It was The Kinks in ‘64, followed by “Shapes Of Things” 1966 by the Yardbirds and Jeff Beck’s tube amps.
Then came Blue Cheer in ‘67.
Black Sabbath invented loud schlock for Seconal addicts.
Nevertheless, they invented the genre. Black Sabbath invented heavy metal. There is no debate here.
Beck is amazing
t was The Kinks in ‘64, followed by “Shapes Of Things” 1966 by the Yardbirds and Jeff Beck’s tube amps.
Then came Blue Cheer in ‘67.
My thinking is along the same lines. If use of heavily distorted guitars, deep bass, pounding drums at levels that sound like they are all in competition is how we label Heavy Metal there is no single band that invented that sound.
Even Black Sabbath built their sound on bands that preceded them using these techniques to create the Heavy tonalities. Listen to Steve Marriott instrumental works with Small Faces or Yardbirds and many others and realize the debate where did Heavy Metal begin is a pointless exercise.