Metal Overview: Ozzy Osbourne (Part 3)

Happy Halloween fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We did it! We made it to the end of October! We’ve examined Ozzy’s time in the 1980s, and made a pitstop & took a look at his brief time in the 1990s. Now, it’s the new millennium, and with it comes a new Ozzy Osbourne. Did he get back onto his feet, completely refreshed, and crank out some beastly albums? Well, let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look. Here is part 3 & my final look at Ozzy Osbourne. Let’s begin!

Down To Earth (2001)

The 90s was definitely interesting for Ozzy. He got out a great album with No More Tears, and another great record financially with Ozzmosis, but it would be more divided among music critics and some fans. However, the business venture that would perhaps be the most successful thing would be the iconic Heavy Metal festival known as Ozzfest. Created by and managed by Sharon, and assisted by his son Jack, Ozzfest was an immediate hit. It not only was awesome among fans, but it also helped many up & coming metal bands with exposure. Not only that, but in the inagural show they got to play alongside a newly reformed Black Sabbath. It is through Ozzfest that the Blizzard of Ozz would get the energy to get out an album of completely new material in the 6 years since the last time.

Released on the 16th of October in 2001, Osbourne explained in an interview with Classic Rock Magazine that “The Ozzfest was doing well. I just wanted to be like the Grateful Dead and keep it going by touring, but the record company said they'd like a new Ozzy album”. Down To Earth is interesting in the fact that it is the only time that future Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo would ever perform on an Ozzy release, the first time that former Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin, and it would be the last time that we would hear Zakk Wylde until 2007, but that’s for a little later.

Down To Earth would chart pretty high across the world. For example, in the UK it would chart at no. 19 on the UK Albums Chart, no. 4 on the Billboard 200 here in the United States, and weirdly enough no. 1 on the Sverigetopplistan over in Sweden. It would also be certified Silver & Platinum in the UK & U.S. respectively. On top of that, the album’s 2 singles (Gets Me Through & Dreamer) would reach the top 10 of the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart here in America, and at no. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Not bad if you ask me!

Best Track? Gets Me Through you was the song that finally got me to appreciate the Blizzard Of Ozz, and I felt that it was only right to pick it for Down To Earth’s best song. It’s a pretty heartfelt track, as you can feel the emotion pouring from Ozzy’s voice as he sings. The rest of the band contribute to this emotional heaviness as well, but it oddly enough picks you up off your feet in a moment or two. It’s a weird feeling to describe, and coming off of 20+ years of nostalgia from the song, I’m not sure I can properly describe it either. Give it a listen to, and hear for yourself!

Gets Me Through

Worst Track? While an undeniably awesome album for some (Myself included), I suspect that some of you won’t like it for one reason, and said reason is it’s clarity. Now, I must state that there still some of that rawness that came from older productions methods on prior releases, and when you hear/feel it (Take your pick), you will! That being said, Down To Earth marks the first time that an Ozzy album sounds the crispest & cleanest, with it’s production being the most efficient it’s ever been at the time.

Down To Earth. The launching pad of the modern era of Ozzy Osbourne, and the catalyst for my introduction into his musical library. It may sound a little too clean at times, but there’s still some of that old-school crunch lying around for anyone who wants it. If you’ve loved Ozzy but wanted his music a little more on the cleaner side in terms of sound & production, then you’ll definitely like this. Next album!

Under Cover (2005)

And here we come to the most baffling release in all of Ozzy Osbourne’s career. In March of 2005, Ozzy released a box set of music called Prince Of Darkness. On the first 2 CDs were collections of live performances, B-sides, demos and singles, then the 3rd CD contained duets with other artists (One of which was a cover of “Born To Be Wild” with Miss Piggy of all things), but it’s the 4th CD that is particularly intriguing. On that 4th one, the Blizzard Of Ozz covered a variety of songs from artists that he happened to like (Beatles, John Lennon, David Bowie, etc), but in November of 2005 that part of the collection would be released as it’s own album. Titled Under Cover, it would feature these original covers, but in addition it would have 3 other cover songs placed on it (A DualDisc edition would also have a cover of Changes from Black Sabbath, with Ozzy & his daughter singing together). This would ultimately be Ozzy’s worst performing release in the United States, as it only charted at no. 134 on the Billboard 200. Ouch!

Best Track? Even before I got into Ozzy as heavily as I did, his take on the iconic Mississippi Queen from the band Mountain hooked me almost immediately. At first, the song is an absolutely weird mix: in one corner you have Mountain’s patented brand of Southern Rock, and in the other is Ozzy with his Hard Rock/Heavy Metal mentality. Much like the entirety of E Nomine’s career however, both sides come together to make something awesome. I must admit that this mix is a little more natural than Techno mixed with Gregorian Chanting, and that’s mainly due to Ozzy’s time in Black Sabbath, & the fact that he was more of a Blues Rock singer in those times. That Blues background is what makes this cover work so well, and it might for you as well!

Mississippi Queen

Worst Track? I’ll be mentioned this again in a moment, but Under Cover’s only fault is that it’s all covers. Now, I got nothing wrong with a good cover album, as it shows off how a respective artist would work with older music, and Ozzy does a great job here! That being said, I find doing a cover album something of a lazy move sometimes, regardless of whether you’re a metal band or not. Not writing your own material & instead relying on another musician’s work is just lazy, and the Blizzard of Ozz is not a lazy guy!

Under Cover. Not an abysmal record by any means, as the music on here is solid. However, it’s also the laziest release from Ozzy in all of his career, as none of the music on here was his originally. Again, Under Cover isn’t bad, but to me it’s an Ozzy release in name only. Despite that, I’d still say pick it up. If nothing else, it’s definitely a curiosity. Next album! 

Black Rain (2007)

And he we come to a someone personal album for me. Released on the 22nd of May in the year 2007, Ozzy’s first new studio in six years at the time was the very first record of his I ever bought with my own money. I was with my now ex-girlfriend back then, and we were wandering through the now defunct Berkshire Mall in Lanesburo, Mass. It was either in the mall’s FYE or Best Buy that I spotted this album. Without skipping a single beat, I snagged a copy to buy, and I fell in love with every single note of the record. However, I’m getting a little ahead of myself.

The time since Down To Earth was definitely a chaotic time for Ozzy. In June of 2002 he was invited to Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II to play Paranoid for the Party at the Palace concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Once 2003 came around, Osbourne recruited former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, though he would not be in the band for very long. On the 8th of December in that same year, he would be rushed to the Slough's Wexham Park Hospital following a pretty brutal quad bike accident at his house, which resulted in many broken bones, and required some heavy surgery. Ironically, he would achieve his first every no. 1 single in the UK, which was a cover of Black Sabbath’s classic song Changes with his daughter Kelly Osbourne. Apart from some short-term memory issues from the accident, he fully recovered and was able to headline the 2004 Ozzfest, in the reunited Black Sabbath.  

After that, Ozzy & Sharon would go on to be judges on the 2005 UK series of the X-Factor, and it was in March of 2006 that Osbourne began talking about wanting to release a new album with his longtime on/off again guitarist Zakk Wylde (Who was waist deep in his own band, Black Label Society). After acquiring the services of Rob "Blasko" Nicholson, and with Mike Bordin still on the drums, they set out to the recording studio to begin their work, and on the 22nd of May in 2007, Black Rain would be released.

