Tell Me What You Know About Ozzy

He bit the head off a dove at a showcase gig for Columbia Records executives.

 

He's the Prince of Darkness.

 

My favorite Ozzy story is how when he went to the Betty Ford Center the first thing he did was ask, 'Where's the bar?" He said he thought the idea was that they were going to teach him to drink like a gentleman.

 

I think I first heard the ant snorting story in The Dirt, the Motley Crue biography. Seems true!

 

He has a very unusual voice type for hard rock/heavy metal (I don't actually categorise Sabbath as HM, but that's a debate for another day...) - a high tenor. I know he is not the only high tenor in hard rock (Geddy Lee was almost a treble at times and Jack Bruce was up there, too) but he had one of those instantly identifiable voices.

I could be wrong but I think a tenor's voice tends to be more susceptible to loss of range as the tenor ages. Placido Domingo, for instance, is now singing teh baritone repertoire (he began as a baritone, then switched to tenor very early in his career).

 

I'd be willing to bet Ozzy has probably worked with vocal coaches, at least in recent years.
Doubtful he did in the 70 and early 80s, and possibly that has a lot to do with his decline.
In the 90s, baritone singers performing over a detuned band was popular. This could of bought Ozzy a little time. This all pales in comparison to a proper rendition of "Symptom of the universe" to me.
By the mid 90's,I think Ozzy music sales were declining, hence running package tours, rejoining BS, the TV show..blah blah ---I liked Ozzy better when he actually had a mystique...

 

He fell off a chair and made me laugh out loud!

 

So, he is considered baritone all the way to high tenor?

The opera singer who critiqued him said he has limited range. How could she know from one song?

My ear tells me otherwise. But I'm not an opera singer.

Anyone know much about him recording himself singing and using the recordings with his live voice?

 

Tim 1954- thanks for the rebuttle to the "he peed his pants" comment.

I read somewhere else where someone said he had stagefright but from what I saw of live recordings from 1970 said otherwise. The man is goregous up there, so animated.

 

Eric777- he always has been a LOVEABLE goof. Go to YouTube amd search "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" video. There are sections of the video where he is a total goof and so f'n cute. There's def a dark side though.

 

Thanks everyone. Sorry for multiple posts. I really want to respond to all input.

Sorry if if I haven't responded to yours.

 

Real name John
British
Once in Black Sabbath
Yells Sharon a lot
Throws water on his fans
Friends with Jim norton
Had a tv show
Speaks like he has brain damage
Has a drivers license
Male



I hope this detailed information helps

 

I caught an episode of The Osbournes where he is seen doing vocal exercises (scales) prior to a gig.

I think it was extremely rare for rock singer to have any kind of vocal coaching in the 60s/70s, although both David Bowie and Scott Walker had some tuition in the 60s, I believe. In Walker's case, it was to refine some problems of technique associated with his naturally fine instrument.

I'm sure O.O. is not the only veteran rock singer who now has to be 'careful' and do exercises/employ voice coaches to ensure the longevity of what they have left.

Hearing Ian Gillan screaming through the D.P. repertoire in the early 70s makes me shudder - he had an incredible sound but I can't help but think of the damage he was doing to his vocal chords. And, as is now generally acknowledged, Robert Plant blew his 'classic' voice as early as 1972.

 

Ozzie Nelson?

 

I like Black sabbath and ozzy osbourne's music.

This is a beautiful ozzy osbourne's Duet with Lita Ford (1988
I found the song very touching, I like the emotional ozzy osbourne vocals , a perfect match for duet with Lita Ford , the melodies and the vocals, they expresses melancholic beauty and power.
this song could be as a soundtrack.

Lita Ford - ozzy osbourne
Close My eyes Forever

 

He has always been “Ozzy” but there is a dramatic difference between what he was in the 70’s and the 80’s. Of course this is true for a lot of artists but I think Ozzy being fired from Sabbath and then wanting so badly to prove himself on his own caused him to go off the deep end in terms of image. Add drug and alcohol abuse that was probably at its very worst.

He has sort of found a balance now in terms of image, but IMO what he was in the 70’s was different, and spoke to me much more than what he became. But again, I could say this about so many artists. Maybe I’m just old.

 

tim- times he's always neen Ozzy. But loveable goofy too. Even 80's. Watch some live footage of him and Randy live. Oh and of course there's the time when he picked Randy up.

I've gotta do more reading and watching. Haven't gotten much farther then Randy days yet.

 

I love classic era black sabbath & most of his solo stuff from blizzard to no rest for the wicked.
And yet I don't think of him as having a particularly good voice.

 

Heres when Ozzy could sing.. just one example

Best cranked.........

 

Besides what's been said about Ozzy, I don't have anything to add other than a one time experience at the grocery store. This was in 1991 IIRC, I was browsing the magazine rack and came across a magazine that said "Confidential" at the top and it had Ozzy featured on the cover. I read part of the article and it stated that Ozzy had a stroke. I never saw the magazine again and have not read anything on the web about this. It may have been a tabloid magazine but it was not in that section. The other thing I remember about Ozzy was his weight loss from being heavier in the late 80s to being quite thin and frail looking in the early 90s. So this stroke story and his speech issues have always been on the back of my mind but like I said I have not heard or read anything to this date about Ozzy actually having a stroke. But the magazine disappearing that fast was kind of odd.

 

I don't know about a stroke, but he has Parkin Syndrome, which is similar to Parkinson's Disease. This is a big part of why he has shaking, posture problems, slurred speech...

Osbourne Diagnosed With Parkin Syndrome

 

OMGosh you guys!!!! I just got home from seeing Ozzy at Aftershock in Sacramento, CA. He was f'ing badass. I loved how he sounded and he actually jumped pretty darn high once. We were one row back from the railing. There were 2 bands we saw before him and we just kept inching forward. Stood for like 4 hours before he showed. 40,000 people. I can't sleep.

 

Anyone else help me out with info about Ozzy?

I met a guy at the concert last night said his wife went to a book signing and they told her not to touch him. Is this standard?

 

Ozzy has been blessed to play with some very good guitarists.

 

Sounds like the beginning of Sweet Leaf at the end! The dog was genuinely concerned!