[kj] OT: Ozzy

[The Mighty TB]

Jim Harper wrote:

I'm not aware of too many people- outside viewers of The Osbournes and 
14-year-old kids who have only just discovered heavy metal- who *do* worship 
Ozzy Osbourne. There's lots of people who respect Ozzy & Sabbath or Blizzard 
of Ozz-era Ozzy, but I don't know anyone who's bought a recent Ozzy album.

+++++++++

I've always thought Ozzy to be a clown who was lucky and perhaps smart 
enough at least though the end of the 80's to surround himself with talented 
musicians.  Fronting Black Sabbath and later recruiting Randy Rhoads when he 
first went solo was akin to hitting the lottery twice.

I have seen him live a few times, once with Rhoads on NYE in '82, a couple 
times with Jake E Lee and the last time during the infamous "retirement" 
show in late '92 when Dio abruptly quit Black Sabbath who was supporting(!) 
and Rob Halford stepped in and Ozzy did a few songs for the final encore 
after his solo set.  Ozzy was always the weak link at every show.   Since 
then, I haven't bought or really heard a single thing he's recorded since.

When he re-recorded his Randy Rhoads solo albums with his then-current 
bassist and drummer just to cut the original performers out of future 
royalties, I thought that was about the most pathetic thing any musician has 
ever done.

T.B.