The album would have mixed reviews from critics. Rolling Stone Magazine referred to Black Rain as “highly skippable”, and Sputnikmusic called it "quite embarrassing". AllMusic was a little more merciful in it’s assessment, giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars while noting that “Nothing on Black Rain could really qualify as an Osbourne classic”. What irony then, that the record would debut at no. 3 on the Billboard 200, sold about 152,000 copies in it’s first week (Making it Ozzy’s highest selling debut at the time), and it would eventually go Gold in the United States.

Best Track? The title track definitely gets this spot. Given we were still in Iraq at the time of this album’s release, it stand to reason that Ozzy would directly/indirectly (Take your pick) make a song about that war. There’s a bleak oppressive military-like atmosphere across the entire song, complete with a section of marching towards the end. The instrumentation reflects this also, with softer portions given the feel of actual rain, while the heavier parts further add to the militaristic atmosphere of the whole package. I’m not always a fan of darker songs, but this one happens to be among the bunch that I do like.

Black Rain

If you by any chance had the good fortune to acquire the Japanese edition of Black Rain (And possibly the Tour Edition when it was available), then the two bonus tracks are definitely ones you’ll want to press the repeat button on! Both tunes are exceptionally energetic, and while not the most optimistic songs on the album, they none the less get the blood pumping pretty quickly!

I Can’t Save You

Nightmare

Worst Track? This whole album rocks. Maybe it’s because of my connection with it, but I genuinely can’t think of a single bad song on Black Rain. About the only negative aspect it does have is that there is more of a commercial edge to it. Down To Earth & Under Cover still came across as rough & tumble Ozzy, but Black Rain seems to have it’s edge mildly dulled to be easier for casual metal fans to listen to. Things are still nice & heavy along the album’s run time, but you get the suspicion that maybe things were softened ever so slightly.

Black Rain. Like I said above, it was the first Ozzy Osbourne I bought with my own money, and thus I have a special connection with it. It may have a mildly more commercial vibe when compared to the prior 2 releases before it, but it still manages to deliver a late 2000s Heavy Metal treat that only the Prince of Darkness could provide. Next album!

Scream (2010)

2009 was a pretty eventful year for Ozzy. In July of 09, he revealed that his band was looking for a new guitarist, and while he said that he never had a falling out with Zakk Wylde, he did say that hi songs were beginning to sound a little too much like Black Label Society. Zakk’s replacement would come in the form of Gus G., who first showed off his skills when Osbourne played at Blizzcon 2009. After that, Ozzy would lend his voice to the metallic game Brutal Legend, and in November of 2009 would not only lend guest vocals for Slash’s solo song “Crucify The Dead”, but also host WWE Raw alongside his wife Sharon. Finally, in December of 2009, Osbourne announced that a new album titled Soul Sucka in 2010, but would change the name of the release to Scream after taking into consideration the negative feedback the original record name got from fans. Then, on the 11th of June, 2010, Scream was released.

Unfortunately for Scream, it was considered commercially disappointing when compared to Ozzy’s earlier releases, but it moderate success in the United States & the UK, reaching no. 4 and no. 12 on the Billboard 200 & UK Albums Charts respectfully.

Best Track? Let Me Hear You Scream is definitely the king of this album! It hits you right away with the guitar & drums, and not long after that initial punch Ozzy comes right in with the singing, & it’s just as hard as the instrumentation! What I especially love about Scream is it’s pacing: it’s not too fast, but it’s not too slow either. It runs along a mid-pace, being intense & heavy, yet not riding off the rails either. Definitely one of my favorites!

Let Me Hear You Scream

Worst Track? Scream’s only fault, at least in my mind, is that this album is incredibly commercial. What See You On The Other Side was to Korn, this record is to Ozzy. That’s not to say that Scream isn’t heavy, because it most definitely is! Osbourne & the gang never let up across the entire length of this album, but this is the easiest record he’s ever done in terms of commercial appeal. Non-metal fans will easily be able to pick this up and listen to it without trouble, & casual metalheads will also be able to listen to Scream easily. Now, I have nothing against metal albums that are easier to get into. It’s a great way for people to be put into the metallic fold! However, it can be said if the music is made too easy to get into, and I think Ozzy might have been guilty of that with Scream.

Scream. Not the most commercial record from this period of his career, it none the less still manages to be exceptionally nice & heavy at times. If you are someone new to Heavy Metal, and are looking for an easy release from the Prince of Darkness to listen to, then this will be for you. Next album!
 
Ordinary Man (2020)

The time since Scream was certainly varied for Ozzy. From reuniting with Black Sabbath for one final album & embarking one a tour with them, to releasing Memoirs Of A Madman, to reuniting with Zakk Wylde at the Rock USA Festival in July of 2017, to collaborating with rapper and MTG fanatic Post Malone & discovering he had mild Parkinson’s disease as recently as 2019, the Blizzard of Ozz was a busy prince of darkness. However, despite not putting out his own material for an incredibly long time, he was itching to get something into the public’s hands. In fact, as far back as August of 2015 it was confirmed that Osbourne was working on something new, and it was actually finished four weeks after his colab with Post Malone. Then, on the 21st of February in 2020 (Just weeks before the COVID lockdown, btw), Ordinary Man was released.

The reception for Ordinary Man was pretty high upon it’s release. It would debut at no. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 77,000 units (includes 65,000 pure record sales), and it would debut in the U.K. also at no. 3 on the UK Album Charts, which was the highest charting release in his home country ever. Reviewers were pretty generous with their ratings as well, with AllMusic critic Fred Thomas giving Ordinary Man a mostly positive review, writing that while it had a few weaker songs, it was Ozzy's best album in a while. He wrote: “The production is huge but the energy is spontaneous, sounding like it was as fun to make as it is to listen to. 71 years old at the time Ordinary Man was released, Osbourne's voice is in great shape, sounding more or less like he always has. How he's making music this strong after riding the crazy train for more than half-a-century is anyone's guess, but the better songs here rank among his best.”, and Josh Gray of Clash wrote that “Ordinary Man is far from perfect, but all Ozzy Osbourne's solo releases tend to reflect their creator's flaws to one degree or another. It does, however, absolutely succeed on its own terms, serving its purpose by reminding the world just what we'll miss when this titan among titans finally departs us for good.”

Best Track? Like I said in my review from last November, I’m a big sucker for the title track & the collab with Post Malone. Ordinary Man the song is a melancholic tune that has a wonderful piano back and vocal work from the legendary Elton John, and acts as a portrait into how these two were feeling in their lives at that point (And maybe even now still). Meanwhile, Ozzy’s work on It’s A Raid with Post Malone is definitely the more fun of these two tracks. It’s energetic, upbeat, and over the top without crashing into a wall. If the song after it wasn’t included on the base CD version (Which is a great tune in it’s own right), then it would have been an appropriate way to end this record.

Ordinary Man

It’s A Raid

Worst Track? Also like I said in my review, there’s nothing wrong with the songs necessarily, but it does have problems. Ozzy’s voice may have been tinkered with too much in some songs, the overabundance of musicians brought on to work on Ordinary Man (Even if some of them were good, like Post), as well as the overabundance of people brought on to help record & produce this release. All of this results in a record that is definitely good, but too many cooks were working on the broth, and the flaws can definitely be obvious to someone with a good ear.

Ordinary Man. As Rocked Reviews said the pros outweigh the cons.....but the cons are definitely noticeable. The record may be flawed, but there’s definitely something awesome underneath all of the issues, and I cautiously recommend it. Next album!

