The Ozzy Osbourne Solo Section (1979-Present)

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1979
Ozzy spends about 6 months in a hotel room getting high and drunk non stop
over the breakup of Sabbath. Finally Sharon Arden (Don Arden's daughter) came
to collect an old debt from Ozzy and saw the sad state he was in. Sharon gets
Ozzy back on his feet and back into music.

1980
Don Arden stuck with Ozzy as management and let the old Sabbath go. He put
together a band called "Law" which lasted for about 2 gigs and then was
Changed to the "Blizzard of Ozz". The band consisted of Randy Rhoads (ex
Quiet Riot), Bob Daisly (ex Uriah Heep),and Lee Kerslake (ex Uriah Heep).

Ozzy had been trying for weeks to get a label to sign him. Finally CBS
signed him for $65,000 for his first album. CBS was having a big corporate
meeting where Ozzy would meet all the top guys for the first time. CBS wasn't
too interested in Ozzy because they believed they had better artists on their
label. Ozzy's wife, Sharon, wanted him to make a big bang when he entered, so
she suggested throwing three white doves in the air when he walked in, well,
Ozzy had a little too much to drink that day (as usual), he walked in, sat down on
a girl's lap, let 2 doves go, and bit the head off of the 3rd one. Let's just say
everyone was in complete shock. The press went wild with this, dubbing Ozzy
"insane" and "the mad man." The Humane Society of America would soon try to ban
all performances in the states.

Now, take note that this all took place before Ozzy's first solo album was
even released! Ozzy was banned from ever coming back into the CBS building
but they decided to release his album anyway. The album entitled "Blizzard of
Ozz" went to #7 on U.K. charts and #21 in the U.S. it has since gone
quadruple platinum.

1981
Ozzy gets a divorce from his wife Thelma and his second solo project is
released - "Diary of a Madman". It reaches #14 in the U.K. and #16 in the
U.S.

A few weeks after "Diary of a Madman" is released, Kerslake and Daisly are
fired due to money problems and Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo take their
spots.

Ozzy concerts were getting very involved with his audience. At the end of
each show, he would catapult meat (and other leftovers from butcher shops
such as stomachs and intestines) at his audience. Well, over time his
audience began getting him back! Ozzy has said in a recent interview "we had to
turn this guy away from our show because he was trying to get in with an
ox's head, a full head!"

1982
January 20th, at a concert in Des Moines, Iowa someone throws a bat on stage.
Stunned by the light, the bat lay motionless and Ozzy thinking it was plastic,
(of course he had to be drinking, or high on something to think this thing
was plastic!) picks it up and bites the head off of it. The bat then started
to flap his wings and Ozzy soon realized it wasn't fake! After the show Ozzy
was immediately rushed to the hospital for rabies shots. Ozzy describes it
as "one of the most horrible, painful experiences of my life."

February 1982, Ozzy visits the Alamo, a national shrine in Texas. Drunk in his
hotel room he decides to dress up as a woman and go outside to snap some
pictures. During film reloading, Ozz felt the need to relieve himself. He
walks over to this half knocked down wall and starts taking a leak. That
piece of wall turned out to be part of the Alamo building. Ozzy was thrown
in jail and banned from ever playing in San Antonio, Texas again. (a ban
which was lifted in 1992)

More band member changes were made this year - Lindsey Bridgewater is hired
for keyboards, Bridgewater leaves shortly after and Don Airey is hired.

March 19th,1982 would mark the saddest day in Osbourne history. Randy
Rhoads is killed in a tragic airplane crash. The driver of the bus was a
licensed pilot, who decided to do a little flying while some of the band
rested on board the bus. He took up a small engine aircraft along with
Jake Duncan and Don Airey for a little ride. Upon landing he extends the
same invitation to Rhoads and Rachel Youngblood (a woman that did makeup).
So they both go up. (And to this day, Ozzy doesn't know why they accepted
The offer because they were both terrified of flying.) The pilot had just gone
through a nasty divorce and it is believed that when his ex-wife had stepped
off the bus he launched towards her. The wing of the plane hit the top of the
bus and from there flew into a near by garage and blew up. The bus where Ozz
and the rest of his band lie sleeping was badly damaged but no one was hurt inside.
A lot of people don't know this, but Ozzy ran into the burning building to try and
save Randy and it is said the he was still alive, but died in the ambulance on the
way to the hospital.

