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Blizzard of Ozz

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Blizzard of Ozz
Studio album by
Ozzy Osbourne
Released12 September 1980 (1980-09-12)[1]
Recorded22 March − 19 April 1980
StudioRidge Farm Studio, Rusper, England
Genre
Length39:31
LabelJet
Producer
Ozzy Osbourne chronology
Blizzard of Ozz
(1980) 		Ozzy Osbourne Live E.P.
(1980)
Singles from Blizzard of Ozz
  1. "Crazy Train"
    Released: 29 August 1980[2]
  2. "Mr. Crowley"
    Released: 1981 (US)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
BBC Music(favourable)[4]
MusicRadar(favourable)[5]
Martin Popoff[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
Uncut[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]

Blizzard of Ozz is the debut studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne, released on 12 September 1980 in the UK and on 27 March 1981 in the US. The album was Osbourne's first release following his firing from Black Sabbath in 1979.[10] Blizzard of Ozz is the first of two studio albums Osbourne recorded with guitarist Randy Rhoads prior to Rhoads' death in 1982. In 2017, it was ranked 9th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".[11]

Composition and recording

[edit]

Much of the album was written by guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Bob Daisley, and Ozzy Osbourne in a live-in rehearsal facility in Monmouth, Wales,[12] with a friend of Osbourne's named Barry Screnage performing as the group's drummer.[12] Screnage was never considered as a candidate to be the group's permanent drummer and was not involved in the songwriting process at all.[12] The band recorded demos of the songs "I Don't Know", "Crazy Train", "Goodbye to Romance", and "You Looking at Me Looking at You" in Birmingham in early 1980 with ex-Lone Star drummer Dixie Lee. They had hoped Lee would be a permanent member but "he wasn't the final piece of the puzzle", bassist Daisley recalls.[12] After auditioning several drummers, ex-Uriah Heep member Lee Kerslake was hired as the permanent drummer. The completed lineup retreated to Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire for six days to rehearse and give Kerslake an opportunity to learn the new songs.[12] A week later, they travelled to Ridge Farm Studio to commence recording.

The first track written for the album was "Goodbye to Romance". Osbourne has stated that the song was his way of saying goodbye to his former band Black Sabbath, as he had thought his career was over after leaving the band.[13] After performing a show in Birmingham, the band hastily returned to Ridge Farm to remix "Goodbye to Romance" for a single. The next morning they were informed that their label Jet Records instead wanted a brand new song to release as a single.[12] Rhoads, Daisley, and Kerslake quickly put together the song "You Said It All", with drummer Kerslake performing the guide vocal at soundcheck while a drunken Osbourne slept under the drum riser.[12] The song was ultimately never recorded, though a live version was released on Ozzy Osbourne Live EP in 1980. The final track written was "No Bone Movies", which was originally intended to be used only as a B-side but was added to the album in order to give Kerslake a writing credit, as all the other material had been written before he joined the band.[14] Keyboardist Don Airey claims that parts of "Revelation (Mother Earth)" as well as the intro to "Mr. Crowley" were written by him in the studio, though he never received writing credit for these contributions.[15]

Chris Tsangarides was originally hired to produce the album, with Max Norman to serve as studio engineer. Osbourne and the band were very unhappy with Tsangarides' production and he was fired and replaced with Norman, who stepped in to complete producing and engineering.[16] Norman's production work on Blizzard of Ozz is uncredited, though he did go on to produce all of Osbourne's albums prior to 1986's The Ultimate Sin.[17]

At the time of the album's recording, the band itself was billed as "The Blizzard of Ozz".[12] The band members were expecting the album to be credited to the band with Osbourne's name in smaller print, just as it appeared on the "Crazy Train" single released several days prior. The back cover of the first pressing of the "Crazy Train" single stated that the track came from a forthcoming Jet Records album entitled Ozzy Osbourne/ Blizzard of Ozz Vol. 1.[18] In fact, when the band appeared at the Reading Festival in 1980 they were billed simply as "Ossie Osborne's [sic] New Band".[19] According to Daisley, "When the album was released the words 'Ozzy Osbourne' were in bigger print than 'The Blizzard of Ozz' which made it look like an Ozzy Osbourne album called The Blizzard of Ozz. Randy [Rhoads] was never one to rock the boat. He knew he was in a situation which was a good opportunity for him being relatively unknown, so when Lee [Kerslake] and I were ousted, Randy had no allies and the act became 'Ozzy Osbourne' and no longer a band."[20] Rhoads felt that he and Daisley were contributing the vast majority of the songwriting and arranging, and he had little interest in performing in a backing band for someone he felt wasn't contributing as much.[14] Drummer Kerslake has maintained that Rhoads almost left the band in late 1981, due to this displeasure. "He didn't want to go [on tour with Osbourne]. We told him we were thrown out. He said he was going to leave the band as he did not want to leave us behind. I told him not to be stupid but thanks for the sentiment", the drummer later recalled.[21] Entertainment attorney Steven Machat, who was involved in the deal Osbourne signed with Jet Records, said in his 2011 book Gods, Gangsters and Honour: A Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey that Osbourne's soon-to-be manager and wife Sharon Levy was not happy with the level of creative input that Rhoads, Daisley, and Kerslake had in the Blizzard of Ozz album and did not want them to share the credit.[22] Album producer Max Norman concurs that Daisley and Kerslake made considerable songwriting contributions during their time in the band, while also noting that the Osbourne camp "might want to dispute that now."[16]

