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Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Ozzy Osbourne's story of success with Black Sabbath before axe and solo stardom
Rock icon Ozzy Osbourne certainly had a story of success from his Birmingham roots to superstardom with his band Black Sabbath as one album put them on the map The Black Sabbath story started when four boys from Birmingham got together to form a band in 1968, releasing a self-titled debut album in 1970. But it was their second album, Paranoid, released in September that year, that really put them on the map – the title track became their most famous anthem and is heralded as one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time. By 1976, Black Sabbath were international stars with seven albums and hundreds of sold-out gigs under their belts. And these shots showing the band gleefully posing with gold discs (for record sales of more than 500,000) were starting to become a regular feature for the foursome. Ozzy recalled: 'We started off as four guys from Aston who had a dream, and it became true beyond our wildest dreams. 'And with the success came all the trappings and we tried every one of them. The drugs, the travel, the women. Our lives were forever changed!' Lead guitarist Tony Iommi said their success came because they ignored the critics' damning verdicts on their music in the early years. He said: 'We believed in what we did, and that was the way life went for us, right from the beginning. We had to get over a lot of fences, but we just forged ahead. You can't just fall apart because of what other people say. You've got to believe in what you do. And we certainly did.' Black Sabbath - End of an Era magazine Unofficial, unauthorised and unseen – the untold story of the band that founded heavy metal Don't miss this picture celebration as Ozzy Osborne and Black Sabbath reunite for one last show Bassist and lyricist Terry 'Geezer' Butler recalled: 'The early years were a whirlwind for us. In the 70s you were lucky to have five or six albums out and lots of bands disappeared before that. But we built up a strong following around the world.' Drummer Bill Ward added: 'We were a pretty tough band then. We had tours under our belts, we'd travelled all over the world and we had millions of fans behind us. We had a lot going for us.' However, Ozzy's erratic behaviour due to alcohol and drugs led to the band firing him in 1979. But he bounced back and scored solo chart success with the likes of Blizzard Of Ozz, Diary of a Madman and Bark at the Moon and enjoyed sell-out tours. And he made global headlines in 1982 for biting the head off a live bat during a stage performance Ozzfest, a festival in the US and Europe created with wife Sharon to showcase new metal bands, was a huge hit, running from 1996 to 2018. By 2024, it was claimed Sabbath had sold more than 75,000,000 albums over their career. The Paranoid album has now sold some 12 million copies and last year the single Paranoid joined Spotify's exclusive 'Billions Club' – meaning the track had surpassed one billion streams.
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Remembering when Ozzy Osbourne played this Glasgow venue 37 years ago
The rocker and former Black Sabbath frontman, who died at 76 on Tuesday, took to the stage on 23 July 1988 alongside glam rock band Jagged Edge. Osbourne played 19 songs that evening in the East End; including hits War Pigs, Iron Man, and Crazy Train. He began the set with Bark at the Moon, followed by Suicide Solution, Over the Mountain and Fire in the Sky. The show was originally supposed to be held on 28 June, but was pushed back to late July. Osbourne played the Barrowland Ballroom on 23 July 1988. (Image: Archive) John McConnel posted to the Barrowland Ballroom Glasgow page: 'I was there, and it was my first time seeing Ozzy & a young Zakk, who at the time resembled a certain former Ozzy guitarist. It was great seeing both Ozzy & Geezer share a stage and was an insane night right from the off.' Crawford Roy added: 'I remember it well. It was Zakk's first tour and Geezer drafted in on bass. Ozzy threw bucket after bucket of water into the crowd. We got absolutely drenched.' Bryan Foley recalled: 'I was there, right against the barrier. It was one of my favourite gigs,' while Leonard Hoggan added: 'I was there, but I can't remember why it was re-scheduled. It was a great show. It was my first time seeing Zakk Wylde and it was great to see Geezer Butler in the band too.' Osbourne went on to perform Mr Crowley, Demon Alcohol, Shot in the Dark, I Don't Know, Flying High Again, and Bloodbath in Paradise. He also entertained the crowd with Miracle Man, Sweet Leaf, War Pigs, Tattooed Dancer, Iron Man, Crazy Train, and Paranoid, which served as the evening's encore. In 1980, Osbourne launched his first album as a solo artist at the Glasgow Apollo, kicking off the Blizzard of Ozz Tour in front of a sold-out crowd on 12 September. The Prince of Darkness returned to Glasgow in December 1982, when he was pictured feeding pigeons in George Square ahead of a gig at the Apollo. Known for his curly locks, Osbourne demonstrated a different style that day, posing with short hair, allegedly out of a desire to reduce demand for his services. And in 1983, Osbourne held a third gig at the Apollo, alongside Glasgow rock band Heavy Pettin'. Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has died, age 76. Speaking about the 1980 gig, Andy Shields posted to the Glasgow Apollo online forum: 'I went to the gig (Ozzy's first gig as Blizzard of Oz). I don't have the ticket but I still have the programme somewhere, and I moved down south not long after and didn't get to many more gigs at the Apollo.' Dee Bomber commented: 'I remember that Brad Gillis was playing guitar on that tour. It was a basic show with little special effects but brilliant none the less, just the band on stage playing music and it was great. 'I have since seen him in the US on bigger stages with all the effects but does not come close to the Apollo gig for atmosphere and crowd participation.' Colin McKee added: 'I have my ticket stub for December 1980. Row GG 30 in the stalls. The crowd was incredible. What a year.' In one of her autobiographies, Sharon Osbourne recalled his first gig as a solo artist. She wrote: 'Glaswegians were said to be the most difficult of any audience in Britain, especially on a Friday night, which this was, when they got paid and got p****d. 'I didn't tell Ozzy - he was nervous enough already, on and off the toilet shaking with stage fright... Before the doors opened they were lining up round the block, and we were all in shock. The show was unbelievable." READ NEXT: I went to Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition in Glasgow - my verdict READ NEXT: Bay City Roller star talks about new Pavilion musical ahead of Glasgow premiere Sharon Osbourne added: "At the end, Ozzy knelt down and kissed the stage. 'Thank you, thank you, I love you, love you," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. And we all cried, the three of us: Ozzy, Randy and me, sobbing with tears of joy, and we could still hear voices from the auditorium calling for more… He had done it." A statement released by his family on Tuesday evening reads: 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.'
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘He humanized metal': Canadian producer Kevin Churko, Rush remember Ozzy Osbourne
The first time Kevin Churko recorded Ozzy Osbourne's vocals, he says it felt less like a studio session and more like a spiritual experience. The Moose Jaw, Sask.-born producer, who was tapped to co-produce the English heavy metal legend's 2007 album 'Black Rain,' remembers being awestruck. 'I just couldn't believe it. Here was Ozzy Osbourne — the 'Bark at the Moon' guy, the 'Crazy Train' guy — singing in front of me. It was just too surreal to be even true,' Churko says. 'The funniest thing was that because he's singing and giving his all, I'm close enough to him that I feel the spray of saliva on his S's and T's as he's singing, and my face is getting wet. And we stop and I go, 'Man, do I wipe this off? Do I leave it on and just take it all in and feel the joy of this moment?'' Osbourne died Tuesday at age 76. A towering figure in rock history, Osbourne first rose to fame in the 1970s as the frontman of Black Sabbath, helping to pioneer heavy metal with his haunting vocals, theatrical flair and outrageous antics. He later launched a successful solo career with hits including 'Crazy Train,' and in the 2000s, reached a new generation of fans through the hit MTV reality series 'The Osbournes.' Churko remembers Osbourne as a born performer who lived every moment to the fullest. 'He was a true entertainer. He liked to tell jokes, he liked to hang with the boys. I can only imagine what those early years in Black Sabbath were like, just a bunch of dudes out there having fun,' says Churko, who also co-produced Osbourne's 2010 album 'Scream.' Churko first joined Osbourne's team as an engineer on the 2005 album 'Under Cover,' and after gradually earning the trust of the singer and his camp, he was promoted to co-producer and co-writer on subsequent records. While Osbourne was notorious for his decades-long struggles with drug and alcohol abuse — which often fuelled his unpredictable behaviour on-and-off stage — Churko says the singer had found sobriety by the time they began collaborating together in the mid-2000s. 'He had sowed his wild oats by that time but I don't think he ever lost that roguish childhood spirit in him,' says Churko, reached by phone in Las Vegas on Tuesday. He recalls a time Osbourne visited Churko's home studio in Las Vegas to record a few extra vocal takes for 'Black Rain.' After singing a couple of lines, Osbourne snuck out of the room. 'About 15 minutes later, I could just hear him howling with laughter and all of a sudden there's a party in the other room. I poked my head out and there he was, sitting down on the couch with my son Kane and his friend, and they were watching 'Superbad,'' chuckles Churko. 