Patient Number 9 (2022)

And here we come to the catalyst of this year’s band look. The album that convinced me to devote October to the Blizzard Of Ozz, and to pay tribute to a legend that’s been around for almost 75 years & has gone through some hardship in recent years. Released on the 9th of September in 2022, the announcement for it came just 4 days after the release of Ordinary Man, as Ozzy stated in a iHeartRadio interview that he wanted to do a follow-up album with Andrew Watt. Come November of 2021, and Sony announced that the record would come in 6 months, and Zakk Wylde would return to be fully involved since he wasn’t on Ordinary Man. Then finally on the 24th of June in 2022, Osbourne announced the album’s name, as well as release the single of the same name (More on that in a bit).

Patient Number 9 had some pretty great reception upon it’s release. AllMusic critic Fred Thomas gave it a mostly positive review, writing: “Even with that fatalistic perspective sometimes peeking through, Ozzy sounds hypercharged throughout Patient Number 9, continuing the unlikely late-in-the-game comeback he began on Ordinary Man, and besting that album by taking more chances”, Metal Hammer gave it positive praise and said: “Despite everything you may have heard about Ozzy being on his last legs, Patient Number 9 unequivocally does not sound like the work of a man living on borrowed time. Instead, it sounds like the Prince of fucking Darkness having an absolutely smashing time, with a bunch of his mates and, weirdly, a newfound sense of artistic ambition”, & NME writer Rhian Daly gave Patient Number 9 an almost perfect score and stated: “At 73 years old and battling with his health, you might not expect Osbourne to keep that bar particularly high. But, for the most part, Patient Number 9 does just that – it's a fizzing piece of hard-rock magic. The superstitious metal frontman might have revealed in a recent Independent interview that he tries to "avoid looking at" the number 13, but we're lucky to have his magnificent 13th solo album”. Patient Number 9 would also get to no. 3 on the Billboard 200 & no. 2 on the UK albums chart respectively, so that’s impressive!

Best Track? Hands down it’s the title track! Where as the first single for Ordinary Man was the wrong choice to start previewing it, Patient Number 9 the song was the right choice. An incredibly haunting peace, you get the feel of being trapped within the recesses of a creepy asylum.....or perhaps being trapped within your own mind. The opening 40-something seconds is just chilling with it’s creepy guitar notes & lines from Ozzy, but after that it tears into some badass guitar & bass work, and drumming that loud and rhythmic yet not over the top. It’s actually hear the Blizzard Of Ozz sing his head off, and to feel a surprising amount of clarity come from that voice as well. As a way to not only preview the album but be the opening song.....I couldn’t ask for anything else!

Patient Number 9

Worst Track? Patient Number 9's bizarrely enough has the same issues as Ordinary Man did. Ozzy’s voice was tinkered with again, an overabundance of guest musicians again (Even if many of them were great, like Tommy Iommi), and an overabundance of people that helped record & produce the album. That being said, it’s not as much of a problem this time around! Ozzy’s voice might have been altered here and there, but it matches more with the music. There’s definitely a bunch of guest musicians, but it’s from a core of other iconic musical talent that Osbourne knows. Finally, there’s a lot of people around to help record & produce the release, but not so many it feels like an army of cooks just dumping ingredients into the stew pot. The end result is an album that’s much more refined & focused than the one before it, and actually regained some of that old-school vibe that has been missing since 2001.

Patient Number 9 is faaaaar better than Ordinary Man. Better production, better vocal work & instrumentation, and a more concentrated selection of guest musicians resulted in an album that more focused than the one that came before it. Though the problems on this release are similar to those on the previous outing, they aren’t as much of an issue, nor are they as easy to hear. If you were disappointed by the flaws of Ordinary Man, then Patient Number 9 might help with the recovery. Most definitely recommended!

And that was part 3 of my overview on the career of Ozzy Osbourne. The most modern of Ozzy’s output, it remains the cleanest & crispest that the Blizzard Of Ozz has done. For some it’s fantastic, but for others it’s the low end of his career (Especially when some refer to Ordinary Man). So with that, November is upon us, and so it’s time to take a look back and the music from the year before. So join me in a week or two, when we’ll look at an honorable mention of a band that has so much potential to be a legend down the line.

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If you’re curious about listening to these albums, then click on the links below:

Down To Earth

Under Cover

Black Rain

Scream

Ordinary Man

Patient Number 9

Also, if you didn’t read parts 1 & 2 of this overview, then check out the links below:

Metal Overview: Ozzy Osbourne (Part 1)

Metal Overview: Ozzy Osbourne (Part 2)

Anime Review: Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust

Halloween isn’t far away fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

That’s right, the day where all manner of goblins, spooks, and specters roam around is nearly hear everybody! However, I want to give the humble vampire some time in the spotlight today! Way back in October of 2014, I looked at the classic Vampire Hunter D OVA, and while it be enjoyable it’s not among the best. What I’m reviewing today, however, most definitely is. Once again we’re plunged into the realm of bloodsuckers and gothic fantasy, but this time it’s within a more improved package. This time around, D is traversing an OVA that’s more fitting of his nature, and it’ll leave you bleeding by the time it’s done. So, get you wooden steak, treat your possessed hand with respect, and enjoy my review of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Let’s begin! 

Story/Setup
Taken from the Blu-Ray/DVD case:

“Baron Meier Link is of a dying race, but the vampire doesn't intend to remain lonely much longer. Abducting women in the night is common for his kind, so what's one more? But Charlotte's father has plenty of money, and there's no price he won't pay to get his daughter back. That's why he hires D. D is a Dunpeal, a breed rarer than that of the vampires--after all, he's half of one. When it comes to hunting those with fangs like his own, he's the best in the business. But that doesn't mean he's the only game in town. The Markus Brothers are on the vampire's trail as well, and they're not about to lose. It's a race, not only between the rival Hunters, but for the vampire and his bride-to-be. But it might be more than just a job to D. Is Charlotte really a captive? Or will another Dunpeal be born to this world?”

Let me say this: the biggest upgrade when compared to the original Vampire Hunter D OVA is it’s story. Where as that movie’s story seems to have a minimum amount of effort with it’s story & the world it’s trying to establish, Bloodlust is a richer & meatier affair in this regard. Bloodlust’s world has more detail in it’s worldbuilding, as we seem to get a lot more of what happened to this post-apocalyptic world, and we get a bigger glimpse into the lives of the people that live in this OVA. Sure, there are still some areas where this greater attention to detail is on the surface only (like in the original movie), but more often than not there is so much more going on with Bloodlust than the 1985 feature.

Animation
Another big upgrade from the original OVA would be it’s animation. To say it is lovely would be an understatement: Bloodlust is nothing short of pure moving art. If the first movie looked like an anime, then this movie is almost like watching a moving museum of art. It is over 20 years old (22 years in Japan & 21 years in the United States), but it has aged frighteningly well in it’s 2+ decades of existence. The backgrounds & settings have incredible detail put into them, and the various characters & monsters have such fluidity you’d swear that they were real somehow. Bloodlust really is an OVA you need to see: even if you don’t like everything else about the movie, watch it on the visuals alone. 

