Geoff Nicholls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geoff Nicholls
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Geoffrey James Nicholls |
| Born | 29 February 1944 Birmingham, England |
| Died | 28 January 2017 (aged 72) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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Geoffrey James Nicholls (born February 29, 1944 – died January 28, 2017) was a talented musician from England. He was known for playing the guitar and keyboards. Geoff was a very important member of the famous heavy metal band Black Sabbath for many years. Before joining Black Sabbath, he also played in another band called Quartz. In his earlier career, in the 1960s and early 1970s, Geoff played lead guitar for bands like The Boll Weevils, The Seed, and Johnny Neal and the Starliners. He also played keyboards for the band World of Oz.
Geoff Nicholls and Black Sabbath
Geoff Nicholls first joined Black Sabbath as a second guitarist. At one point, the band wasn't sure if they would continue using the name Black Sabbath. Geoff then played bass guitar for a short time when Geezer Butler left the band. When Butler returned, Geoff became the band's keyboard player. The band then decided to keep the Black Sabbath name.
Geoff's keyboard playing was first heard on a Black Sabbath album called Heaven and Hell (released in 1980). He was listed as the keyboardist on almost every Black Sabbath album from then until 13 (released in 2013). Even though he played on many albums, he was not an "official" member of the band until 1986. He remained an official member until 1991. Then, he became an official member again from 1993 to 1996. After the band reunited with Ozzy Osbourne in 1997, Geoff was an unofficial member once more.
While Geoff's main job with Black Sabbath was playing the keyboards, he also played some rhythm guitar during their tours. For example, he played guitar during Tony Iommi's guitar solo in the song "Snowblind." He also played guitar on a few songs during the Headless Cross (1989) and Forbidden (1995) tours.
Geoff stopped touring with Black Sabbath in 2004. This was when Adam Wakeman started playing keyboards for the band's tours. Adam was also a member of Ozzy Osbourne's solo band. Later, Scott Warren played keyboards for the band Heaven & Hell in 2007.
Until he passed away, Geoff Nicholls continued to play keyboards. He was part of a band called Tony Martin's Headless Cross. This band was with former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin. Geoff played on Tony Martin's first two solo albums, Back Where I Belong and Scream. He also joined Tony Martin on their tours to support these albums.
Geoff Nicholls' Passing
Geoff Nicholls passed away on January 28, 2017, at the age of 72. He died from lung cancer, and his family was with him. Tony Iommi, a bandmate from Black Sabbath, shared his feelings about Geoff. He said, "Geoff was a real true friend and supported me all the way for nearly forty years. I will miss him dearly and he will live in my heart until we meet again."
