Ozzy died…

[Geo]

Don't you guys like us just that little bit more now??

Well, I didn't expect it from the irritably mild Canadians.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I think we all love Ozz and his bands. I mean the guy had a great ear for melodies and an amazing performer. Can't take anything away from him there. He does however often get an easy pass professionally despite fucking people over. Very easy to blame Sharon but he clearly let her make the decisions and never had the stones to fire or replace anyone face to face. All these guys that practically bled for him on stage that he dropped just like that. I guess more than anything it just reveals a weakness in his character more than malice. Despite all the booze and antics, he probably just wanted to be liked by everyone and couldn't do the dirty work which is why Sharon probably fit him so well. End of the day, one hell of a career and legacy. People seem to be saying only kind things as of late but I bet with time, a few more honest takes will emerge. But I can't think of a better Swansong than what he put on a few week's back. He must have done that knowing what was to come next and that makes it all the more powerful. All these rockers passing on, sort of makes you think about your own mortality and how many of us go quickly without barely a footnote.. sad isn't it.

 

[Geo]

I think we all love Ozz and his bands. I mean the guy had a great ear for melodies and an amazing performer. Can't take anything away from him there. He does however often get an easy pass professionally despite fucking people over. Very easy to blame Sharon but he clearly let her make the decisions and never had the stones to fire or replace anyone face to face. All these guys that practically bled for him on stage that he dropped just like that. I guess more than anything it just reveals a weakness in his character more than malice. Despite all the booze and antics, he probably just wanted to be liked by everyone and couldn't do the dirty work which is why Sharon probably fit him so well. End of the day, one hell of a career and legacy. People seem to be saying only kind things as of late but I bet with time, a few more honest takes will emerge. But I can't think of a better Swansong than what he put on a few week's back. He must have done that knowing what was to come next and that makes it all the more powerful. All these rockers passing on, sort of makes you think about your own mortality and how many of us go quickly without barely a footnote.. sad isn't it.

A couple things.

I am sure there were entire years that went by that Ozzy wasn't coherent enough to make business decisions.

And secondly, the entire music business is full of vultures and musical nitwits.

I would rather have colon redaction surgery than deal with imbecile musicians.

 

[RevDrucifer]

I think we all love Ozz and his bands. I mean the guy had a great ear for melodies and an amazing performer. Can't take anything away from him there. He does however often get an easy pass professionally despite fucking people over. Very easy to blame Sharon but he clearly let her make the decisions and never had the stones to fire or replace anyone face to face. All these guys that practically bled for him on stage that he dropped just like that. I guess more than anything it just reveals a weakness in his character more than malice. Despite all the booze and antics, he probably just wanted to be liked by everyone and couldn't do the dirty work which is why Sharon probably fit him so well. End of the day, one hell of a career and legacy. People seem to be saying only kind things as of late but I bet with time, a few more honest takes will emerge. But I can't think of a better Swansong than what he put on a few week's back. He must have done that knowing what was to come next and that makes it all the more powerful. All these rockers passing on, sort of makes you think about your own mortality and how many of us go quickly without barely a footnote.. sad isn't it.

From my post earlier in the thread-

One thing has definitely stuck out in the last couple weeks since that farewell show; there’s been dozens and dozens of bands and musicians sharing their experiences with both Ozzy and Sharon and not even Jake E Lee had anything bad to say. While yes, there were absolutely some wrong-doings in the past with album credits and royalties, the fact that Ozzy and Sharon gave so many bands a fighting chance with the Ozzfest tours I believe has gone a long way in making up for that.

Pretty much every metal band that’s able to fill an arena in 2025 got their start on an Ozzfest tour. It doesn’t matter how much people here think Slipknot or Lamb Of God sucks, those guys keep metal alive and inspire kids to pick up instruments…while Linkin Park inspires kids to pick up pillows to cry in or something. System of A Down gets to play one show every 3 years and collect their paycheck, Disturbed gets to grunt all over the world, Godsmack fuckin’ retired before Ozzy did, Metallica is still dominating the metal world….there’s a lot of music we get to enjoy and a fuck load of people that have solid careers as a result of the legwork Sharon and Ozzy did.

