For decades, she was one of the most mysterious figures in rock and roll history. Now, Louisa Livingstone, the woman who appeared on the iconic cover of Black Sabbath’s self-titled 1970 debut album, is raffling off her autograph for the first time to raise money for a cat rescue project.
After her identity was revealed five years ago, Livingstone says she has received countless requests from fans. The winner of the raffle will receive a unique prize: a hand-written letter signed by Livingstone herself.
“Many Black Sabbath fans have asked me online for my autograph and to this day nobody has one – for a variety of reasons!” says Livingstone. “But I have now decided, at this epic time with Black Sabbath doing their last ever gig, to raffle my autograph. This way, everyone gets a chance, for a minimal outlay.”
Fans can purchase tickets for the raffle for $1 each to support the cause, with the draw scheduled to take place on July 20. Livingstone emphasized the rarity of the item, noting that the only other signatures she may have given were decades ago during her career as a stage actress in London.
“The only other autographs of mine already floating around are minimal, if they even still exist,” she says.
The album cover, featuring Livingstone in a black cloak standing in front of the Mapledurham Watermill, has long been a source of debate. The original photographer, Keith Macmillan, insisted she was holding a black cat, though Livingstone herself has no memory of it. “I think it might just be the way my hands are there,” she told Rolling Stone in 2020. “I’m sure I could remember if it was a cat.”
Interestingly, despite her place in metal history, Livingstone admitted she is not a fan of the band’s music. “Black Sabbath is just not my kind of music,” she said in the 2020 interview. “I feel awful for saying it, because it’s probably not what people want to hear.”
Livingstone currently releases her own synth-based music under the name Indreba.
