Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
08-27-10, 11:56 AM
#1
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Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
For reasons unknown to me, I haven't been able to stop listening to Ozzy's back catalog. This has been ongoing for almost 3 weeks now, but the sick thing is that it's only his first 4 solo releases. I've rocked Blizzard of Ozz, Diary, Bark and Ultimate Sin more times this past month than most albums I've listened to in my life. What's even more bizarre is that I had just been a casual fan of these records before, but now I'm completely obsessed. I really don't like his Zakk Wylde-era stuff, though I do enjoy most of Ozzmosis.
And for the record, I still enjoy hearing new music from Ozzy and I've got his entire catalog. I just don't think anything else he's done can even come close to touching those first 4 records. I'm intrigued by the possibility of a new Sabbath record, though.
And for the record, I still enjoy hearing new music from Ozzy and I've got his entire catalog. I just don't think anything else he's done can even come close to touching those first 4 records. I'm intrigued by the possibility of a new Sabbath record, though.
08-27-10, 02:02 PM
#2
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I used to like Ozzy's solo stuff from the early 80's, but later on found myself preferring his Black Sabbath stuff better. Now I won't listen to any of his solo stuff.
Ozzy just sounds better to me with Black Sabbath
Ozzy just sounds better to me with Black Sabbath
08-27-10, 02:42 PM
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
My favorite Ozzy moment was at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas many years ago. He came out with his trademark hair and then pulled it off to reveal that he shaved his head. The crowd went wild. Good times.
08-27-10, 05:16 PM
#5
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
This kid rocks
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08-27-10, 06:17 PM
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
Dear Gawd. That kid is living one of my longest held dreams. 
08-27-10, 06:20 PM
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I've been listing to PANDORA on my Moto DROID and a lot of the stations I've created for bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and other heavy bands have a lot of Ozzy Era Black Sabbath and Solo Ozzy mixed in. There's been some amazing deep cuts stuff from both that I've heard lately.
08-28-10, 12:38 AM
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I'm with ya most of the way here, except "No rest for the Wicked" is a pretty killer album, and "Ozzmosis" aint too shabby, the rest of his solo stuff is subpar IMO, if i had to rank his first four albums i would choose them like this...
Bark at the Moon - absolutely love this album
Diary of a Madman - absolutely love this album
The Ultimate Sin - absolutely love this album
Blizzard of Ozz - It's pretty good
Jake E. Lee and The Master Randy Rhoades are great guitarist in my book, Zack is pretty good.
Bark at the Moon - absolutely love this album
Diary of a Madman - absolutely love this album
The Ultimate Sin - absolutely love this album
Blizzard of Ozz - It's pretty good
Jake E. Lee and The Master Randy Rhoades are great guitarist in my book, Zack is pretty good.
08-28-10, 01:22 AM
#9
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
Blizzard of Ozz was a great album.
Diary of a Madman was an all-time great album.
Bark at the Moon was a good album.
The Ultimate Sin was a very, very good album.
No Rest for the Wicked was a great album.
Then Ozzy started doing sappy ballads and overblown material and started downhill.
No More Tears was a very, very good album, but the cracks were starting to show.
Ozzmosis was an OK album with too many ballads.
Down to Earth was a good album and a slight improvement over Ozzmosis.
Black Rain was a mediocre album with only a couple good songs.
Scream is absolute crap.
Of course, as we all know, Sharon is the devil, so I have a hard time listening to Ozzy anymore. Well, that, "Sharon is the devil," comment isn't really fair - to the devil. Sharon is far worse than that.
Diary of a Madman was an all-time great album.
Bark at the Moon was a good album.
The Ultimate Sin was a very, very good album.
No Rest for the Wicked was a great album.
Then Ozzy started doing sappy ballads and overblown material and started downhill.
No More Tears was a very, very good album, but the cracks were starting to show.
Ozzmosis was an OK album with too many ballads.
Down to Earth was a good album and a slight improvement over Ozzmosis.
Black Rain was a mediocre album with only a couple good songs.
Scream is absolute crap.