I’d love to see an actual, fact-based breakdown of who got screwed and who was given a career as a result of Ozzy and Sharon.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

I think we all love Ozz and his bands. I mean the guy had a great ear for melodies and an amazing performer. Can't take anything away from him there. He does however often get an easy pass professionally despite fucking people over. Very easy to blame Sharon but he clearly let her make the decisions and never had the stones to fire or replace anyone face to face. All these guys that practically bled for him on stage that he dropped just like that. I guess more than anything it just reveals a weakness in his character more than malice. Despite all the booze and antics, he probably just wanted to be liked by everyone and couldn't do the dirty work which is why Sharon probably fit him so well. End of the day, one hell of a career and legacy. People seem to be saying only kind things as of late but I bet with time, a few more honest takes will emerge. But I can't think of a better Swansong than what he put on a few week's back. He must have done that knowing what was to come next and that makes it all the more powerful. All these rockers passing on, sort of makes you think about your own mortality and how many of us go quickly without barely a footnote.. sad isn't it.

I think it’s important to keep in mind how totally fucked over he and the rest of Sabbath were by management in the 70s. Patrick Meehan robbed them blind, to the point where they were basically broke once all the lawsuits hit. Geezer said the stress and depression over it was a major reason behind Ozzy's massive drug abuse in the late 70s.

When Sharon entered the picture Ozzy had fuck all and even that was draining out fast into coke and booze. One of the reasons Blizzard and Diary sound like shit is because they were financed by the last of Ozzy's money and were done on the cheap. And I believe lawsuits with Don Arden kept them in the red for a good chunk of the 80s too, despite the enormous success.

Whatever she did, Sharon made sure Ozzy was never ripped off again.

As for Ozzy's culpability, just watch The Osbournes. The decision to remove Bob and Lee from the albums was made during the filming of that show. Does he look like the guy going into the office and making that call? It's pretty evident that Ozzy's role in the Ozzy machine was limited to showing up on stage. There's a scene where he rips into her pretty hard for booking him in back-to-back gigs, after already going off on her for stupid bubbles.

 

[Floyd Eye]

I think it’s important to keep in mind how totally fucked over he and the rest of Sabbath were by management in the 70s. Patrick Meehan robbed them blind, to the point where they were basically broke once all the lawsuits hit. Geezer said the stress and depression over it was a major reason behind Ozzy's massive drug abuse in the late 70s.

When Sharon entered the picture Ozzy had fuck all and even that was draining out fast into coke and booze. One of the reasons Blizzard and Diary sound like shit is because they were financed by the last of Ozzy's money and were done on the cheap. And I believe lawsuits with Don Arden kept them in the red for a good chunk of the 80s too, despite the enormous success.

Whatever she did, Sharon made sure Ozzy was never ripped off again.

As for Ozzy's culpability, just watch The Osbournes. The decision to remove Bob and Lee from the albums was made during the filming of that show. Does he look like the guy going into the office and making that call? It's pretty evident that Ozzy's role in the Ozzy machine was limited to showing up on stage. There's a scene where he rips into her pretty hard for booking him in back-to-back gigs, after already going off on her for stupid bubbles.

He claimed he wrote suicide solution for Bon Scott. Can’t chalk that lie up to Sharon being the puppet master.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I think it’s important to keep in mind how totally fucked over he and the rest of Sabbath were by management in the 70s. Patrick Meehan robbed them blind, to the point where they were basically broke once all the lawsuits hit. Geezer said the stress and depression over it was a major reason behind Ozzy's massive drug abuse in the late 70s.

When Sharon entered the picture Ozzy had fuck all and even that was draining out fast into coke and booze. One of the reasons Blizzard and Diary sound like shit is because they were financed by the last of Ozzy's money and were done on the cheap. And I believe lawsuits with Don Arden kept them in the red for a good chunk of the 80s too, despite the enormous success.

Whatever she did, Sharon made sure Ozzy was never ripped off again.

As for Ozzy's culpability, just watch The Osbournes. The decision to remove Bob and Lee from the albums was made during the filming of that show. Does he look like the guy going into the office and making that call? It's pretty evident that Ozzy's role in the Ozzy machine was limited to showing up on stage. There's a scene where he rips into her pretty hard for booking him in back-to-back gigs, after already going off on her for stupid bubbles.