In an attempt to jump right back into the game, Ozz hires the first ax-man to
come along - Bernie Torme (who later went on to be with Dee Snyder). He
lasted only 3 weeks, couldn't take the pressure. Ozz then hires Brad Gillis
(ex Nightranger) to fill Torme's spot.

On July 4,1982 Ozzy gets married to Sharon on the tropical island of Maui.
He said he picked the 4th of July to get married so he would remember the
date because of the holiday (Independence day). Tommy Aldridge was Ozzy's
best man. Ozzy didn't like the Hawaiian band playing there so he kicked
them out and distributed their instruments to his band and played some
acoustical versions of Goodbye to Romance, Paranoid and some old Beatles
songs. (Geez, would I love to see some video of that!) Sharon also took over the
role as Ozzy's new manager by buying the contract for Ozz from her own father!

In an effort to get out of a sticky situation, Ozzy is forced to put out a
live album called "Speak of the Devil" (also called "Talk of the
Devil" outside of the U.S.). This album was originally going to be a tribute
Randy Rhoads, but Ozzy thought it was too soon after his death to release
that kind of material. This album hit #14 on U.S. charts and went platinum.
If you've ever seen the cover, you know that Ozzy has raspberry jam (looks
like blood clots) spitting out of his mouth. Well, a few hundred albums
hit the store shelves with a sticker that covered that up and
made Ozzy look normal (or halfway normal). As soon as Ozzy found this out
he them all recalled and sent out the way he wanted it to be.

If you ever wondered what all that cryptic writing is around Ozzy on the
front cover of "Speak of the Devil" this is what it says: Howdy. Dial a
demon productions in conjunction with graveyard graphics, proudly presents
the madman of rock dumping in el satanos toiletto. The inside magic words
reveal a more serious note - a tribute to Randy Rhoads, axeman. That kid was
my lifeline, ya' know? He was such a dynamic player and I'd rather not talk
about it anymore because it cuts me up every day of my life. Randy Rhoads
rest in peace and love.

Soon after the release of "Speak of the Devil" Ozzy shaves every inch of
hair off of his head. A lot of people think it was the rabies shots from the
bat incident that made his hair fall out, but this isn't true at all. I have
a video taped interview in which he explains "I was using a lot of gels and
oils in my hair, and with those bright stage lights beating down on that
all night long, it was making his hair very brittle and damaged. So one day
I just shaved it all off!"

1983
Band member changes, Gillis goes back to Night Ranger and Ozzy
hires Jake E Lee.

Ozzy releases "Bark at the Moon". This album hit #19 on U.S. charts and
#24 in the U.K. and eventually went double platinum.

On May 29th Ozzy performed at the Us Festival in San Bernardino, CA for a
crowd of 350,000!

More band member changes, Aldrige leaves, and Carmine Appice is hired for
drums. Two months later he is fired and Aldridge comes back.

September 2nd, 1983 Ozzy has his first offspring with Sharon,: a daughter, Aimee
Rachel (middle name possibly named after Rachel Youngblood who died in
the plane accident with Randy.)

Ozzy makes a music video for "Bark at the Moon" which took over 8 hours to
prepare him in full wolf costume.

1984
While making a video for "So Tired", an exploding mirror sends sharp glass
into Ozzy's throat, and 8 U.S. concerts have to be postponed.

The band line up is now Don Airey on keyboards, Jake E. Lee on guitar, Bob
Daisley on bass and Tommy Aldrige on drums.

In November Ozzy admits himself to the Betty Ford clinic for rehab of drug
and alcohol addiction.

October 27th Ozzy becomes a father again to another daughter - Kelly.

1985
July 15th, Ozzy reunites with Black Sabbath for the first time since their
break up in 1978, to do 3 songs at the Live Aid Concert.

1986
"The Ultimate Sin" album is released. Once again, Ozzy ran into trouble with
the looks of his album cover. The original cover had 3 crucifixes atop a
hill in the background and the girl had no pants on. Ozzy had actually
written a whole album before the "Ultimate Sin", but scrapped the whole thing
and started from scratch because he wasn't happy with it. The album hit
hit #8 in the U.K. and #6 in the U.S., and eventually went double platinum.

More band member changes included Randy Castillo taking over drums, Phil
Soussan taking over on bass, and John Sinclair taking over on keyboards.

The Ultimate Sin tour proved to be an expensive one. At the meadowlands
sports complex in New Jersey, Ozzy encouraged fans to rip up seats costing
him $80,000 in damage.