Of course, as we all know, Sharon is the devil, so I have a hard time listening to Ozzy anymore. Well, that, "Sharon is the devil," comment isn't really fair - to the devil. Sharon is far worse than that.
08-28-10, 01:33 AM
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
The only classic albums Ozzy ever did were Blizzard and Diary. He had a few good cuts here and there, but the only two albums I ever listen to are the first two. Diary of a Madman is his masterpiece.
08-28-10, 01:07 PM
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
He's become irrelevant to me, and I honestly feel that Ozzy's "last huge great audience of fans" would (did) include me, and his poularity (and relevance) will continue to wane until one of two things happens: either he dies, or people lose all interest. I suspect the former will happen first, and he'll be remembered fondly....but not for the recent stuff, not at all for those releases. Just my 2 cents.
Anyone can have an off night, but that was just... yikes. That doesn't stop me from wanting to see classic Sabb touring again in a heartbeat, though. With BOC opening.
08-28-10, 03:00 PM
#13
Banned by request
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I love Ozzy, but mainly for four albums: Blizzard of Ozz, Diary of a Madman, No Rest For The Wicked, and No More Tears. Those albums I always listen to in their entirety. The rest of his catalogue I cherry-pick through.
I don't think much of him now, but Diary of a Madman alone is good enough to make him a heavy metal god, and when you throw in his other good to great albums from the 80's, No More Tears, and Sabbath from the self-titled through Sabotage (especially Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage), his legend will live on for a long time.
I don't think much of him now, but Diary of a Madman alone is good enough to make him a heavy metal god, and when you throw in his other good to great albums from the 80's, No More Tears, and Sabbath from the self-titled through Sabotage (especially Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage), his legend will live on for a long time.
08-28-10, 05:14 PM
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I have to think I'm in the minority, thinking that the final 2 Oz-Sabbath albums were GREAT! I can listen to Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die again and again, and absolutely love them. I realize that Ozzy was on some heavy-duty drugs at this point in his life, but in my opinion, these albums are tremendously underrated.
08-28-10, 05:31 PM
#15
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
At least Rob Halford is still around; he can do his own stuff and Ozzy's (better than Ozzy too).
Agreed 100%.
I've listened to Ozzy all my life (well, since I was about 7; my folks turned me on to Sabbath when I was a young kid, as they listened to something considered very alternative back then: FM radio!). But, even though I still give everything new by Ozzy a listen, I haven't actually purchased anything by him since No Rest For The Wicked, or maybe the Just Say Ozzy EP (still love that one!). (EDIT: Though I did buy the Ozzfest 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, and I'll discuss that below)
I find his vocals pretty pedestrian & "phoned in" nowadays, and the songwriting is pretty much dreck these days, too.
If you'd like to see a "shining example" of a performance that never should have happened, let alone released on a major label, check out this version of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Firstly, Sabbath is tuned down at least one full step, sounding like some half-assed cover version by the likes of Godsmack (and a million other tuned-down bands). Sabbath have nearly always recorded in standard tuning (E,A,D,G,B,E). Ozzy began the "dropped-down" tuning a little at a time, beginning when he recorded Blizzard and Diary. Secondly, Ozzy seems unable to find the key the band is in, from the first line on. And on this release, every song is exactly the same way! Frankly, as a Sabbath fan, I was apalled by the lack of tonal quality here. I mean, it's fuckin' embarrassingly bad.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
These days, poor ol' Oz can't even stay in key with his speaking voice, judging by that clip.
I'll continue to check out the new stuff as it comes out, but I really doubt that I'll ever buy anything by him again. He's become a self-parody of a self-parody of a self-parody.
It's sad, but I've watched his career take this downward spiral for sooo long, that it no longer surprises me.
He's become irrelevant to me, and I honestly feel that Ozzy's "last huge great audience of fans" would (did) include me, and his poularity (and relevance) will continue to wane until one of two things happens: either he dies, or people lose all interest. I suspect the former will happen first, and he'll be remembered fondly....but not for the recent stuff, not at all for those releases. Just my 2 cents.
