Black Sabbath legend Geezer Butler has set a 6/6/6 release date for his forthcoming autobiography Into the Void: From Birth to Black Sabbath – and Beyond, kinda.
Posting on Instagram, the bassist writes, "After spending my entire life creating memories, to eventually set aside how reserved I am, I have put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). The recollection of my life (thus far) is coming out 6/6/23. Yes, I know that 2×3=6. Although unintentional, having that as a release date suits me fine."
The book was originally given a June 8, 2023 publishing date by HarperCollins, and, in fact, that date was confirmed by the publishers just two days ago in an article on publishing industry website The Bookseller, but clearly a '6/6/6' publishing date makes for a better headline.
The synopsis for the book reads: "Into the Void sees Geezer tell his side of the Sabbath story for the first time, from early days as a scrappy blues quartet through to the many lineup changes, the record-breaking tours and the international hell-raising with Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.
Featuring Geezer’s candid reflections on his working-class childhood in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, his almost-life as an accountant and his fascination with horror, religion and the occult, Into the Void will also include 30 photos from Geezer’s personal collection – some never-before-published.”
In a statement, Butler says, “I’m incredibly lucky to have spent the last five decades making music and playing to fans all over the world. From my early days in Aston to adventures and antics with Black Sabbath, this book has brought up memories I thought were gone forever.”
“Geezer Butler’s story is one of the last great rock ‘n’ roll stories to be told and I am glad to be the lucky editor who gets to publish it," HarperNonFiction publishing director Kelly Ellis tells The Bookseller. "As a founding member of Black Sabbath, Geezer has lived through some of music history’s most extraordinary moments. In many ways it reads like a fairy tale of how four unassuming lads from Aston, Birmingham went on to conquer the world. It’s one hell of a read.”
Into the Void will be the third memoir written by a member of Black Sabbath’s classic line-up: original line-up. Ozzy Osbourne's I Am Ozzy was published in 2009, and Tony Iommi's Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath was published in 2011.
Into The Void is now available to pre-order.
The comments below Butler's Instagram post suggest that Anthrax bassist Frank Bello, and Metal Blade Records founder Brian Slagel have already pre-ordered the book.
