.
23.
Geezer Butler is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club, and during Black Sabbath's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Geezer Butler is heard shouting "Up the Villa" as the members of the band left the stage.
24.
Geezer Butler has referred to football as his "religion" and has stated that Villa legend Peter McParland is his "all-time hero".
25.
Geezer Butler was raised on a vegetarian diet, largely due to his family being too poor to buy meat on a regular basis, and has been a vegan since approximately 1994.
26.
In January 2015, Geezer Butler was briefly detained after a bar brawl in Death Valley, California and charged with misdemeanour assault, public intoxication and vandalism.
27.
Geezer Butler currently endorses Lakland basses and has his own signature model.