Voice Acting
Voice acting also got a huge plus in Bloodlust. Though there are some hammy performances and/or lines, there is way more effort put into the dub when compared to the original OVA. The voice actors seems to be putting in more effort with their assigned character, and it’s not just the primary cast that’s doing a great job. Practically everybody is doing a splendid job, and while a secondary character or two might slip just a hare behind all of the rest, you’re listening to some great voice acting as this OVA plays. 

Characters
One other thing about Bloodlust’s story: it’s a grey world. The post-apocalyptic nature of the setting lends to a grey nature, as there are people that will do anything they can to survive all of the vampires & various beasts that prowl the lands. That being said, the giant majority of Bloodlust’s cast falls more into the Black & White scale. There are definitely some who fall into the grey zone for sure (The titular D is certainly in that zone), but it is somewhat easy to tell who is good, and those who are clearly bad. On top of that, there are twists that come from some of the characters that’ll catch you off guard in some surprising ways, but I won’t say anything else. If I did, then I’d spoil any surprises! Suffice it to say, the characters of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust are yet another bigger plus when compared to the 1985 OVA. 

Availability & Pricing
In a good stroke of luck, Bloodlust is fairly easy to find. Re-released back in 2015 on Blu-Ray, copies can still be found with some frequency. Over on Amazon, new copies go between about 24 dollars to about 30 dollars. Used copies are strangely non-existent, but it’s the DVD version that’s rather difficult to get your hands on. Released all the way back on the 17th of February in 2002, it’s been over 2 decades since this edition came out. That being said, Amazon still does have a few copies available: new copies start at a little over 31 dollars, but used copies begin at nearly 3 dollars. I think it’s obvious as to which version you should go for. 

Overall Impression & Rating
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is damn good! Everything that the original OVA isn’t, this one is. Richer story & characters, massively improved animation, crisper & higher quality voice acting, and a more available bevy of copies to purchase makes Bloodlust a superior film. There might be a scratch or two on the armor, but none-the-less the entire package is nothing short of pristine. If you want a fun OVA filled with action, drama, gothic romance, a pinch of humor, and just a nice bit of bloodshed, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is perfect for what you’re looking for!

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust gets a 9 to 9.5 out of 10.

And that was my review for Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. More refined than the movie before, it’s gothic majesty is perfect for the month of October. If the original movie wasn’t your cup of tea, then you will love this one! So with that said, I will be seeing all of you on Halloween Day, when we’ll look at the most modern era of Ozzy Osbourne to celebrate the occasion. Until then, take care!

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If you would like to watch Bloodlust, then click on the link below:

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Also, if you’re curious about my review of the original OVA (From all the back in 2014), then click on the link below:

Anime Review: Vampire Hunter D

Metal Overview: Ozzy Osbourne (Part 2)

Welcome back to the Blizzard of Ozz fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Where we last left things, I looked at Ozzy’s career in the 1980s. The period of time where he built his solo career, and used it to launch himself into the stratosphere. Now, we’re in the 1990s, and as I hinted at the end of part 1, it’s going to be the shortest part of this look at his career. In fact, he only managed to get out 2 albums in the 90s. 2 releases that definitely divided fans back then, and even now there’s still some division. So, without further delay, here’s part 2 of my look at Ozzy Osbourne. Let’s begin!

No More Tears (1991)

Have a successful career in the 1980s, the dawn of the 90s seemed like a new horizon for the Blizzard Of Ozz, and No More Tears was a sign of this potential. Released on the 17th of September, 1991, NMT marks the first time that Ozzy brought in outside composers to help pen his solo material, rather than rely on immediate writers. In the case of this album, new guitarist Zakk Wylde provided some songwriting, as did the legend himself in the form Of Lemmy Kilmister! He wrote the lyrics for six songs, but only 4 were ultimately used. Although Mike Inez would appear in the videos and promotional tours for No More Tears, long-time collaborator Bob Daisley played bass instead. Inez is credited as a writer for the title track, and although he does not perform on the actual recording, the intro bass riff was composed by him.   

However, this would also begin a period of personal struggle for Ozzy. By 1993, a live album called Live & Loud on June the 28th of that year, and it was originally supposed to be his final record. What irony then, as it would go platinum 4 times over, and got to number 10 on that year’s Billboard rock charts. At that point, Ozzy expressed his fatigue with touring (Drugs probably didn’t help matters), and proclaimed his "retirement tour" (which was short-lived btw). It was called "No More Tours", which was a pun on his last album from 2 years prior. This whole retirement thing would crop up again, but I’ll get to that a little bit later.

No More Tears would be received pretty positively upon it’s release, and is considered by many to be one of Ozzy’s best albums. Loudwire ranked NMT no. 22 on their "Top 90 Hard Rock + Metal Albums of the '90s" list. Ultimate Classic Rock included No More Tears on their "Top 100 '90s Rock Albums"list, and they also considered it to be Osbourne's third best album (Only behind his first two albums), also considered it to be Osbourne's third best album period. It would reach no. 10 on the Billboard 200, and it would eventually go 4 times Platinum.

Best Track? Hellraiser! Ozzy & Lemmy’s collab is flat-out awesome, though there is one caveat. Lemmy would sing this song on March or Die a year later, and for whatever reason I don’t think it’s as good (Ironic, since I said it was one of the best songs on that mostly awful album). Ozzy’s version is better, and I think that has to do with Osbourne’s vocal work. The instrumentation between both versions I believe is the exact same, but Ozzy’s vocal work for whatever reason somehow works better. It’s kind of hard to describe, so take a listen below to see what I mean. 

Hellraiser

Worst Track? There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the songs per se, but No More Tears’s only fault among some listeners is that it comes across as similar to that of No Rest For The Wicked. Not completely, as Ozzy & the gang do try enough different things to separate this release from that one, but there’s enough NRFTW vibes on this album to make someone believe that the songs on here may have been extras left off of No Rest For The Wicked. I don’t have an issue with that since I liked NRFTW, and I like No More Tears too.

No More Tears. It might be a little similar to No Rest For The Wicked, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s more than enough new things here that made it different enough, and enough of a different feel. If you were a fan of that NRFTW, then you might enjoy this one. Next album!

Ozzmosis (1995)

Ozzmosis. If there was ever an album from the Blizzard of Ozz that certainly divided fans to an extent, it is this one. Released on October the 23rd, 1995, the album came during interesting times. After the release of No More Tears & the subsequent touring, Ozzy had checked into rehab on account of the drugs maybe taking too much of a hold on his life at that point. Coupled with the failed retirement still somewhat fresh in his brain come close to 1995, Osbourne was definitely feeling the strain of his career & life in general. Come 1995 itself, and things began to turn around. For starters, his entire back catalogue was re-released, and once Ozzmosis itself came out, him & the gang would go on what would be dubbed "The Retirement Sucks Tour".

Ozzmosis would go on to achieve a nice amount of commercial success. It would reach number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, five spots lower than No More Tears, and three spots lower than the album that would come after it. It achieved it’s greatest success in the United States, reaching no. 4 on the Billboard 200, which would be Ozzy’s highest charting album at time. Ozzmosis also reached the top ten in Finland and Sweden, top 30 in Germany, New Zealand and Norway, top 40 in Switzerland, and the top 50 in Australia. By the end of 95, the album would be certified Platinum, and Double Platinum by April of 1999. According to Billboard magazine, Ozzmosis sold in excess of 3 million copies in total, and as of the 2010 release of Scream, it’s the latest Ozzy album to be certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.