That's a fair assessment too. End of the day, I guess nothing is ever an open/ shut case when it comes to personalities and business.

 

[sytharnia1560]

He claimed he wrote suicide solution for Bon Scott. Can’t chalk that lie up to Sharon being the puppet master.

in his mind it was about Bon Scott .. he wrote the melody and i'm sure he wrote a couple of lines in it. Remember Bob Daisley said that Ozzy and Randy tried to write lyrics and they were awful, that doesn't mean the odd line didn't make it into songs ... so it's not a "lie"

 

[GreatRedDragon]

He claimed he wrote suicide solution for Bon Scott. Can’t chalk that lie up to Sharon being the puppet master.

That's a matter of he said/she said with Bob Daisley though, that's a little different in my eyes. I don't trust Bob's take 100% either.

I mean Geezer just a few days ago said Ozzy wrote the lyrics to Wicked World, which was never as far as I know a song people credited to Oz.

 

[Floyd Eye]

That's a matter of he said/she said with Bob Daisley though, that's a little different in my eyes. I don't trust Bob's take 100% either.

I mean Geezer just a few days ago said Ozzy wrote the lyrics to Wicked World, which was never as far as I know a song people credited to Oz.

The song was written before Bon Scott was dead first of all.

And I can’t imagine taking Ozzy’s word over Bob’s when it comes to who wrote what. Especially since Ozzy never wrote lyrics in Sabbath either. As far as I know he never did after Bob Daisley either.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Wasn’t Wicked World like one of the only Sabbath tunes credited to all 4 of them ?

Also I seem to remember Ozzy and Geezer getting into it over Ozzy claiming he wrote songs Geezer actually wrote. I’m quite sure of that.

Given Ozzy’s history of claiming credit he didn’t deserve, taking his word over Bob Daisley’s about suicide solution is laughable.

Is there any known instance where Bob lied about songwriting credits ?

 

[Floyd Eye]

in his mind it was about Bon Scott .. he wrote the melody and i'm sure he wrote a couple of lines in it. Remember Bob Daisley said that Ozzy and Randy tried to write lyrics and they were awful, that doesn't mean the odd line didn't make it into songs ... so it's not a "lie"

Dude, it is a lie. You imagining he wrote a few lines in it even though Bob called him out publicly over the claim is also laughable. What, are we going to say “ That was Ozzy’s truth”. No man, truth is truth and Ozzy was full of shit.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Wasn’t Wicked World like one of the only Sabbath tunes credited to all 4 of them ?

All the Sabbath tunes were credited to the whole band. Except After Forever, that was just credited to Iommi, I think cause no one else wanted to take credit for "pope on the end of a rope"

The Sabbath tunes typically credited to Ozzy for lyrics are Fairies Wear Boots, The Writ and at very least the opening line of Black Sabbath. But it was all collaborative and partially improvised. The version they happened to catch on tape just ended up being the official version.

Same goes with Ozzy solo. I have no doubt Bob was the primary lyricist for the first five albums, but the idea that Bob came in with a full set of lyrics and Ozzy would just come in and read them verbatim is kind of ridiculous. Bob never seemed to have a problem working with Ozzy as a hired gun long after getting ripped off, cash is king I guess.

 

[glpg80]

This, Road to Nowhere and Goodbye to Romance for me.

I took a stab at learning Road to Nowhere a few years ago. Here’s me noodling part of the intro in a random video. Love that song.

 

[Floyd Eye]

All the Sabbath tunes were credited to the whole band. Except After Forever, that was just credited to Iommi, I think cause no one else wanted to take credit for "pope on the end of a rope"

The Sabbath tunes typically credited to Ozzy for lyrics are Fairies Wear Boots, The Writ and at very least the opening line of Black Sabbath. But it was all collaborative and partially improvised. The version they happened to catch on tape just ended up being the official version.

Same goes with Ozzy solo. I have no doubt Bob was the primary lyricist for the first five albums, but the idea that Bob came in with a full set of lyrics and Ozzy would just come in and read them verbatim is kind of ridiculous. Bob never seemed to have a problem working with Ozzy as a hired gun long after getting ripped off, cash is king I guess.

You should maybe read Bob’s book and look into some of the shit Geezer had to say about it. Ozzy changed a word here or there to fit his inflections. He didn’t write lyrics. And he sure as fuck didn’t write Suicide Solution and definitely not about Bon Scott.

