Ozzy Osbourne

If Black Sabbath owned heavy metal in the 1970s, then frontman Ozzy Osbourne could make a strong claim to have put a serious downpayment on the 1980s with his solo career. Leaving the band after the 1978 Sabbath album Never Say Die was not a career move as such. In fact it was not even a choice. Wracked by substance abuse, Ozzy was sacked. Guitarist and nemesis Tony Iommi believed that (a) the band would be better without him, and (b) Ozzy was incapable of anything much at all on his own. Neither turned out to be accurate.

Forming his own band, the cheekily named Blizzard Of Ozz, the singer released a self-titled album in 1980 that did very well indeed. With outstanding guitarist Randy Rhodes and ex-Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake on board, this was a heavy yet limber outfit who delighted fans with Sabbath-like songs about occult terrors and mental anguish. After Rhodes’ untimely death, Osbourne struggled, but managed to rebuild his life and career. Strong albums such as Diary Of A Madman and Tribute (to Randy Rhodes) followed, and although controversy was never far away from the Birmingham born vocalist, his career has continued for well over half a century. Patient Number 9 (2022) was a powerful album while the only thing about 2020’s Ordinary Man that fans would dispute would be the title. There is nothing ordinary about Ozzy Osbourne.