However, the view of Ozzmosis from the opinion of critics would be more mixed. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic criticized it, with a focus on what he said was it’s lack of evolution from Ozzy’s previous 2 releases. Despite praising guitarist Zakk Wylde, Erlewine condemned the "modern-rock conscious" production style of producer Michael Beinhorn, which he claimed was the cause of Ozzmosis's main problem – that "on the surface, the music is hard and loud, but it actually sounds smooth and processed." Entertainment Weekly critic Chuck Eddy claimed that because of the length of the tracks on the album, it "feels like a parody of the most overinflated opera".

Best Track? I Just Want You just hits hard! There’s another song I’ll talk about in a moment, but like that song, Ozzy is pouring his heart out. I can only guess that he’s singing about Sharon in this song, as the lyric “I Just Want You” was probably written for her. Outside of that, Ozzy’s singing comes across like someone who’s heart is bleeding, and is calling out for the one he loves to come to him. The instrumentation is hazy like fog in your mind, but it’s powerful as well, and adds to gothic-like atmosphere that I Just Want You makes. Certainly an interesting song at the very least!

I Just Want You

Another great track would be the ode to his son, in the form of My Little Man. It starts out a little hokey, but that all goes away when Ozzy starts singing. It’s very obvious that he loves his son Jack quite a bit, as he’s pouring his heart out. He sings how much he loves him, how much he’ll protect him from the horrors of the world, and how life can sometimes be hard. All of this    is accompanied by instrumentation that sounds like something out of a dream, and captivates the listener in some way. If any of you are a parent, then I suspect that this might be your favorite song off of Ozzmosis!

My Little Man

Outside of the previously mentioned songs, another positive of Ozzmosis would be the incredible amount of emotion in each & every track. To me, this is Ozzy’s equivalent of Still Not Black Enough: it’s Ozzy at his most open, and it’s Ozzy at his most vulnerable. The Prince of Darkness is laying out everything he was feeling on the table, and letting the listener see all of it. Not only that, but there’s this mind fantasy vibe across the entire album, and it’s almost like if Ozzy is adding something fantastical to the reality he’s presenting. It’s all still real, but there’s something in the background that adds BTW, it’s funny that I mention Still Not Black Enough, as Ozzmosis was coincidentally released 18 days after W.A.S.P. put out the previously mentioned record.

Worst Track? Ozzmosis’s only major flaw is that the entire record is made of nothing but ballads. Now, I got nothing wrong with Ozzy doing a ballad or two on an album (Maybe even 3), but to have a release be completely composed of ballads would mean that Osbourne & the band would have to bring their A-Game.....and they don’t. Ozzy’s voice for the most part sounds fantastic, but there is a song or two where they for whatever reason change up how it sounds, and it’s kind of annoying. The instrumentation also sounds great for a majority of the album, but every once in a while it either sounds like they’re just trying to follow what’s popular, or there’s something about the production that ever so slightly screws things up.

Ozzmosis. Not the hideous abomination like many critics & reviewers says, but the flaws are obvious enough that they can potentially drown out what is genuinely good about this release. If you are looking for Ozzy Osbourne at his most personal & emotional, you mind want to take a listen to what’s on here. You might not regret it!

And that was my 2nd look at Ozzy Osbourne’s career. Given that I looked at just 2 albums here, I can understand why it feels like there wasn’t much to digest with this, and given the reputation these records have, I can understand why some of you would simply ignore this. However, there’s some genuinely great material underneath the issues. Now, we leave the 1990s, and head into the new millennium. Does Ozzy get back onto his feet? Only time will tell, but beforehand, I got a spooky anime to review. See you soon!

***
If you’re curious about listening to these albums, then click on the links below:

No More Tears

Ozzmosis

Also, if you didn’t catch my first look at Ozzy, then click on the link below:

Metal Overview: Ozzy Osbourne (Part 1)

5 Greatest Anime Chests (For Breast Cancer Awareness) No. 6

It’s time for a look at Breast Cancer Awareness once again fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I know it was silly last year when I took a look at Vtubers last year when I did 2021's list, but given the characters we see on Youtube & Twitch, they’re anime-adjacent if you ask me (Maybe more so if you watch Hololive or Nijisanji). If you just so happen to look at some of them, you’ll realize that their.....treasure chests.....are rather bountiful. Sure, they’re not real, but they definitely cause a reaction! So you know what? I’m doing Vtubers again this year! I picked out some of them that are particularly bountiful, and am showing them off here. So with that out of the way, here are 5 of the greatest anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness.....number 6!

5) Hime Hajime (Video)

So, here’s the thing.....I’m not the biggest fan of the alien/dragon hybrid from space.

That’s not to say she isn’t entertaining, because she is. Youtuber Sydsnap has a fun & energetic personality, with just a nice dash of ecchi to her name. It makes perfect sense that she would voice the exceptionally blonde & bouncy Hime, and in her role she performs incredibly well! The reason I’m not the biggest fan is that her character comes across as a little too obnoxious sometimes. I know that in real life Sydsnap is actually pretty chill & rather nice, but that doesn’t come in for Hime sometimes. Still, I must admit there’s talent behind the character, and I can see why she has the fanbase she does. She’s not my favorite, but I won’t discount her in any way!

4) Zentreya (Video)

And here we come to a bit of an oddity among this list, as our dragon girl turned cyberpunk warrior doesn’t actually have a voice. When she originally started, Zen used speech bubbles to communicate, then changed to text-to-speech with a Russian voice, and finally text-to-speech with a British voice. As such, there’s a bizarre disconnect with her, yet there’s also an equally bizarre connection with Zentreya as well. Sure, she’s got a text-to-speech voice, but there’s a surprising amount of personality within that voice. There’s plenty of sass, sarcasm, wit, and occasional perviness within that robotic voice of her’s. She’s also got a great figure to boot. Whether it was her dragon form, or her cyberpunk getup, Zen has plenty of curves to her name (The Cyberpunk model has a deliciously ample busom). If you can get past the robotic nature of her voice, then you’ll find Zentreya to be surprisingly entertaining!   

3) Prism Splay (Video)

And here is where things begin to get maybe a little.....easy.

As her Twitch page says, she’s a Roller-Skating Glitter-Bender, One-Horned Kinkromancer, Cosmic Unicorn, Rainbow Enthusiast, Real Handful. In many of her streams, she uses her boundless energy to entertain, delight, and perhaps turn-on her audience (Given her figure, and kinky she can be, the turn-on part is rather easy). However, what endears her to me isn’t the fan-service, but her education videos on Kink. From Vore, to Lactation, to being a Switch, to just fairly recently on how a BDSM dungeon operates, she brings on vtuber guests that have knowledge of the kink in question, and each episode is equal parts entertaining & educational. Even if you’re not into her fan-service (Or the dirty nature of most of her episodes), then the Kinkucational videos are really something to watch!