'It was such a wonderful, happy moment amongst many of them. We almost never had any bad times making albums.' 'Black Rain' landed Churko the Juno Award for recording engineer of the year in 2008. Looking back, Churko says he was grateful to be part of Osbourne's creative resurgence during a more grounded chapter of his life. 'I was really privileged to be there at that time. It's always nice to be part of the craziness, but it's also nice to be part of the peace,' he says. 'At that stage in his life, he was winding the crazies down.' Osbourne's reality TV fame was still fresh when the two first began working together, and Churko says the singer was relieved to be back in the studio, away from the constant cameras. 'He was just happy it was done,' Churko says. 'Nobody likes somebody following them around all day in their house trying to get some crazy moment on film. He was ready to get back to the music, to something more private and meaningful.' Still, Churko believes 'The Osbournes' wasn't in vain — it helped reveal a more human side of the so-called Prince of Darkness. 'The music will always be the legacy — it'll outlive everything else. But I also think when he had 'The Osbournes,' he humanized metal in a way. Before that, he was the guy who bit off bats' heads and was in a Satan-worshipping band. Then all of a sudden, you see the Prince of Darkness is really this awesome human being who takes care of his family and who wants to make great music and have a good life,' he says. 'That was cool because rock and metal gets a certain kind of a slant, but really, we're all just people. He was just a human being with his own issues, just trying to put one foot in front of the other like the rest of us.' Canada's music community poured tributes onto social media, among them Montreal band Voivod, who opened for Osbourne's tour in 2003, and 'saddened' guitarist Liona Boyd, who said she lived across the street from him in Beverly Hills and recalled attending his 'crazy parties.' Rush frontman Geddy Lee remembered being blown away by the first Sabbath album. 'Ozzy and his bandmates were at the forefront of that genre, that brand of metal, and Ozzy was an intensely loved, one of a kind performer,' Lee said in a statement posted Tuesday. Randy Bachman said he was 'sending peace to his friends and family.' 'One of the original architects of Heavy Metal has gone to music heaven,' Bachman wrote on X. 'He and Sharon will forever be known as THE fantastic power couple of the industry.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘He humanized metal': Canadian producer Kevin Churko, Rush remember Ozzy Osbourne
The first time Kevin Churko recorded Ozzy Osbourne's vocals, he says it felt less like a studio session and more like a spiritual experience. The Moose Jaw, Sask.-born producer, who was tapped to co-produce the English heavy metal legend's 2007 album 'Black Rain,' remembers being awestruck. 'I just couldn't believe it. Here was Ozzy Osbourne — the 'Bark at the Moon' guy, the 'Crazy Train' guy — singing in front of me. It was just too surreal to be even true,' Churko says. 'The funniest thing was that because he's singing and giving his all, I'm close enough to him that I feel the spray of saliva on his S's and T's as he's singing, and my face is getting wet. And we stop and I go, 'Man, do I wipe this off? Do I leave it on and just take it all in and feel the joy of this moment?'' Osbourne died Tuesday at age 76. A towering figure in rock history, Osbourne first rose to fame in the 1970s as the frontman of Black Sabbath, helping to pioneer heavy metal with his haunting vocals, theatrical flair and outrageous antics. He later launched a successful solo career with hits including 'Crazy Train,' and in the 2000s, reached a new generation of fans through the hit MTV reality series 'The Osbournes.' Churko remembers Osbourne as a born performer who lived every moment to the fullest. 'He was a true entertainer. He liked to tell jokes, he liked to hang with the boys. I can only imagine what those early years in Black Sabbath were like, just a bunch of dudes out there having fun,' says Churko, who also co-produced Osbourne's 2010 album 'Scream.' Churko first joined Osbourne's team as an engineer on the 2005 album 'Under Cover,' and after gradually earning the trust of the singer and his camp, he was promoted to co-producer and co-writer on subsequent records. While Osbourne was notorious for his decades-long struggles with drug and alcohol abuse — which often fuelled his unpredictable behaviour on-and-off stage — Churko says the singer had found sobriety by the time they began collaborating together in the mid-2000s. 'He had sowed his wild oats by that time but I don't think he ever lost that roguish childhood spirit in him,' says Churko, reached by phone in Las Vegas on Tuesday. He recalls a time Osbourne visited Churko's home studio in Las Vegas to record a few extra vocal takes for 'Black Rain.' After singing a couple of lines, Osbourne snuck out of the room. 