Mythology (band)
English blues rock band that preceded Black Sabbath.
Mythology was a blues rock band from Carlisle, England, formed in early 1967 from the earlier group The Square Chex. The band is notable for including Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, who later co-founded Black Sabbath.
The original members were bassist Neil Marshall, singer Mike Gillen, lead guitarist Frank Kenyon, and drummer Terry Sims—all previously in The Square Chex. After a short European tour, Gillen left in December 1967 and was replaced by a Newcastle singer named Rob. Kenyon departed a week later. In January 1968, Tony Iommi and Chris Smith joined on lead guitar and lead vocals, replacing Kenyon and Rob. Bill Ward replaced Sims on drums in mid-February 1968, making his debut on 17 February at the Globe Hotel in Cockermouth. The band supported The Move on 30 April 1968 and Gary Walker and the Rain on 4 May 1968.
Mythology achieved some regional success but disbanded after all four members were arrested and fined £15 for cannabis resin possession on 27 May 1968. Gigs dried up, and they played their final show at the Queen’s Hotel in Silloth on 13 July 1968. A local DJ recorded that performance, which is the only surviving recording of the band, featuring nine tracks including “Spoonful,” “Dust My Blues,” “Steppin Out,” and “Morning Dew.” After the split, Ward and Iommi, along with Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler, formed the Polka Tulk Blues Band, later renamed Earth and then Black Sabbath.
Quick Facts
- Background
- group_or_band
- Origin
- Carlisle, England
- Genre
- Blues rock
- Years Active
- 1967–1968
- Associated Acts
- Black Sabbath
- Past Members
- Neil Marshall / Terry Sims / Frank Kenyon / Mike Gillen / Newcastle Rob / Tony Iommi / Chris Smith / Bill Ward
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Mythology formed in early 1967 from the remnants of The Square Chex, with founder members Neil Marshall (bass), Mike Gillen (lead vocals), Frank Kenyon (lead guitar), and Terry Sims (drums). Gillen left in December 1967 after a short European tour and was replaced by a Newcastle singer named Rob; a week later, Kenyon left. In January 1968, Tony Iommi and Chris Smith, both formerly of The Rest, replaced Kenyon and Rob on lead guitar and lead vocals respectively. Bill Ward, also from The Rest, replaced Sims on drums in mid-February 1968, making his debut on 17 February 1968 at the Globe Hotel in Cockermouth, Cumberland.
The band supported The Move on 30 April 1968 at the 101 Club in Carlisle and Gary Walker and the Rain on 4 May 1968 at the Clockwork Orange in Chester. Mythology had regional success but disbanded after all four members were arrested and fined 15 pounds for possession of cannabis resin on 27 May 1968. Their final show was at the Queen's Hotel in Silloth on 13 July 1968, recorded by local DJ Keith Jefferson—the only surviving recording of their concerts, featuring nine tracks including 'Spoonful,' 'Dust My Blues,' 'Steppin Out,' and 'Morning Dew.'
Reader's Guide
Mythology is significant primarily as a direct precursor to Black Sabbath, featuring Tony Iommi and Bill Ward in their first collaboration before forming the Polka Tulk Blues Band (later Earth, then Black Sabbath) with Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler. The band's brief existence—from early 1967 to July 1968—captures a transitional moment in British blues rock, with Iommi and Ward honing their craft before achieving global fame. The only surviving recording, from their final gig at the Queen's Hotel in Silloth, offers a rare glimpse into their live sound. Their disbandment following a cannabis resin arrest in May 1968 effectively ended their career, but the members' subsequent work in Black Sabbath cemented Mythology's place in rock history as a foundational stepping stone. The band's regional success in Carlisle and Chester, along with support slots for The Move and Gary Walker and the Rain, illustrates the small-club circuit that nurtured many late-1960s British bands.
Did You Know?
- Mythology formed in early 1967 out of the band The Square Chex.
- Tony Iommi and Bill Ward joined Mythology in early 1968, both formerly of The Rest.
More in Band Members & Collaborators
Elsewhere in Black Sabbath
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