On January 13th, 1986 Ozzy, and CBS records is sued by parents of a boy by
the name of Jack McCollum, who committed suicide while listening to the "suicide
solution" song. Ozzy is said to have subliminal messages in his music which
drove the boy to do this. on December 19th, 1986 a California superior judge
denies a motion to reinstate the "suicide solution" lawsuit citing first
amendment protection. on July 18, 1988 a California appeals court upholds the
decision to dismiss the lawsuit. On may 6, 1991 a district court judge in
Atlanta dismisses the lawsuit on first amendment grounds. On October 1st, 1992
the supreme court upholds rulings that the first amendment protects Ozzy
against lawsuits that allege his music encourages suicide. What does all this
mean? Ozzy won! of course, don't be silly!

1987
The Ultimate Ozzy video is released. A concert filmed at Kemper Arena, Kansas
City, Missouri in 1986. This video went gold.

In March Ozzy films a fanatical fundamentalist preacher part for the movie
"Trick or treat"

The long awaited "Randy Rhoads Tribute album" is released. A live recording
featuring the late ax-man. It hits #6 in the U.S. and #13 in the U.K.and
eventually made it to double platinum.

Ozzy picks up a new ax-man by the name of Zakk Wylde, bass is taken over by
Bob Daisley

July 17 Ozzy begins a 6 week tour of U.K. prisons where he played one song
I don't have in my collection of rarities: "Jailhouse Rock"

1988
The "No Rest For The Wicked" album is released. This album also had troubles
with it's cover. The original cover was similar to the one that was
released except Ozzy had a crown of thorns on his head, and the three girls
were holding crucifixes. This album made it to #23 on U.K. charts and to #13
in the U.S.

1989
Wicked Videos is released. A collection of 3 videos. It is certified gold.

June 4th, Ozzy has his first pay-per-view concert broadcast to all paying
citizens of the U.S. The concert was performed live at the Tower Theatre in
Philadelphia, P.A.

Ozzy's duet with Lita Ford "Close My Eyes Forever" is a #8 hit on the
billboards singles chart.

August 12th, Ozzy plays the Moscow peace festival in Russia with other big
acts such as Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, the Scorpions, and Skid Row. A week after
the show, Ozzy back at home finds a case of Russian vodka that someone
gave him at the festival. He downs the 4 bottles and hits the ultimate
bottom. Ozzy's exact words to his wife Sharon were, "we've decided that
you've got to go.", and he started choking her. Sharon hit the panic
button on the house alarm and the cops came and took Ozzy away. Ozzy woke
up the next morning in jail. The cops told him you've been arrested for
attempted murder of your wife, and he said, "you've got to be kidding, I
don't remember a thing!" By court order Ozzy would spend the next 3 months
in re-hab away from his family.

Geezer Butler returns to Ozzy to play bass and records a live album named
"Just Say Ozzy", a 6 song album to hold fans over for a while.

1990 also saw the release of the now impossible to find "Ten Commandments"
this was a limited edition of Ozzy's best songs.

1991
The "No More Tears" album is released on September 17th. It went to #7 in the
U.S. and #32 in U.K and is now certified triple platinum. This album was
originally going to be called "Say Hello to Heaven". Geezer left Ozzy again
and Mike Inez took over on bass. Ozzy collaborates with Lemmy of Motorhead in
the writing process for this album. Ozzy even takes home a Grammy for "I Don't
Want To Change The World".

September 24th, Ozzy's home video "Don't Blame Me" is released which includes
rare footage and interviews about his whole life. It has reached gold status.

In October Ozzy breaks his foot on stage after doing one of his famous "frog
leaps", and after 3 more shows infection sets in causing him to postpone the
Theatre of Madness tour.

March 26th Ozzy performs a memorial concert in Long Beach C.A. and dedicates
the proceeds to build a new tomb for Randy Rhoads.

March 28th Ozzy invites the audience to join him on stage at Irvine
Meadows in Laguna Hills, C.A. and fans cause $100,000 in damage
including minor bruises to Ozzy!

In June Ozzy announces his retirement tour, the "No More Tours Tour". This
would mark the last tour Ozzy would ever perform (according to Ozzy). He stated
that he was retiring from the music business to spend more time with his
family.

October 1st Ozzy performs in San Antonio, TX for the first time in 10
years after donating $10,000 to the caretakers of the Alamo, where
he relieved himself on a drunken binge.

November 15th, on the last stop of the "No More Tours Tour", Black Sabbath
reunites for the 2nd time since their breakup in 1978 at Costa Mesa,
California. At the end of the show a sign is lit up which read "Ozzy
Osbourne, I'll be back"

November 18th, Black Sabbath is honored with a star at the rock walk
on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.

