Ozzy Osbourne Album Musings Last update: 25AUG01 Note: Ozz-Fest concert compilations not included _________________________________________________________________ _The Ozzman Cometh_- CBS, 1997 Compilation with four Black Sabbath "basement tapes" (mono tracks from rehearsals), an Ozzmosis leftover ("Back to Earth"), a 16-minute interview from the late '80's, and five full music videos, hidden on the bonus disc. Priced as a single CD, this is a decent deal. The booklet has a dozen or so funny photos, plus a blurb by the Ozzman on each track. Track listing: "Black Sabbath," "War Pigs," "Goodbye to Romance," "Crazy Train," "Mr. Crowley," "Over the Mountain," "Paranoid" (live with Randy Rhoads), "Bark at the Moon," "Shot in the Dark," "Crazy Babies," "No More Tears" (edit), "Mama, I'm Coming Home," "I Don't Want to Change the World" (live), "I Just Want You," "Back on Earth," "Fairies Wear Boots," "Behind the Wall of Sleep," interview from 1988. _Ozzmosis_ - CBS, 1995 Smashingly produced, with a '60's/Beatleseque sound, and only one genuinely up tempo track ("Perry Mason"). One track ("My Little Man") was co-written with Steve Vai, from their failed collaboration (to have been titled "X-Ray"). Great gloomy sound on this one and it closes with a ballad ("Old L.A. Tonight"). Zakk Wylde plays guitar and also sprung a solo career in the interim, with his metal-country fusion band Pride and Glory. _Live and Loud_ - CBS, 1993 Double CD of live material. All the hits are here, plus a ton of the usual, delightful stage banter, plus a Sabbath reunion track ("Black Sabbath"), plus a stripped-down, piano-heavy version of Sab's "Changes." Great packaging on the first run-- the cardboard CD box was covered with a metal speaker grill. Let me see your fucking cigarette lighters! _No More Tears_ - CBS, 1991 Lemmy co-wrote a bunch of these tracks that vary in quality. Some are slick, others clumsy. I love the Latin percussion on the opening of "Zombie Stomp." The title track is great, though I've never been able to interpret the lyrics. Yet another sinister train ride on the opening track, "Mr. Tinkertrain." Motorhead covers "Hellraiser" on their album "March or Die." Great mid-tempo closer "Road to Nowhere." Second album with Zakk Wylde. _Just Say Ozzy_ - CBS, 1989 Six-track live EP, with "Miracle Man," "Bloodbath in Paradise," a good run-through of "Shot in the Dark," "Tattooed Dancer," and two Sab covers, "Sweetleaf" and "War Pigs." First of two live efforts featuring Mr. Wylde. _No Rest For the Wicked_ - CBS, 1988 Underrated debut of Zakk Wylde, with a Jerry Falwell slam ("Miracle Man"), a Charles Manson nod ("Bloodbath in Paradise"), and another anti-alcoholism song ("Demon Alcohol"). The production is a bit bass-heavy, but the songs are almost entirely up-tempo. Great solo section in the otherwise boring ballad "Fire in the Sky." The CD contains a hidden track-- the lyrically playful "Hero." And, the backwards masking on the beginning of "Bloodbath" is Ozzy (as I recall) reciting Linda Blair's line from The Exorcist ("Your mother sucks..."). _Tribute_ - CBS, 1987 He claims that these are the only live recordings of the late guitarist. Yeah right. He recaps both Blizzard and Diary, almost in their entirety. Some songs, such as "Flying High Again" and, I think, "Mr. Crowley," sound better live. The usual Sab covers are here, "Paranoid," "Iron Man," and, with a searing solo, "Children of the Grave." The album closes with acoustic outtakes from Rhoads. _The Ultimate Sin_ - CBS, 1986 Slick songwriting, but the production is bottom-heavy and a bit muddy-sounding. Guitarist Jake E. Lee's second album. Great choral effects on "Killer of Giants," one of two anti-nuke songs. (The other is "Thank God For the Bomb.") The title track is about emotional abuse, I believe. "Lightning Strikes" contains another classic "Oh, yeah, baby" chorus. The album closes with "Shot in the Dark," a pop gem. production for Jake E. Lee's second album. _Bark at the Moon_ - CBS, 1983 Debut of guitarist Jake E. Lee. Varies in song quality, but with an ultra-crisp production by Max Norman. Ozzy singing with an orchestra ("So Tired") is something to hear, even if his voice deserves to be multitracked. (Alas, he whines.) The title track is grand. Lots of interesting bits on this one, from the Gregorian chants at the beginning of "Centre of Eternity" to the strings in "Waiting for Darkness." The reissued CD contains the previously Europe-only "Spiders in the Night." _Speak of the Devil_ - CBS, 1982 Released, as the story goes, as a contractual obligation, right around the time of Randy Rhoad's death. All Sabbath covers, with a smokin' Brad Gillis, from Night Ranger, on guitar. (And released, if I recall correctly, in the same week that Sab released their "Live Evil.") Immaculate musicianship (perhaps retouched in the studio?), ace production, and a ton of wonderful, is-he-stoned? stage banter. Omitted on previous CD releases, "Sweetleaf" was restored on a recent CD reissue. Keep on smokin' it! Track listing: "Symptom of the Universe," "Snowblind," "Black Sabbath," "Fairies Wear Boots," "War Pigs," "The Wizard," "N.I.B.," "Sweetleaf," "Never Say Die," "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath," "Iron Man/Children of the Grave," and "Paranoid." _Diary of a Madman_ - CBS, 1982 Second and last album of Randy Rhoads. More streamlined, with better playing and more-complex songwriting. "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" is a slow, acoustic-accompanied gem that, if you've never heard Ozzy, will have you thinking twice about your stereotypes. "S.A.T.O." stands for "Sail Across the Ocean" and is one of two powerhouse closing tracks, the other being "Diary of a Madman," with strings and that great closing chorus, right out of Carl Orff. _Blizzard of Ozz_ - CBS, 1981 The Madman's debut is a potpourri of fast and slow, hard and soft. "Crazy Train" is a classic, as is "Mr. Crowley." "Suicide Solution" is about alcoholism, though the Ozzman would be sued (repeatedly?) by those thinking that he advocated the taking of one's life. "No Bone Movies" is about porn, while "Dee" is a short acoustic solo, named after Rhoad's mother. The high point, for me, is Don Airy's piano solo on "Revelation (Mother Earth)." Does it get any better? Copyright 2000 by Michael J. Legeros _________________________________________________________________