Bev Bevan Diaries - my first gig with Black Sabbath (and a blonde stripper)

This week I've turned the pages of my diary back 25 years - to my very first tour with Black Sabbath.

The line-up at that time was Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), Ian Gillan (vocals), Geoff Nicholls (keyboards) and Bev Bevan (drums).

Sunday August 14th

Last day of rehearsals at the NEC. Amazing how much we have achieved in just one week. Home in time for a proper home-cooked Sunday roast beef dinner.

Monday August 15th

Hot and sunny. Day off at home. Dinner round at the Carrotts' house.

Tuesday August 16th

Tony picked me up in his Range Rover and we went into Birmingham shopping for clothes at Nicholls, Oasis, Leather and Lace, Seftons and Barries. Looked in at Reddingtons Rare Records, too. Drove home through heavy rain - first we have had in weeks.

Wednesday August 17th

Picked up from home in white stretch limo Mercedes. On to pick up Geezer, then to Birmingham airport for the short flight to Heathrow and connecting flight to Oslo. Passengers were the band plus our management, Don and David Arden. Met in Norway by promoter Erik 'ET' Thompson and coach ride into the city. Dinner together at the hotel, then checked out the basement nightclub, but that was naff. Found a good jazz club nearby and had a few beers there and strolled back to our hotel around 3am.

Thursday August 18th

Slept OK. Phoned home. Press conference at the hotel then in the coach to drive to the venue. Lengthy sound check. First-ever Sabbath show for me and Ian, so we felt nervous.

Made a few mistakes, but so did everyone else! Good reaction from the 4,000 strong crowd. Great to get the first show under my belt. Everyone well complimentary and it's a lovely atmosphere within the band. Back to the hotel in the coach and a couple of brandy nightcaps in the rather grim basement nightclub.

Friday August 19th

Early call. Coach to Oslo airport for the flight to Stockholm. Checked into nice Sheraton hotel. Another press conference. No chance of a sound check today, so straight to the Ice Stadium for the gig.

Wild crowd of around 8,000. Terrific show, played well and really enjoyed it.

Ian's birthday today and as a present we arranged for a buxom, pretty blonde stripper to come on stage during the encore, and she wrapped herself around Ian, much to everyone's amusement.

Celebrated a great night by going to the Atlantic club and got the Phonogram record company guy to pay the £900 bar bill we ran up drinking endless bottles of Dom Perignon. Finally got to bed around 5am.

Saturday August 20th

Felt remarkably well considering all the champagne and little sleep. Ran the gauntlet of fans and autograph collectors to get on the coach for the airport and flew to Helsinki.

Checked into a soulless , downtown hotel and we had a walk around the city centre, Not impressed. The locals looked SO miserable.

The Finnish Phonogram record representative took us out for dinner to a superb Russian restaurant (the Russian border not far away, of course . Back to the hotel bar for a couple of nightcaps and an early night after a long day.

Sunday August 21st

Good long sleep. After light breakfast, Tony, Geoff and I had a work out in the hotel gym and a swim in the very cold pool. Midday press conference at the hotel. Sound check at the Ice Hockey Stadium.

On the evening a good, lively 3,000 crowd. Back to the hotel after the show. Bar closed so an earlyish night.

Geezer bored enough to lob a couple of bottles from his ninth floor hotel room window on to the car park below, and promptly arrested by the local constabulary. Tour manager Paul bailed him out in the early hours.

Looks as though this could be a lively little tour ...