Ozzy is third from left
John Michael Osbourne (born December 3, 1948, in Aston, a suburb of Birmingham, England.), better known as Ozzy Osbourne, was the lead singer of the rock band Black Sabbath and later a popular solo artist.
Introduction
Osbourne was forced out of the group in 1979 by guitarist Tony Iommi at the height of Black Sabbath's popularity. Devastated, he continued his drug/alcohol abuse for the next two years. He divorced his first wife, Thelma, and became more strongly manic depressive over the years.
His saving grace was the woman who would become his wife and manager, Sharon, and a young guitarist named Randy Rhoads from the band Quiet Riot. Randy's flashy, classical-inspired lead-guitar work was a huge innovation, at a time when bluesy leads were the norm in rock. Osbourne produced a number of albums with Rhoads, being known for their live shows involving raw meat, dead/fake animals, and much negative press. Osbourne's most famous album to date, Blizzard of Ozz, was the pinnacle of their partnership.
Osbourne's antics continued to worsen, his alcohol and drug abuse continuing. He famously bit off the head of a dove during a meeting with his newly signed record company, CBS and was hospitalized for rabies vaccinations after biting the head off of a stunned bat (which he later claimed to have thought was a rubber toy) thrown on stage by a fan. He was arrested after urinating on the Alamo while wearing one of his wife's dresses, for which he was banned from San Antonio, Texas for the next 10 years. He later underwent a number of treatments for alcoholism and drug abuse.
Osbourne fell into a deep depression after Rhoads, along with with another tour-mate and the pilot, was killed when the drunken pilot crashed the plane in which they were showing off to friends on the ground.
During the 1990s, his career was a two-fold effort, continuing to make music without Rhoads, and getting clean. Rhoads's first replacement was Bernie Torme' shortly followed by Brad Gillis. Next came Jake E. Lee who also played for the band Rough Cutt. Rhoads's more permanent replacement was a guitarist named Zakk Wylde, plucked from a New Jersey bar.
His biggest success of the 1990s was his venture named Ozzfest a venture created by his wife Sharon and managed loosely by his son Jack. Ozzfest was a quick hit with metal fans, allowing groups like Incubus and Papa Roach during the same decade. Some even had the pleasure to play with a reformed, yet much older Black Sabbath.
Osbourne's first new-material album in 7 years, "Down to Earth" met with only mediocre success.
Osbourne returned to celebrity status by the unlikely success of his own bizarre brand of reality television. The Osbournes, a program featuring the domestic life of Osbourne and his family (wife Sharon, children Jack and Kelly , but not daughter Aimee, who declined to participate), has turned into one of MTV's greatest hits.
During 2003, a member of Birmingham City Council campaigned for him to be given freedom of the City.
On December 8, 2003, Osbourne was rushed into emergency surgery when he was involved in a very serious accident involving the use of his all-terrain vehicle on his estate in Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, UK. Osbourne broke his collar bone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck. An operation was performed to lift the collarbone, which was believed to be resting on a major artery and interrupting blood flow to the arm. Hospital reports are that despite the severity of his injuries a full recovery is expected.
Solo discography
Blizzard Of Ozz - 1981
Diary of a Madman - 1981
Speak of the Devil - 1982
Bark at the Moon - 1983
The Ultimate Sin - 1986
Tribute - 1987
No Rest for the Wicked - 1988
Just Say Ozzy - 1990
No More Tears - 1991
Live and Loud - 1993
Ozzmosis - 1995
The Ozzman Cometh - 1997
Down to Earth - 2001
Live At Budokan - 2002
External links
Official website
Wikipedia Content
