Press Release
This press release appears as it was published, despite the obvious mistakes.
Heavy metal fans the world over waited with baited breath for news of their hero, Ozzy Osbourne, ever since his departure from Black Sabbath. On September 12, 1980, the long wait ended when Ozzy, with his new band, Blizzard of Ozz, commenced a massive UK tour. Any fears that Ozzy would not be able to equal the success he achieved with Sabbath were allayed with the opening of the tour in Glasgow. The press and fans alike were unanimous in their support of Ozzy. "The perennially popular Ozzy Osbourne is back more with a bang than a whimper. The king is back and this time his crown looks firmly lodged indeed." Dante Bonutto–Record "Not only is Ozzy Osbourne back in business, but he’s better than ever." Steve Brown–Musicians Only. "Sabs-like to be sure, but faster more furious and updated for the discerning 1980 cranium cracker." Geoff Barton-Sounds. Similarly the band’s debut album, Blizzard of Ozz, received rave reviews, going straight into the charts at Number 7. Steve Gett of Melody Maker wrote, "Their debut album is a killer. Oz has planned his latest onslaught with diligence." During the eleven years with Black Sabbath, Ozzy’s reputation as a wild man and hell raiser reached legendary proportions. But after eight studio albums and many world tours, Ozzy and Sabbath parted company when he realized that "we had come to a crossroads in musical direction." He azdmits that getting the right band together was not easy. "The worst thing was auditioning people. I’d never done it before; I mean, how do you tell a bloke he can’t play?" Initailly, Ozzy went to America to look for musicians. ("Britain was still into punk and I thought that I wouldn’t find the right musicians here.") After countless auditions, he got the feeling he was wrong, and then he found guitarist, Randy Rhoads. "I’d given up hope of finding anyone when someone suggested Randy to me. He’s from L.A. and played with a band called Quiet Riot. He was a guitar teacher at a local college when I asked him to join the band." Randy is already being hailed as the newest guitar hero, receiving comments such as, "In guitarist Randy Rhoads, Ozzy has struck gold, and 24-carat at that…He is destined to become a real favorite with audiences." Ozzy returned to London and bumped into ex-Rainbow bassist, Bob Daisley, at a gig. Ironically, when he left Rainbow, after having been with them for eighteen months, Bob had planned to form a band with vocalist Ronnie Die, but for one reasoner another it never happened, and Dio later went on to replace Ozzy in Sabbath. Finding a drummer proved to be the most difficult job. Countless people were heard, some lasted a few days, but nobody was right. Ozzy explains: "I’d reached the point when I was going to give up looking and just use session drummers. Lee was going to be positively the last audition." As it turned out, Lee Kerslake proved to be perfect. Lee, of course, did not have to prove that he was a good drummer, he’d already done that with eight years with Uriah Heep and eleven albums. When he left Heep in ‘79 he formed his own band, Blind Ambition, which is still In existence. Ozzy Osbourne and Blizzard of Ozz now have to prove themselves in America where they will tour in early ‘81. Judging by the response they have already received on their home territory, they’ve got nothing to worry about.