2) Vexoria (Video)

So, here’s the thing. For a brief moment, I considered the “Grape Snake Mommy” to be the number 1 girl on this list. She’s sensual, seductive, and her Snitties (That’s what she calls them) are quite bountiful. The only reason I didn’t, and I confess I got to this decision through a hint of kink-shaming......is because Goddess Vexoria is into Vore. In fact, that’s sort of part of her character. There’s times where she threatens to eats her chat, her devoted cultist Zolon, and sometimes any guest that comes her way (Apart from the few guests that are into Vore like her). However, the real reason why I like her is because she can be incredibly wholesome. When she talks about her real-life family (Zolon is her husband, and she has 2 kids), you can tell she really loves them. She’ll talk about her extended family with the same energy, and sometimes her Father-In-Law will enter her chat just to playfully troll her. On top of that, but she’s talked about some pretty heavy stuff once in a while. From saying it’s okay to cry, to talking about her first marriage (Which wasn’t the best), Vex hasn’t been afraid to talk about some real things that might get you teary-eyed. Again, this’ll be a little in the kink-shame territory, but if she wasn’t into Vore I would have put our grape goddess at the number one spot.....but an incredibly curvy cow rode right past her.

1) Miilkywayz (Video)

The funny thing about this celestial space cow is that her original model was actually less fan-servicey. If anything, it was surprisingly wholesome. Sure, she hand a bountiful chest, but a lot of the time nothing uber dirty took place. That was all thrown out the window a few months ago when she changed her vtuber model. The sweater she wore originally was gone , and instead she wears a sensual blue dress. Her figure became incredibly curvy from top to bottom, and the breasts went from humble, to being incredibly big fluffy clouds. It also doesn’t help the fact that the “Mommy Energy” emanating from her is 10-times stronger than it was before. She’s have you lie your head on her thighs to caress your hair one moment, then try to act sexual another moment why still trying to care for you. It’s a magical experience each time she streams, so check her out when you can!

And that was my 5 greatest anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness, number 6. Yeah, vtubers aren’t real, but the people behind them are, and maybe they might be going through some rough times. If I can get attention to a real life illness through fictional characters, then I will call that a win. So, I’ll see you all next week, when we’ll be looking at Ozzy’s time in the last great decade ever. Until then, take care!

***
If you’re curious about who I talked about in 2021, then click on the link below:

Top 5 Greatest Anime Chests (For Breast Cancer Awareness) No. 5

Also, if you’re curious about the Vtubers I mentioned here, click on the links below for their Twitch pages:

Hime Hajime

Zentreya

Prism Splay

Vexoria

Miilkywayz

Metal Overview: Ozzy Osbourne (Part 1)

Happy 1st of October everybody, and welcome.....to the Blizzard of Ozz!!!

That’s right, October of 2022 will be dedicated to Heavy Metal’s big brother, Ozzy Osbourne! Thanks to a pretty brand new album, not to mention some health scares & moving back to England, I felt that it was only appropriate to call upon the energy of Ozzy to make our Halloween a bit more spooky this year. However, Osbourne’s solo career is impressive, and spread out over four decades. So, with such a library, it was necessary to split things up into 3 posts, and to start things off let’s travel back to the 1980s, and see what made this part of his career so iconic. Let’s begin!

Blizzard Of Ozz (1980/1981)

Upon leaving Black Sabbath on some rather bad terms, Ozzy recalled that "I'd got £96,000 for my share of the name, so I'd just locked myself away and spent three months doing coke and booze. My thinking was, 'This is my last party, because after this I'm going back to Birmingham and the dole".  However, Jet Records owner Don Arden (Who also ironically had Black Sabbath on his payroll) signed Ozzy to a deal to make new solo material, and sent his daughter Sharon to L.A. to attend to his needs (aka “Protecting” his investment). Arden had hoped he’d come back to Sabbath, but that would not happen. Later, he tried to have Ozzy name his solo career “Son Of Sabbath”, but that didn’t happen either. Meanwhile, Sharon tried to convince Ozzy to form a supergroup with guitarist Gary Moore. As Gary recalled:

“When I lived in Los Angeles, G-Force helped him to audition musicians. If drummers were trying out, I played guitar, and if a bassist came along, my drummer would help out. We felt sorry for him, basically. He was always hovering around trying to get me to join, and I wasn't having any of it.”

In late 1979, under Don’s guidance, Ozzy would form the Blizzard Of Ozz. It would feature drummer Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep, bassist-lyricist Bob Daisley (Rainbow & later Uriah Heep), keyboardist Don Airey (Rainbow & later Deep Purple), and Quiet Riot guitarist & guitar prodigy Randy Rhodes. Then, on the 20th of September 1980, and the 27th of March 1981 in the United States, the group’s first album was released. Also titled Blizzard Of Ozz, Jet Records would credit things simply to Ozzy, which in turned launched his solo career. Co-written with Daisley and Rhoads, it gave Ozzy considerable success, and while it accepted that Osbourne and Rhoads started the band, Daislet would later claim that him and Osbourne formed the band in England before Rhoads officially joined.

Blizzard Of Ozz would go on to chart high upon it’s release. It would make it to number 21 on the Billboard 200, number 8 on Canada’s top albums/cd list, and number 7 in Ozzy’s home country of England. It would eventually sell well also: in Australia it would be certified Gold at 35,000 sales, 60,000 in Britain on both the original & 2011 re-release (Silver), Platinum at 100,000 sales in Canada, and a whopping 5 times Platinum here in the United States, with sales equaling 5,000,000 copies. Pretty impressive if you ask me!

Best Track? You could pick any track off of this release, and you’ll find something fantastic! From the controversial Suicide Solution, to the mystical Mr. Crowley, there is a song for everyone on here. However, if I had to single out what I thought would be the best track, I would grant the proto Speed Metal giant Crazy Train that honor. From the first scream to the final notes, you’re strapped into a roller-coaster cart for one hell of an adrenalin fueled ride! Randy Rhodes really shows off his talent in this song, as his guitar work in Crazy Train is the stuff of legend. He never lets up during the entire run time, but his fingers are always steady on the strings, and in the process he never loses control. That’s pretty impressive if you ask me!
           
Crazy Train

Worst Track? To say that any song on Blizzard Of Ozz is bad would be insulting all of the fabric of space & time! Everybody in the band gave their all, and it shows. Not only that, but the production has aged remarkably well in the 40+ years since it came out, and it still manages to sound nice. If there was a negative thing to say, it would be that Blizzard Of Ozz is over 42 years old as of 2022, and that just makes my joints ache! Even his later output in the 80s don’t affect me like this, but Blizzard Of Ozz does.

Blizzard Of Ozz. Age aside, Ozzy’s first solo record is a phenomenal piece of 80s Heavy Metal, and acts as proof that Mr. Osbourne can be just as good on his own as he can be with Black Sabbath. If you want to listen to one of the building blocks of the 1980s metal scene & find out what made that time so special, then this is one blizzard you won’t mind getting lost in. Next album! 

Diary Of A Madman (1981)

With the incredible success of his solo debut, Ozzy Osbourne & the rest of the band were already setting up & getting ready for their next release, and the public wouldn’t have to wait that long. Released on the 7th of November in 1981, there was only a remarkable 3 week recording period from February to March of that same year, so that shows the incredible skill that everybody had. As stated on Wikipedia:

“Although bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge are credited in the liner notes and pictured on the inner sleeve for the American vinyl and cassette release and later CD re-issues, it was bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake who performed all bass and drum parts on the original release. Aldridge has stated of the album, "I think it's pretty obvious that it's not my drumming on that album. I have never taken credit for that recording and have always given Lee Kerslake, whenever asked or interviewed, the credit he rightly deserves.”

