Tony Martin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Martin's journey began when he was contacted to replace Glenn Hughes, securing his spot after a successful audition singing "The Shining." His debut album, The Eternal Idol (1987), followed nearly a year of production. Although critics initially ignored it, AllMusic later praised Martin's powerful voice for adding new fire to the band's heaviest riffs in years. The album stalled at No. 66 in the UK and 168 in the US. Following this, the band signed with I.R.S. Records and released Headless Cross in April 1989, which reached number 31 in the UK. Brian May contributed a guest solo on "When Death Calls." The subsequent Tyr album (1990), loosely based on Norse mythology, reached number 24 in the UK but failed to break the Billboard 200 in the US. Despite mixed reviews, AllMusic later noted the band's crushing synthesis of myth and metal. Martin later performed controversial Sun City, South Africa shows during the apartheid era in 1988, after the album's release.

In Their Own Story

The transition between bands was turbulent. After Geezer Butler backed out of a Plymouth festival just as rehearsals concluded, the band faced criticism from Artists United Against Apartheid over their South Africa shows, leading drummer Bev Bevan to quit in favor of Terry Chimes. When Headless Cross underperformed commercially, Warner Bros. dropped the group, forcing Iommi to produce the next album himself with a new lineup including Cozy Powell and session bassist Laurence Cottle. Martin's departure in 1991 was not formal; as he recalled, "the phone just stopped ringing." He had turned down an immediate return during the Dehumanizer sessions to finish his solo album Back Where I Belong (1992), which featured Neil Murray and Cozy Powell. Although invited to replace Ronnie James Dio on the final tour show due to visa issues, Rob Halford took the stage instead. Martin eventually returned in 1993 after Ozzy reunion talks collapsed, leading to the release of Cross Purposes in 1994.

Reader's Guide

Tony Martin joined Black Sabbath in 1987 to record The Eternal Idol, replacing Ray Gillen's tracks during production. His first major tour included stops in Germany, Italy, and Greece, though European shows were cancelled due to promoter backlash from the South Africa incident. Bassist Dave Spitz left before this tour, replaced by Jo Burt. For Headless Cross (1989), the band enlisted Cozy Powell on drums and toured with Kingdom Come and Silent Rage in the US before cancelling the leg after poor ticket sales. The 1990 Tyr album featured a European tour with Circus of Power but marked the first time the cycle excluded US dates; surprise guests Ian Gillan, Geezer Butler, and Brian May appeared at select shows. Martin's second stint began in 1993 with drummer Bobby Rondinelli, resulting in Cross Purposes (1994), which reached number 41 in the UK and included the track "Evil Eye." AllMusic later called it the first album since Born Again that sounded like a real Sabbath record.

Did You Know?

• Martin is a multi-instrumentalist who plays bagpipes and pan pipes alongside standard rock instruments.
• The band was among the Western acts to tour the USSR after Gorbachev opened the country in 1989, though many others had already performed there earlier in the decade.
• Martin was never formally fired from Black Sabbath; he stated, "the phone just stopped ringing," and compared his situation to Ian Gillan's.
• At the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert in 1992, Black Sabbath performed with a different lineup; Rob Halford did not fill in for Martin, but performed with his own band.
• The song "Raising Hell" was worked on with Geoff Nicholls and Cozy Powell during Dehumanizer sessions but eventually appeared on Martin's 2005 solo album 'Scream'.