1993 - 1994
July 93 a double live album, and video is released by the name of "Live and
Loud". This was recorded around the world on the "No More Tours Tour" 91-92.
It also included one live track from the Sabbath reunion, "Black Sabbath".
It peaked at #22 on the charts and was later certified gold.

Ozzy spends these 2 years at home with his family, taking it easy and
enjoying life, but the easy life is actually driving him nuts. He badly
wants to get out of the house and start doing what he does best, singing.

He does a little writing with Steve Vai and other musical talents. All in
he writes about 40 songs.

March 1st, 1994 Ozzy takes home a Grammy for best metal performance, "I Don't
Want To Change The World"

1995
August, Ozzy announces to the world that he is back and here to stay.
He launches his retirement sucks tour in Monterey, Mexico with a new
guitarist, Joe Holmes. Joe has said that Randy Rhoads actually used to
teach him when he was younger, strange huh? Geezer was on bass and
Dean Castronovo was on drums. Dean left after 8 shows and Randy Castillo
took over.

In September "Ozzmosis" is released which featured Geezer on bass, Zakk on guitar,
and Dean Castronovo on drums. This album went to #4 on U.S. charts and to
#22 in the U.K. Sadly there was no Steve Vai to be seen on this album,
(I would have loved to hear that) but there was credit to Steve
in help of writing Ozzy's dedication to his son Jack, "My Little Man". A lot
of people have heard rumors that the original title of Ozzmosis was going to
be called X-ray. This is not true, X-ray was the name of the band that Ozzy
was putting together with Steve. Ozzy records this album drug/liquor free
for the first time! Zakk only sticks around to record the studio album, and
then he's off to work with his own solo project "Pride and Glory".

While on tour in December, Geezer decides to take break, and Mike Inez
steps in for him.

1996
May - more band changes! Joe Holmes on ax, Mike Bordin (from Faith No More) on
drums, Robert Trujillio (from Suicidal Tendencies) on bass, and John Sinclair
on keyboards.

September 1996, Ozzy starts up "Ozz-fest", a huge festival with Slayer,
Neurosis, Biohazard, Prong, Fear factory, Danzig and others. You could get
a body piercing or a tattoo, and experience various other things there.

During the '96 tour Ozzy has to cancel/cut short numerous concert gigs due
to illness and voice/throat problems.

1997
Ozzy starts his own record label "Ozz Records" in collaboration with Red Ant
records (which went belly up about 6 months later) and releases a live album
and video named "The Ozzfest". The album consisted of one song from each of
the bands that played on the '96 Ozzfest tour. The material was recorded
at the Glen Helen Block-Buster Pavilion, Devore, California 10/26/96, and
the Dessert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, Arizona.

Ozzy teams up with Type O Negative to do a song called "Pictures of
Matchstick Men" which is on the soundtrack to Howard Sterns movie "Private
Parts". Ozzy also has a small cameo part in his movie.

Ozzy announces that he will be reuniting with Black Sabbath, excluding the
drummer Bill Ward for creative differences at the upcoming summer Ozzfest.
the band kind of thought that Bill couldn't handle the touring any more, and
Bill had also been working on his new solo album so things just didn't
work out. Bill on the other hand has a completely different story. He claims to
have never been contacted about it.

May 24th, Ozzy kicks off his Ozzfest tour in VA reuniting with Tony Iommi
and Geezer Butler.

Controversy surrounds Ozzy again as he wants to take his Ozz-fest out on the
road with Marilyn Manson. (a band known to do some un-earthly acts on stage)
Giants Stadium in NJ try to cancel the concert because of Manson, but Ozzy
takes NJ to court and wins the right to play!

June 17th Ozzy causes a riot at an Ozzfest concert in Columbus OH by not
showing up. Angry fans broke windows, uprooted trees, set various things on
fire, and even flipped over a car. Ozzy apparently had some throat problems
and made up the show on a later date.

November 11th "The Ozzman Cometh" is released. A greatest hits package which
features 4 so called "basement tapes" of early Sabbath performing. The
double cd also included a brand new song entitled "Back On Earth", an
interview, and multimedia software including screen savers, a game, movies,
and more! This date also marks the day where Ozzy held a signing in New
York, times square at the Virgin Mega store where I finally got to meet him!

December 4th & 5th, the original Black Sabbath reunites with all 4 original
band members at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. These 2 concerts are said to be
released as a live album and video in October 1998 with 2 new studio tracks.