Unfortunately, things didn’t completely fly completely straight during then. Also from Wikipedia:

“Daisley provided significant contributions to the album's songwriting, having written some of the music and most of the lyrics. Kerslake claims to have also had a hand in the writing of the album, even performing lead vocals on some of the original demo recordings. "'Flying High Again' was one of my ideas, 'Over the Mountain' was another. The basic (demo) tracks were just Bob's words, my vocals—though some of the words I wrote—and Randy's playing. It was unreal. And then we got Don Airey to come in and do the keyboards", he stated in 2009. Kerslake says he used a piano in the studio to write many of the songs with guitarist Randy Rhoads.  Daisley and Kerslake were not given credit for their performance or songwriting contributions, a situation which resulted in a later lawsuit.

During the album's recording, Kerslake says the band members were given no money to live on, prompting them to approach management. Shortly after, both Kerslake and Daisley were fired. "Everything was working fine," said Kerslake. "It was only when Sharon (Osbourne) came in that we had a problem. When she started managing—taking over—she wasn't the manager until Diary of a Madman. Before that was her brother, David. He didn't really want to handle it. He had too much to do for Don (Arden) in the office. So she came in and it started to get edgy. But we never suspected a thing until we went away on holiday. Next minute, they're rehearsing with Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo, and going to America.”

Diary Of A Madman would go on to be quite a big hit. To date, it has sold 3 million copies worldwide, and it’s reviews are pretty positive! Steve Huey of AllMusic stated "it's not uncommon to find fans who prefer Diary to Blizzard, since it sets an even more mystical, eerie mood, and since Rhoads' playing is progressing to an even higher level". BBC Music referred to Diary Of A Madman as "a classic rock record in every way", "lifted out of the ordinary by the legendary rock axe god, Randy Rhoads". Finally, Canadian journalist Martin Popoff called Diary of a Madman "a lasting classic that stands as the definitive showcase for Randy Rhoads”. It’s ironic that so many reviews were so positive, since reviews from 1981 at first were not. As an example, J. D. Considine of Rolling Stone, opined upon the album's original release that “the songs here are little more than riffs with a vocal line pasted on top" and referred to Rhoads as "a junior-league Eddie Van Halen – bustling with chops but somewhat short on imagination”. The irony of that is the magazine would change it’s stance on the album, ranking it 15th on its 2017 list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".

So before I continue, I got a quick & funny story for you. It’s a few days before Easter of 2017, and my Mom & I are doing some shopping for the holiday. We stop inside a Rite Aid that used to be not far from my house, and she & I were just wandering around. I looked at the CDs they had for sale, and Diary Of A Madman just so happened to be one of the albums that was among the shelves. If I recall correctly, Mom jokingly asked if I wanted it in my basket that year, and I unironically answered yes. Sure enough, it was in my collection of goodies for 2017. A pretty good win if you ask me!

Best Track? Like Blizzard Of Ozz, you could pick anything off of Diary Of A Madman, and it will be a banger of a song. Again, there’s nothing bad on here, but my personal favorite would be DOAM’s opener, Over The Mountain. Kinda like Crazy Train, it’s a pretty speedy tune, but it never flies off the rails. Not only that, but Randy Rhodes once again shows off his guitar skills, as the electricity that flows from his fingers enters his guitar, and turns into a thunderstorm of music from the beginning to the last few notes. If you ever wanted to know what Randy is considered to be such a legend, Over The Mountain is a good example of that! 

Over The Mountain

Worst Track? Pretty much any issue that Diary Of A Madman has is fundamentally the same as that of Blizzard Of Ozz. Especially it’s age, as of the 7th of November of 1981 it turned 40 years old. Again, that makes my joints ache, but the pain is ever so slight less when compared to Ozzy’s first solo album.

Diary Of A Madman. For some a superior release when compared to Blizzard Of Ozz, but for me it’s just as good & just as much fun. Despite that, this record is an evolution of Ozzy’s solo release, and the future for Mr. Osbourne & the gang seemed bright. However, tragedy would soon strike, and it would affect everyone. Next album.

Bark At The Moon (1983)

While on the Diary Of A Madman tour in Florida on the 19th of March, 1982, a light aircraft piloted by the band’s bus driver (Andrew Aycock) had it’s left wing clip the bus. From there, the plane grazed a tree, and in turn crash into the garage of a nearby mansion. On the plane was the pilot, the band’s costume designer Rachel Youngblood....and Randy Rhodes. All three would be dead, and it would send Ozzy into an incredibly deep depression. The tour would be canceled for 2 week, while Ozzy, Sharon, and Tommy Aldridge went back to Los Angeles to take stock of the situation, while Rudy Sarzo stayed in Florida with family.

The first guitarist approached to replace Rhodes was Gary Moore, but he refused. With a 2 week deadline to find a new guitar player, Rudy’s brother Robert Sarzo was ultimately picked for the job....but there was a problem. Former Gillan guitarist Bernie Tormé flew to Los Angeles from England because he was promised the job, and once Sharon realized that the company had payed Bernie, he would be reluctantly hired instead of Robert. The tour would resume on the 1st of April, but Tormé’s blues-based way of playing was not a big hit with fans, and after a couple of shows he informed the future Ms. Osbourne that he was going back to England to work on a solo album he began before he flew over to the states. Ultimately, Night Ranger's Brad Gillis was picked to finish the tour. After that, Jake E. Lee of Ratt & Rough Cut would join as a member, and worked began not long after that on Ozzy’s 3rd album.

Released on the 15th of October, 1983, Bark Of The Moon would be an incredible hit with fans. It would peak at number 19 on the Billboard album chart, and in just a few weeks after it’s release, it would be certified Gold for over 500,000 sales here in America, and eventually it would sell over 3,000,000 copies. In the UK, it would be the third of four records to receive a silver certification (60,000 units sold) by the British Phonographic Industry, gaining this in January of  1984. However, things were a little bumpy during the recording process, and as Wikipedia says:

“Bark at the Moon is the only Ozzy Osbourne album on which the songwriting is credited entirely to Osbourne. However, guitarist Jake E. Lee maintains that he composed a significant amount of the album's music but was cheated out of his writing and publishing claims by Osbourne's wife and manager, Sharon. Lee claims that after he had composed the songs and completed recording his parts in the studio, he was presented with a contract which stated that he would have no claim to any writing or publishing relating to the album. The contract also stated that Lee could not mention this publicly. Lee claims he signed the contract because he had no legal representation and because Sharon threatened to fire him and have another guitarist re-record his parts if he refused.

Osbourne himself admitted several years later in the liner notes to The Ozzman Cometh that Lee had been involved in the album's writing to at least some degree, stating that the album's title track was in fact co-written by the guitarist. Osbourne's bassist at the time, Bob Daisley, has mirrored Lee's account of the album's production, stating that he co-wrote most of the music with Lee and wrote the vast majority of the lyrics. Daisley has stated that he accepted a buyout from Osbourne in exchange for a writing credit. Osbourne's former drummer Lee Kerslake, who also played with Daisley in Uriah Heep after leaving Osbourne's band, stated that Daisley had been hired by Sharon Osbourne to write the Bark at the Moon album for "$50–60,000 or whatever it is. He was offered the chance to write with Ozzy. Words, music – write the album."”

Best Track? For me, the title track is the best damn thing that this album has to offer! Considering it’s the beginning of October & the Halloween season, I also felt it was rather appropriate to pick this song. At first, Bark At The Moon is a song of two identities: the atmosphere is dark & moody, but the instrumentation (and vocals to a lesser extent) is pretty speedy. At first, it doesn’t feel like it should work, but after a few seconds into the song, it all somehow comes together in one glorious whole. So much so, that at times it doesn’t feel like two different sides came together. In short, Bark At The Moon is perfect for this time of year!