I've listened to Ozzy all my life (well, since I was about 7; my folks turned me on to Sabbath when I was a young kid, as they listened to something considered very alternative back then: FM radio!). But, even though I still give everything new by Ozzy a listen, I haven't actually purchased anything by him since No Rest For The Wicked, or maybe the Just Say Ozzy EP (still love that one!). (EDIT: Though I did buy the Ozzfest 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, and I'll discuss that below)
I find his vocals pretty pedestrian & "phoned in" nowadays, and the songwriting is pretty much dreck these days, too.
If you'd like to see a "shining example" of a performance that never should have happened, let alone released on a major label, check out this version of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Firstly, Sabbath is tuned down at least one full step, sounding like some half-assed cover version by the likes of Godsmack (and a million other tuned-down bands). Sabbath have nearly always recorded in standard tuning (E,A,D,G,B,E). Ozzy began the "dropped-down" tuning a little at a time, beginning when he recorded Blizzard and Diary. Secondly, Ozzy seems unable to find the key the band is in, from the first line on. And on this release, every song is exactly the same way! Frankly, as a Sabbath fan, I was apalled by the lack of tonal quality here. I mean, it's fuckin' embarrassingly bad.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
These days, poor ol' Oz can't even stay in key with his speaking voice, judging by that clip.
I'll continue to check out the new stuff as it comes out, but I really doubt that I'll ever buy anything by him again. He's become a self-parody of a self-parody of a self-parody.
It's sad, but I've watched his career take this downward spiral for sooo long, that it no longer surprises me.
He's become irrelevant to me, and I honestly feel that Ozzy's "last huge great audience of fans" would (did) include me, and his poularity (and relevance) will continue to wane until one of two things happens: either he dies, or people lose all interest. I suspect the former will happen first, and he'll be remembered fondly....but not for the recent stuff, not at all for those releases. Just my 2 cents.
08-28-10, 07:14 PM
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I think I am the only person who hates No More Tears, but I think that album, save for 2 or 3 songs, is awful. Same for The Ultimate Sin.
08-28-10, 10:46 PM
#17
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
i had a friend who figured out how to play Killer of Giants in an hour just by listening to it a few times. too bad he never developed his talent
08-29-10, 08:08 AM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
I recently read Rudy Sarzo's bok Off the Rails about his time with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads, so I've been hitting Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman pretty hard. It's killer stuff. I find I really don't like Bark at the Moon as much as I did when it came out, although I do still really like the title track. I never picked up Ultimate Sin until the 90's remasters (the good one with the colored border) and even then it was just to be a completist.
As far as I'm concerned, Ozzy's slide started after Randy died. Jake E. Lee was a good fit for Ozzy, but the material started getting poppy even then. By the time No More Tears came out, I had completely lost interest.
I think Ozzy was better in Sabbath than trying to be a heavy metal hero. He never had the vocal chops that guys like Dickinson, Halford and the like have. Sabbath with Ozzy was heavy, to be sure, but going past a few tracks on the first couple of albums, they were more of an acid rock/stoner band than "metal", and his style is better suited to that type of material.
As far as I'm concerned, Ozzy's slide started after Randy died. Jake E. Lee was a good fit for Ozzy, but the material started getting poppy even then. By the time No More Tears came out, I had completely lost interest.
I think Ozzy was better in Sabbath than trying to be a heavy metal hero. He never had the vocal chops that guys like Dickinson, Halford and the like have. Sabbath with Ozzy was heavy, to be sure, but going past a few tracks on the first couple of albums, they were more of an acid rock/stoner band than "metal", and his style is better suited to that type of material.
08-30-10, 09:31 PM
#21
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
the stuff with randy was awesome
bark at the moon had some good songs. i got into Ozzy around the time of Ultimate Sin and liked most of the songs on the album, but the Randy stuff was classic even back then.
No More Tears and Madman were ok with a few good songs on each. everything past that i don't like
bark at the moon had some good songs. i got into Ozzy around the time of Ultimate Sin and liked most of the songs on the album, but the Randy stuff was classic even back then.
No More Tears and Madman were ok with a few good songs on each. everything past that i don't like
Last edited by al_bundy; 08-31-10 at 10:27 AM.
08-30-10, 10:16 PM
#23
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
Agreed 100%.