1998
Ozzy gets his old band back together...Zakk on guitar, Castillo on drums,
and Inez on bass but it only lasts for a short time. Zakk, Randy, and
Inez leave again and back come Holmes, Bordin, and Trujillio. Geez, make
up your mind!

May 29th, Ozzy launches a European festival tour with the original Black
Sabbath, but Bill Ward has a minor heart attack and has to cancel his
appearances for the rest of the tour. Vinny Appice takes over on drums.

July 3rd, Ozzfest hits the states for the 3rd time kicking off in
Holmdel, NJ. Bands on the bill included Megadeth, Tool, Limp Bizkit,
Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Motorhead, Incubus, The Melvins, Snot, System of
a Down, and Monster Voodoo Machine. The tour ended August 1st.

September 20, "Reunion" a live album recorded by the original Black
Sabbath in Birmingham England on December 4th & 5th is released. Two
studio cuts were recorded for the album - "Psycho Man" & "Selling my
Soul". Ozzy, Tony, Bill, and Geezer launch a U.S. signing tour. I got to
meet them all at the Virgin Mega store, in Times Square, New York. The band
also announces a full scale - world reunion tour kicking off in Phoenix,
Arizona on New Years eve.

November, Ozzy teams up with Busta Rhymes to do a rap version of Iron
Man. Ozzy also does another song for the South Park sound track with
rappers DMX, Crystal Method and 'Ol Dirty Bastard.

December 31, Black Sabbath kicks off their reunion tour in Arizona.
the tour lasts through February 1999, and has multiple cancellations
due to throat problems with Ozzy. The last 4 dates were actually
cancelled with no make up dates!

1999
May 27, the original Black Sabbath launches their final bow on the
Ozzfest, appropriately titled "The Last Supper" in West Palm Beach, FL.
Opening acts include Rob Zombie, Slayer, Deftones, Primus, Godsmack,
System of a Down, Fear Factory, Drain STH, Push Monkey, Flashpoint,
Apartment 26, Slipknot, Hed (pe), and Static X.

After the Ozzfest tour ends in July, Sabbath goes on their last
tour of the U.S. with opening bands Godsmack and Drain STH. The last
stop was August 24 in Jones Beach, NY.

September 7, Coal Chambers "Chamber Music" is released with a
cover version of Peter Gabriels "Shock The Monkey" performed
by Ozzy and Coal Chamber.

December 21 & 22 Black Sabbath perform their last ever concerts in
Birmingham, England.

2000
Feb 23 - Black Sabbath pick up a Grammy Award for Category 17 -
Metal Performance, Iron Man from the "Reunion" album. Bill Ward
picked it up on behalf of the band but CBS did not air it.
Bill Ward said it was gratifying to see artists from the
Woodstock generation, including the night's top winner,
Carlos Santana, doing so well.

``I think it's totally cool,'' he said. ``I didn't think that 31
years ago, I'd be standing up in a suit. I feel more like an
accountant than the guy who plays drums in Black Sabbath.''

In late March, Ozzy hires Roy Mayorga to replace Mike Bordin on
drums. Roy lasts about 3 weeks and gets replaced by Brian Tichy.

June 15 - Ozzy plays a show in L.A. for KROQ radio and surprises everyone
by reuniting with Black Sabbath. During the first song, a rotating
stage cut the wires and caused a 10 minute delay. This mishap
cancelled a 2nd planned reunion in NJ 1 week later.

July 2 - Ozzfest 2000 begins in Palm Beach, Florida. Bands include
Pantera, Godsmack, Static-X, Incubus, Methods Of Mayhem, P.O.D.,
Queens Of the Stone Age, Soulfly, Kittie, Taproot, Primer 55,
Shuvel, Pitchshifter, Disturbed, The Deadlights, Slaves On Dope,
Reveille & Pumpjack.

Albums
Blizzard Of Ozz - 1981
Diary Of A Madman - 1981
Speak Of The Devil - 1982
Live E.P. (3 songs) - 1982 (live)
Bark At The Moon - 1983
The Ultimate Sin - 1986
Randy Rhoads Tribute - 1987 (live)
No Rest For The Wicked - 1988
The Ten Commandments - 1990 (greatest hits)
Just Say Ozzy - 1991 (live)
No More Tears - 1991
Live And Loud - 1993 (live)
Ozzmosis - 1995
The Ozzman Cometh - 1997 (greatest hits)