Although Sharon has said that the recording of Blizzard of Ozz was one of the best experiences of her life, she was in Los Angeles during recording and not yet involved with the band. Osbourne's then-wife Thelma was present at Ridge Farms Studios for much of the recording.[14]

Release

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The album tracks "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" were released as singles in 1980. "Crazy Train" made number 49 on the UK Singles Chart[23] and was moderately successful in the United States, reaching number 9 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart and the single peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart in 1981.[24] Though it received little radio airplay upon its initial release, "Crazy Train" has become one of Osbourne's signature songs and a staple of classic rock radio playlists over the ensuing years.[25] In January 2009, the song achieved a 2× Platinum certification status.[26]

The album was a commercial success, being certified 4× Platinum in the US in 1997, a feat Osbourne would not achieve again until No More Tears was certified in 2000.[26] In 2019 it was certified 5× Platinum.[26] In the UK, it was the first of four Osbourne albums to attain Silver certification (60,000 units shipped) by the British Phonographic Industry, achieving this in August 1981.[27] It also ranked 13th on a Guitar World readers poll of the "100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time."[28][deprecated source] In his autobiography, Osbourne readily admitted that at the time the album was being recorded, he felt he was in direct competition with his former band, Black Sabbath.[29]

Osbourne performing in support of Blizzard of Ozz in Cardiff, Wales, 9 October 1980

Blizzard of Ozz was controversially re-released in 2002 with the original bass and drum tracks replaced by newly recorded parts from bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin; however, the original bass and drum tracks were reinstated for the 2011 release due to public outcry. The 2011 release was certified Silver by BPI in 2013.[30] A box set featuring both re-issued albums, the Blizzard of Ozz/Diary of a Madman 30th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set, was released, featuring both CD re-issues, 180-gram LP Vinyl versions of both albums (original album only), the "Thirty Years After the Blizzard" DVD Documentary, over 70 minutes of additional rare live performances and interviews, a replica of Ozzy's cross, and a 2 sided poster.[31]

On September 18, 2020, Osbourne released an expanded edition of Blizzard of Ozz including the bonus tracks and outtakes included on previous reissues (i.e. the 2002 reissue and the 2011 expanded edition) as well as seven live recordings from the Blizzard of Ozz tour and one additional live track.

Controversy

[edit]

"Suicide Solution"

[edit]

The song "Suicide Solution" has met with its share of controversy, most notably the October 1984 suicide of 19-year-old John McCollum who shot himself in the head. McCollum's parents alleged that their son had listened to the song immediately prior to killing himself, and they sued Osbourne along with CBS Records for "encouraging self-destructive behavior" in young people who were "especially susceptible" to dangerous influences (McCollum et al. v. CBS, Inc., et al.). In his defence, Osbourne stated in court that when the song was being written the words "Wine is fine but whiskey's quicker" came to him suddenly and were a reflection not on the merits of suicide but rather on the death of AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott, a friend of Osbourne's who had recently died of alcohol-related misadventure. Bob Daisley, who claims to have written the majority of the song's lyrics,[20] has stated that he had Osbourne's own substance abuse issues in mind when he composed the song.[32] The McCollums' complaint was dismissed on the grounds that the First Amendment protected Osbourne's right to free artistic expression.

2002 reissue

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In 1986, Daisley and Kerslake sued Osbourne for unpaid royalties, eventually winning songwriting credits on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. Subsequently, a 2002 reissue was made of these albums which replaced Daisley and Kerslake's original bass and drum parts with new parts recorded by Osbourne's then-current drummer Mike Bordin and bassist Robert Trujillo. The 2002 reissue also included new backing vocals from singers Mark Lennon and John Shanks.

Osbourne's wife and manager, Sharon, claimed at the time that it was Ozzy, not she, who was responsible for the decision to re-record the parts, stating "because of Daisley and Kerslake's abusive and unjust behaviour, Ozzy wanted to remove them from these recordings. We turned a negative into a positive by adding a fresh sound to the original albums."[33] However, Osbourne contradicted this claim in his 2009 autobiography, stating that the decision to re-record the original bass and drum parts was Sharon's decision, and that he "didn't have anything to do with" it.[34] He said his wife "just snapped" and had it done without his knowledge.[34] He also stated that "a sticker was put on the covers telling everyone about it",[34] although the sticker was not initially placed on the re-issue and was only placed on the covers at a later date due to fan outcry over the altered recordings.

