Editor, Daily Nexus,

While I agree with most of what Joey Tartakovsky said in “Blue Traffic Lights: Globalization Gives Folks What They Want” (Daily Nexus, Jan. 12, 2004), I could not stay silent to perhaps the most egregious error. “An unruly America has invented … Black Sabbath,” Joey so proudly states. What?! Are you serious, Mr. Throw-Out-the-Names-of-Countries-and-Pop-Culture-in-a-Single-Article-Left-and-Right?

As a huge Sabbath fan, I was very disturbed by this error. Black Sabbath was not invented in America, but rather, Tony, Geezer, Ozzy and Bill were from the greater Birmingham area of England. Not only did the dreary industrial city aid in some of their songwriting and imagery, but more importantly, a huge factor in creating their sound was a direct product of the fires of industry. While working in a factory, Tony lost parts of several of his fretting fingers. After having crafted synthetic nubs to continue playing, he had to retune his guitar so that it was easier for him to play, which gave Black Sabbath a much heavier sound. So next time you are enjoying your kraut and listening to “Faeries Wear Boots” or “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.” you can ponder even more aspects of globalization knowing the real truth behind Black Sabbath.

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