Bark At The Moon

However, a good second place song would be the borderline symphonic track Waiting For Darkness. I say borderline, because there are some spots where a variety of pretty dramatic violin & cello play, and it’s actually kinda beautiful. The rest is still an excellent dish of patented Heavy Metal that only Ozzy & the gang can provide. The guitars are awesome, the drumwork cracks like thunder, Ozzy’s vocals are divine, the electric keyboard gets a little work in as well, and it’s all synched to a perfect mid-paced rhythm that melds everything together. I dare you to skip this tune!

Waiting For Darkness

Worst Track? Unlike Blizzard Of Ozz or Diary Of A Madman, I don’t think there’s any issue with Bark At The Moon. Compared to the previously mentioned albums, this one has aged considerably better. So much so, that despite the fact it’s turning 40 in 2023, the production makes things sound so much fresher. So much so, that I don’t feel old knowing that fact, and this will come up with the two albums coming up next.

Bark At The Moon. An absolute howl of a good time! Even without the guitar juggernaut that was Randy Rhodes, Ozzy & the gang were still able to crank out a hell of an early 80s classic. If you believed that the prior 2 releases felt old, then you might be refreshed by the content on this record. Next album!

The Ultimate Sin (1986)

Upon returning to the studio after a stint in the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse, Ozzy was presented with a giant pile of music from guitarist Jake E. Lee. However, he was cheated out of writing and publishing claims from the Bark At The Moon period of the band, and wouldn’t contribute anything else until a contract was put in front of him that guaranteed writing credit and publishing rights. Fortunately, that happened, and much of his music would for the basis of what would become Ozzy’s 4th studio album. Released on the 10th of February in 1986, it would remarkable go platinum in May of that year, and double platinum by October of 1994. However, there would be issues yet again.

The Ultimate Sin’s lyrics were written by bassist and lyricist Bob Daisley, but he would leave the group shortly before record the album, with a disagreement with Ozzy being the main culprit behind this action, and Daisley would not be credited for his songwriting contributions on the initial 1986 edition (though this changed on future pressings), and a hiring of the relatively unknown Phil Soussan would be done to replace Daisley. After the touring for The Ultimate Sin would finish up in 1987, Jake E. Lee would be unexpectedly fired by Sharon herself, and the reasoning for this remains a mystery to this very day. Soussan would also end up leaving not long after this, and Daisley would come back after burying the hatchet with Ozzy. Weird turnaround, don’t you think?

One final note. As stated by Wikipedia:

“Despite being one of Osbourne's most successful solo albums, The Ultimate Sin was the only album among Osbourne's back catalog to not be reissued or remastered in 2002. Though no official reason was given, rumors circulated that an ongoing legal struggle with bassist/songwriter Phil Soussan over his song "Shot in the Dark" was responsible for the album's failure to be re-issued. The only available CD version of The Ultimate Sin remains the 1995 remastered version, which is missing four measures of music between the first chorus and second verse of "Shot in the Dark" found on the original CDs, vinyl copies, and cassettes.”

Best Track?  Shot In The Dark hands down! As a way to close out a fantastic album, this song was more than appropriate to do the job. This song would easily fit in a Film Noir: it’s moody, atmospheric, the instrumentation feels like a gunshot from the shadows, and Ozzy’s singing has never been finer. Even the music video kind of carries that Noir feel, despite everything being in color. Despite the ending going out with a mild whimper, the overall package more than makes up for this, and remains very potent.

Shot In The Dark

Worst Track? Nothing! As with everything album on this list, Ozzy’s 80s output is fantastic! Other decades may fluctuate in one direction or another, but Osbourne’s output in the 1980s was most definitely his flawless. Even with the few small dents in the armor, The Ultimate Sin & it’s kin in the decade of Reaganomics rank among the highest that the Blizzard of Ozz has conjured up!

The Ultimate Sin. Perhaps an even cleaner-sounding record than Bark At The Moon was, it continues to show off how much of a powerhouse Ozzy could be even when he wasn’t with Sabbath. If you looking for some of the crispest music from Osbourne’s time in the 80s, this should definitely be high on the list. Next album!

No Rest For The Wicked (1988)

Ozzy continued to struggle with drug addiction into 1987. A mix of Jake E. Lee leaving the band earlier in the year, not to mention that it was 5 years since the death of his friend Randy Rhodes. To pay tribute to his friend, Obsourne would release Tribute, which were a collection of live recordings from 1981. Come 1988, Ozzy would appear in the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. He told the director Penelope Spheeris that "sobriety fucking sucks", but in the late 90s Penelope would say the scene with Ozzy spilling orange juice was staged (A point or two in that movie were staged apparently). However, with all of this going on, there needed to be an album recorded, and a guitarist to be replaced.

Enter Zakk Wylde. After Ozzy listened to a demo cassette from him, Wylde would be immediately hired for the position. Along with John Sinclair on keyboard, and a returning Bob Daisley on bass (Who would be replaced after the album finished recording by Geezer Butler). With the pieces put into place, they would put their noises to the grindstone, and on the 28th of September in 1998, No Rest For The Wicked was released. It would peak at no. 13 on the Billboard 200, be certified Gold be December of that year, and since went Double Platinum. Nice!

Best Track? From an ending track on the prior album that’s awesome to a starting track that’s awesome, Miracle Man gets the spot! Not only is it a lovely swipe at infamous griftervangelist Jimmy Swaggart, but it’s a banger of a song in it’s own right! Zakk Wylde shows of his skills on this song, as he’s got what I can only describe has a “Steady Intensity” to his playing. Everybody else doesn’t lack in talent (That includes Ozzy’s singing btw), but it’s obvious that Zakk is definitely the star of the show. I can’t say much more, other than I dare any of you to skip this song!

Miracle Man

Worst Track? Much like everything else that came before it, No Rest For The Wicked is filled to the brim with great tracks. Not a single song on here sucks! If I had anything negative to say, it would be that I think the albums sounds a little too clean. There was a kind of rawness on everything else, and it’s not translated much on here. The production on this record is incredibly improved when compared to all of the prior releases, losing a bit of that primal feel you could hear on Ozzy’s prior output. Even The Ultimate Sin didn't have this feeling, and that’s technically when things began to change.

No Rest For The Wicked. Maybe too clean sounding when compared to the rest of Ozzy’s output in the 1980s, but it still retains the overall quality that the Blizzard Of Ozz established in this decade is still evident. For anyone that wants to listen to a cleaner Ozzy Obsourne release, Why not give this one a go?

And that concludes part 1 of my look at Ozzy Osbourne. The 1980s was the bedrock upon which Ozzy could fly on his own in the comic decades, and the albums that many fans still talk about today. Now, we move onto the 1990s, and onto.......the shorted part of his entire career. See you all around the middle of the month, but before then I got my annual list of anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness month, and I’m sticking with vtubers again. Take care until then! 

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If you’re curious about the albums in question, click on the links below for a listen:

Blizzard Of Ozz

Diary Of A Madman

Bark At The Moon

The Ultimate Sin

No Rest For The Wicked

Also, if you’d like better explanations on the history of the records I talked about here, head on over to Wikipedia for more detailed information.