John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, actor, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which he adopted the nickname the “Prince of Darkness”. Osbourne was fired from the band in 1979 due to alcohol and drug problems, but he went on to have a successful solo career, releasing 12 studio albums, the first seven of which were awarded multi-platinum certifications in the US. Osbourne has since reunited with Black Sabbath on several occasions. He rejoined in 1997 and helped record the group’s final studio album 13 (2013), before they embarked on a farewell tour which culminated in a final performance in their home city, Birmingham, England, in February 2017. His longevity and success have earned him the informal title of “Godfather of Heavy Metal”.
Osbourne’s total album sales from his years in Black Sabbath, combined with his solo work, is over 100 million. As a member of Black Sabbath, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame as a solo artist and as a member of the band. Possessing a distinctive singing voice, Osbourne, as a native of Birmingham, is known for his strong Brummie accent – he has a star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars in his hometown as well as the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards, he received the Global Icon Award. In 2015, Osbourne received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
In the early 2000s, Osbourne became a reality television star, appearing as himself in the MTV reality show The Osbournes, alongside wife and manager Sharon and two of their three children, Kelly and Jack. He currently co-stars with Jack and Kelly in the television series Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour. The show’s third season debuted in June 2018.
Ozzy Osbourne is wasting no time as he recovers from a recent surgery: On Friday, June 24, the Prince of Darkness released his single “Patient Number 9,” and its video is accompanied by work by comic book hero Todd McFarlane.
The video features an institutionalized Osbourne, the titular Patient Number 9, as well as an illustrated version of the singer courtesy of McFarlane’s pen. In both reality and animation, Osbourne attempts to fight off his demons in the visual. The single is the first from Osbourne’s upcoming album – also titled Patient Number 9 – which arrives, fittingly, on September 9, or 9/9. The all-star, Andrew Watt-produced LP features contributions from Jeff Beck (who plays on the title track), Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Zakk Wylde, Metallica’s Robert Trujillo, Duff McKagan, Eric Clapton and the late Taylor Hawkins. Osbourne’s longtime Black Sabbath band mate Tony Iommi also makes his first-ever appearance on an Ozzy solo album.
“The song is about a mental institution,” Osbourne said of the title track in a statement. “Having someone like Jeff Beck play on my album is just incredible, a total honor. There’s no other guitar player that plays like him and his solo on ‘Patient Number 9’ is just jaw-dropping.”
“Having worked with Ozzy in the past, I jumped at another opportunity to do so again…especially on the music side this time,” McFarlane said in a statement. “In the harsh business called the music industry, any creative person who’s sustained a multi-decades career has shown the skill, talent and tenacity that will always garner my admiration. Ozzy has shown many of us creative folks that it’s indeed possible to make a living doing what you love for nearly an entire lifetime. Go, Ozzy!”
The new track comes about a week and a half after Osbourne shared an update to fans that he was “home from the hospital recuperating comfortably” from a surgery that his wife Sharon had said would “determine the rest of his life.” Ozzy has been battling Parkinson’s disease for several years now and has opened up in the past about his trouble with mobility, partly due to a 2003 ATV accident.
On the music front, Osbourne released a 30th anniversary edition of his song “Hellraiser” featuring the late Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister and also dropped a 40th-anniversary edition of Diary of a Madman, both in 2021. He also appeared on Post Malone’s “Take What You Want” in 2019. – REF: Rolling Stone
Ozzy Osbourne has joined Billy Morrison( British guitarist with Billy Idol) on the new single “Crack Cocaine,” which also features guitarist Steve Stevens(American guitarist with Billy Idol). “Crack Cocaine” marks the first new song with Ozzy on vocals since the 2022 release of his worldwide smash album Patient Number 9. “The song’s not about crack cocaine,” Osbourne says. “It’s about being in love with a chick. But it’s kind of what you might think Ozzy Osbourne would do. It’s, like, the two loves in my life: drugs and women.”
The single is out in July, 2024.
Sacramento’s K-ZAP 93.3 FM plays Ozzy. All part of 50 years of Rock, Blues and More, 24-7 on our station’s stream at K-ZAP.ORG/LISTEN/
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