Black Sabbath’s 1980 Heaven & Hell / Mob Rules Tour Stage Cross

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This is a VERY RARE piece of Black Sabbath history! The original illuminated cross that was used on Black Sabbath’s Heaven & Hell tour in 1980–81. It was most likely also used on the Mob Rules tour in 1981–82, and the cross can be seen featured on the cover of the Mob Rules tour program. Amazingly, there is also a photo showing this same cross on stage during the Born Again tour in 1983.

For many years after its touring days with Black Sabbath, the cross ended up sitting in a crew member’s garden, where it succumbed to the harsh British weather. It eventually made its way to PMT, Birmingham’s largest and premier music store. By that time the original bulbs had been damaged and were later replaced with LED lights. The cross was then displayed inside PMT, where it hung overlooking the shop floor for many years and became a real focal point of the store. I visited PMT numerous times over the years and took many photos of it hanging above the floor. During that same period, the cross was also displayed at the Home of Metal Museum.

Stage signs like this are extremely rare, as most were damaged, and or simply discarded after tours ended. We are very fortunate to have preserved this cross, and equally lucky to also have another original stage sign from The Who that was used on the 1973-1974 Quadrophenia tour.

Below are photos of the cross on tour, on Tony Iommi’s personal Mob Rules tour program, as well as during the years it was displayed inside PMT in Birmingham. Also included are photos of it inside my old friend’s guitar shop, Jaydee Guitars, where it is pictured next to the prototype of their incredible upcoming limited-edition model, the Legacy Edge.