In 2003, Daisley and Kerslake's lawsuit was dismissed by the United States District Court in Los Angeles. This dismissal was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.[35] With regard to the reissue, Ozzy stated to The Pulse of Radio, reiterating a conversation with Sharon,[36] "You know what, whatever the circumstances were, I want the original thing back." The 30th Anniversary release of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman contains the original recordings, not the 2002 remixes.[37]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Don't Know" 5:16
2."Crazy Train" 4:52
3."Goodbye to Romance" 5:36
4."Dee"Rhoads0:50
5."Suicide Solution" 4:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Mr. Crowley" 4:57
7."No Bone Movies"Osbourne, Rhoads, Daisley, Lee Kerslake3:58
8."Revelation (Mother Earth)" 6:09
9."Steal Away (The Night)" 3:28
Total length:39:31
2002 reissue bonus track
No.TitleLength
10."You Lookin' at Me Lookin' at You"4:20
Total length:43:33
2011 expanded edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."You Looking at Me, Looking at You" (Non-LP B-side)4:15
11."Goodbye to Romance" (2010 guitar & vocal mix)5:42
12."RR" (Rhoads; outtake from "Blizzard of Ozz" sessions)1:13
Total length:50:23

Personnel

[edit]
Production

Charts

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Chart (1980–1981) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[38] 8
UK Albums (OCC)[39] 7
US Billboard 200[40] 21
Chart (1986) Peak
position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[41] 47
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[42] 76
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[43] 18

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44] Gold 35,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[45] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 60,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[30]
2011 Release 		Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[26] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "BRIT Certified". Bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  2. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  3. ^ Huey, Steve. "Review Blizzard of Oz". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  4. ^ Nelson, Tim (2007). "Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz review". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  5. ^ Thal, Ron (20 May 2011). "Guns N' Roses' Bumblefoot reviews Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard Of Ozz/Diary Of A Madman reissues". MusicRadar. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  6. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  7. ^ Eddy, Chuck (31 May 2011). "Blizzard of Ozz (Reissue) – Ozzy Osbourne". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz". Uncut (August 2002): 112.
  9. ^ C. Strong, Martin (2004). Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Canongate. ISBN 1841955515.
  10. ^ Osbourne, Ozzy; Ayres, Chris (25 January 2010). I Am Ozzy. Grand Central Publishing. pp. 6, 84. ISBN 978-0-446-56989-7.
  11. ^ Epstein, Dan (21 June 2017). "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Blizzard of Ozz and The Holy Grail". bobdaisley.com. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  13. ^ "Thirty Years After the Blizzard" DVD interview.
  14. ^ a b c Lambert, Cory. "Bass Legend Bob Daisley Talks About The Blizzard of Ozz, His Battle With the Osbournes And More Diaries Of A Madman!". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  15. ^ Wells, Troy. "Don Airey The Ballbuster Interview". ballbustermusic.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  16. ^ a b "On Yer Bike with Studio Wizard Max Norman". knac.com. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  17. ^ "Max Norman Interview". Music Legends. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  18. ^ Landry, Frank (10 December 2021). "Proof that rock is dead PLUS a Blizzard of Ozz mystery". YouTube. Channel 33 RPM. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  19. ^ Metal Evolution – S01E04; Produced by Banger Films – Directed by Sam Dunn and Scot McFayden
  20. ^ a b "Bob Daisley's History With The Osbournes". Bob Daisley. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  21. ^ "Legendary Ozzy Osbourne Drummer Lee Kerslake Talks About Blizzard/Diary Reissues, Randy Rhoads, The "Evil And Nasty" Sharon Osbourne". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  22. ^ Machat, Steven (2011). Gods, Gangsters and Honour: A Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey. Beautiful Books. ISBN 1905636830.
  23. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne". Officialcharts.com. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  24. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne". Billboard.
  25. ^ "Top 10 Sports Songs". Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  26. ^ a b c d "American album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Oz". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  27. ^ a b "British album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Oz". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  28. ^ "100 Greatest Guitar Albums". Guitar World. October 2006. A copy can be found at "Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time – Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  29. ^ Osbourne, Ozzy (2011). I Am Ozzy. Grand Central Publishing. p. 248. ISBN 9780446573139. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  30. ^ a b "British album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Oz". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  31. ^ "Diary of a Madman/Blizzard of Ozz 30th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set". myplaydirect.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  32. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne". IMDb.
  33. ^ Begrand, Adrien (25 June 2002). "Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz / Diary of a Madman". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  34. ^ a b c Osbourne, Ozzy (2011). I Am Ozzy. Grand Central Publishing. p. 287. ISBN 9780446573139. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  35. ^ "News – Federal Appeals Court: Ozzy Do". Knac.Com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  36. ^ "Ozzy: I'd Never Have Removed Daisley And Kerslake From Albums". Classic Rock. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  37. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne Discusses 30th Anniversary Of 'Blizzard Of Ozz' Album On 'In The Studio'". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 26 October 2010.[permanent dead link]
  38. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0355". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  39. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  40. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  41. ^ "Charts.nz – Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  42. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  43. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  44. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  45. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Oz". Music Canada. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
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