I've listened to Ozzy all my life (well, since I was about 7; my folks turned me on to Sabbath when I was a young kid, as they listened to something considered very alternative back then: FM radio!). But, even though I still give everything new by Ozzy a listen, I haven't actually purchased anything by him since No Rest For The Wicked, or maybe the Just Say Ozzy EP (still love that one!). (EDIT: Though I did buy the Ozzfest 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, and I'll discuss that below)
I find his vocals pretty pedestrian & "phoned in" nowadays, and the songwriting is pretty much dreck these days, too.
If you'd like to see a "shining example" of a performance that never should have happened, let alone released on a major label, check out this version of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Firstly, Sabbath is tuned down at least one full step, sounding like some half-assed cover version by the likes of Godsmack (and a million other tuned-down bands). Sabbath have nearly always recorded in standard tuning (E,A,D,G,B,E). Ozzy began the "dropped-down" tuning a little at a time, beginning when he recorded Blizzard and Diary. Secondly, Ozzy seems unable to find the key the band is in, from the first line on. And on this release, every song is exactly the same way! Frankly, as a Sabbath fan, I was apalled by the lack of tonal quality here. I mean, it's fuckin' embarrassingly bad.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
These days, poor ol' Oz can't even stay in key with his speaking voice, judging by that clip.
I'll continue to check out the new stuff as it comes out, but I really doubt that I'll ever buy anything by him again. He's become a self-parody of a self-parody of a self-parody.
It's sad, but I've watched his career take this downward spiral for sooo long, that it no longer surprises me.
He's become irrelevant to me, and I honestly feel that Ozzy's "last huge great audience of fans" would (did) include me, and his poularity (and relevance) will continue to wane until one of two things happens: either he dies, or people lose all interest. I suspect the former will happen first, and he'll be remembered fondly....but not for the recent stuff, not at all for those releases. Just my 2 cents.
I've listened to Ozzy all my life (well, since I was about 7; my folks turned me on to Sabbath when I was a young kid, as they listened to something considered very alternative back then: FM radio!). But, even though I still give everything new by Ozzy a listen, I haven't actually purchased anything by him since No Rest For The Wicked, or maybe the Just Say Ozzy EP (still love that one!). (EDIT: Though I did buy the Ozzfest 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, and I'll discuss that below)
I find his vocals pretty pedestrian & "phoned in" nowadays, and the songwriting is pretty much dreck these days, too.
If you'd like to see a "shining example" of a performance that never should have happened, let alone released on a major label, check out this version of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Firstly, Sabbath is tuned down at least one full step, sounding like some half-assed cover version by the likes of Godsmack (and a million other tuned-down bands). Sabbath have nearly always recorded in standard tuning (E,A,D,G,B,E). Ozzy began the "dropped-down" tuning a little at a time, beginning when he recorded Blizzard and Diary. Secondly, Ozzy seems unable to find the key the band is in, from the first line on. And on this release, every song is exactly the same way! Frankly, as a Sabbath fan, I was apalled by the lack of tonal quality here. I mean, it's fuckin' embarrassingly bad.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bl0zuHOZ1ec?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
These days, poor ol' Oz can't even stay in key with his speaking voice, judging by that clip.
I'll continue to check out the new stuff as it comes out, but I really doubt that I'll ever buy anything by him again. He's become a self-parody of a self-parody of a self-parody.
It's sad, but I've watched his career take this downward spiral for sooo long, that it no longer surprises me.
He's become irrelevant to me, and I honestly feel that Ozzy's "last huge great audience of fans" would (did) include me, and his poularity (and relevance) will continue to wane until one of two things happens: either he dies, or people lose all interest. I suspect the former will happen first, and he'll be remembered fondly....but not for the recent stuff, not at all for those releases. Just my 2 cents.
08-31-10, 02:30 PM
#24
Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
08-31-10, 04:47 PM
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Re: Let's talk about how awesome Ozzy was...
Kind of funny, looked at my ticket stub & Foreignor was the headliner. Ozzy was on the ticket right next to...Loverboy. I remember that show well & don't know if anyone actually went for Foreignor or Loverboy. It was an Ozzy crowd.