I know everyone loves Ozzy and don’t want to disparage the dead, but the fact is he was a good frontman, he wrote cool vocal Melodies, but he was a liar and a cheat.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

You should maybe read Bob’s book and look into some of the shit Geezer had to say about it. Ozzy changed a word here or there to fit his inflections. He didn’t write lyrics. And he sure as fuck didn’t write Suicide Solution and definitely not about Bon Scott.

I know everyone loves Ozzy and don’t want to disparage the dead, but the fact is he was a good frontman, he wrote cool vocal Melodies, but he was a liar and a cheat.

I guess the point is I don't really give a shit who wrote what? It's not like Bob doesn't have his own agenda, I'm not sure why his word is considered gospel?

Bob got paid to write lyrics and play on albums. He did it and was good at it but it's not like people tune into Ozzy for the lyrics or bass anyway.

About the only thing I really think is undeniably, inexcusably fucked is the writing credits on BATM. That's about as blatantly dishonest as it gets. The rest is just business and thats Sharon's department. I'm not gonna hold the guy who shot 17 cats in drug-induced psychosis responsible for orchestrating any business deals of any kind.

 

[Gitfiddler]

I have no skin in the game and am an Ozzy & Jake fan. Seeing Sharon absolutely shattered in the photos and short clips was too much for me. Jake seems to have let it go. Good for him

 

[Floyd Eye]

I guess the point is I don't really give a shit who wrote what? It's not like Bob doesn't have his own agenda, I'm not sure why his word is considered gospel?

Bob got paid to write lyrics and play on albums. He did it and was good at it but it's not like people tune into Ozzy for the lyrics or bass anyway.

About the only thing I really think is undeniably, inexcusably fucked is the writing credits on BATM. That's about as blatantly dishonest as it gets. The rest is just business and thats Sharon's department. I'm not gonna hold the guy who shot 17 cats in drug-induced psychosis responsible for orchestrating any business deals of any kind.

So paying people who agree to give up their songwriting credits is inexcusable but straight up fucking people out of them is just business ?


As to the bit about why people tune in to Ozzy I’ll just say this. First, have you listened to Daisley’s basslines on those first two records ? Nothing any of his bass players ever did after that is even close. And let’s not forget, he and Randy wrote the music. But I digress. In my opinion pretty much everything Ozzy did after those two albums is disappointing and almost without exception all channel changers. And without those first two albums and Bob and Randy, we would have stopped hearing about Ozzy at all in about 1982.

 

[Fusionbear]

You should maybe read Bob’s book and look into some of the shit Geezer had to say about it. Ozzy changed a word here or there to fit his inflections. He didn’t write lyrics. And he sure as fuck didn’t write Suicide Solution and definitely not about Bon Scott.

I know everyone loves Ozzy and don’t want to disparage the dead, but the fact is he was a good frontman, he wrote cool vocal Melodies, but he was a liar and a cheat.

The sad truth...

I hope he found peace with God before his passing...

 

[GreatRedDragon]

So paying people who agree to give up their songwriting credits is inexcusable but straight up fucking people out of them is just business ?


As to the bit about why people tune in to Ozzy I’ll just say this. First, have you listened to Daisley’s basslines on those first two records ? Nothing any of his bass players ever did after that is even close. And let’s not forget, he and Randy wrote the music. But I digress. In my opinion pretty much everything Ozzy did after those two albums is disappointing and almost without exception all channel changers. And without those first two albums and Bob and Randy, we would have stopped hearing about Ozzy at all in about 1982.

People dig Ozzy because he had three of the best metal guitarists ever, and because of Ozzy’s voice, melodies and personality. I’ve never heard of anyone say it was the bass lines pulling them in. I mean maybe that’s why people shit on Ultimate Sin? It was the only Ozzy album to not have Bob or Geezer on bass until 2001. Then again the most iconic bass line in any Ozzy tune was written by Mike Inez so who the hell knows.

I would put No More Tears on par with Blizzard and Diary easily, in terms of songwriting. And it’s easily the best produced album of the lot. Bark at the Moon I would say is the worst of the first 7 Ozzy albums, but the title track might be the single greatest piece of 80s metal guitar work.