'About 15 minutes later, I could just hear him howling with laughter and all of a sudden there's a party in the other room. I poked my head out and there he was, sitting down on the couch with my son Kane and his friend, and they were watching 'Superbad,'' chuckles Churko. 'It was such a wonderful, happy moment amongst many of them. We almost never had any bad times making albums.' 'Black Rain' landed Churko the Juno Award for recording engineer of the year in 2008. Looking back, Churko says he was grateful to be part of Osbourne's creative resurgence during a more grounded chapter of his life. 'I was really privileged to be there at that time. It's always nice to be part of the craziness, but it's also nice to be part of the peace,' he says. 'At that stage in his life, he was winding the crazies down.' Osbourne's reality TV fame was still fresh when the two first began working together, and Churko says the singer was relieved to be back in the studio, away from the constant cameras. 'He was just happy it was done,' Churko says. 'Nobody likes somebody following them around all day in their house trying to get some crazy moment on film. He was ready to get back to the music, to something more private and meaningful.' Still, Churko believes 'The Osbournes' wasn't in vain — it helped reveal a more human side of the so-called Prince of Darkness. 'The music will always be the legacy — it'll outlive everything else. But I also think when he had 'The Osbournes,' he humanized metal in a way. Before that, he was the guy who bit off bats' heads and was in a Satan-worshipping band. Then all of a sudden, you see the Prince of Darkness is really this awesome human being who takes care of his family and who wants to make great music and have a good life,' he says. 'That was cool because rock and metal gets a certain kind of a slant, but really, we're all just people. He was just a human being with his own issues, just trying to put one foot in front of the other like the rest of us.' Canada's music community poured tributes onto social media, among them Montreal band Voivod, who opened for Osbourne's tour in 2003, and 'saddened' guitarist Liona Boyd, who said she lived across the street from him in Beverly Hills and recalled attending his 'crazy parties.' Rush frontman Geddy Lee remembered being blown away by the first Sabbath album. 'Ozzy and his bandmates were at the forefront of that genre, that brand of metal, and Ozzy was an intensely loved, one of a kind performer,' Lee said in a statement posted Tuesday. Randy Bachman said he was 'sending peace to his friends and family.' 'One of the original architects of Heavy Metal has gone to music heaven,' Bachman wrote on X. 'He and Sharon will forever be known as THE fantastic power couple of the industry.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Crazy Train', Black Sabbath': Ozzy Osbourne's top 5 best songs to listen to!
Even though the rock legend Ozzy Osbourne is gone, his legacy lives on through his music. The Prince of Darkness was known for his timeless contributions to the rock and heavy metal genres. As a solo artist, as well as a member of Black Sabbath, the star has managed to leave his mark on the industry with some amazing music. Here are the top 5 songs from Osbourne that you need to add to your playlist. Crazy Train (1980) The song 'Crazy Train' was perhaps the singer's most prolific song to date. The melodious chorus, paired up alongside guitar riffs from the late Randy Rhoades, proved to be just what the hit rock song needed to be well-beloved by fans from around the world. Black Sabbath (1970) The first song from their first-ever album, 'Black Sabbath,' is a testament to what the singer stood for. Before the release of this song, the group used to focus more on blues music. Later, however, once they played the song at a pub, they adopted the new sound pretty quickly, helping them set up their mark on the music industry. Paranoid (1970) Known for its heavy and rhythmic guitar riffs, as well as a sick drum beat, it managed to become one of the most popular releases at the time. According to Variety, the song itself was written and finalized in about half an hour. The song helped them break their way into the realm of the American music industry and also helped in establishing their identity on a global level. 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' (1991) 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' is another hit single from the artist. This ballad song that served Ozzy's rustic voice most beautifully makes it one of the most popular songs from the artist. Not only that, but the song itself was written by Motorhead's Lemmy as well! Bark at the Moon (1983) 'Bark at the Moon' is another hit from the singer that was released as part of the artist's third album. Jake E. Lee, at the time, had freshly joined the band. This song is one of the first features from when he still worked with the group. This song became extremely popular due to the fact that it extensively used synthesizers in the song as well.
