Posts Tagged ‘wife’

10 Best Ozzy Osbourne Solo Songs

Larry Busacca, Getty Images As the ’70s turned into the ’80s, Ozzy Osbourne was trying to figure out his next move after his ousting from Black Sabbath . What he did was embark on a very successful solo career that was lasted more than 30 years. In addition to releasing a number of memorable tunes over the past three decades, Ozzy has selected some virtuoso musicians to record with him, including the incomparable Randy Rhoads and the very talented Zakk Wylde. While Osbourne has reunited with Sabbath on several occasions and is recording a new album with the heavy metal legends, we’re taking a look at some of the best music that Osbourne’s solo career has produced. So, stick with us as we take our “shot in the dark” at counting down the 10 Best Ozzy Osbourne Solo Songs: 10 ‘Over the Mountain’ From: ‘Diary of a Madman’ (1981) If you need some drums to kick your ass, Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Over the Mountain’ might just do the trick. Lee Kerslake’s furious flurry of beats not only kicks off the song but also offers the opening notes of the ‘Diary of a Madman’ album. The fantastical Osbourne track takes listeners through a dreamland with an invitation to join him on his journey. Listen to ‘Over the Mountain’ 9 ‘Suicide Solution’ From: ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980) ‘Suicide Solution’ may be the most controversial songs Ozzy Osbourne has ever released. Osbourne stated that the song was a tribute to the late Bon Scott, who died of alcohol poisoning, while bassist Bob Daisley who wrote the track says that Osbourne himself, who was struggling with alcoholism, was the inspiration. There was also the matter of the title, which sparked a lawsuit when a depressed teen shot himself. But controversy or not, the song rocks with Randy Rhoads’ chugging guitar and Osbourne’s wail leading the way. Listen to ‘Suicide Solution’ 8 ‘Gets Me Through’ From: ‘Down to Earth’ (2001) What is Ozzy really all about? The singer attempted to clear it up in the 2001 song ‘Gets Me Through,’ which he wrote as a thank you and explanation to his fans. In the song, Osbourne states, “ I’m not the Anti-Christ or the Iron Man ,” thus separating the man from the image. The song itself starts with keyboard before guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin grunge up this trudging rocker. Listen to ‘Gets Me Through’ 7 ‘Mr. Crowley’ From: ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980) ‘Mr. Crowley’ is a solid choice for the 10 best Ozzy Osbourne songs as it smoothed the singer’s transition from Black Sabbath frontman to solo artist. Osbourne’s dark side fully intact, the singer created a song about black magic practitioner Aleister Crowley and his sinister ways. The track launches with the distinctive organ solo from Don Airey before the rhythmic rocker kicks in. Listen to ‘Mr. Crowley’ 6 ‘Shot in the Dark’ From: ‘The Ultimate Sin’ (1986) ‘Shot in the Dark’ makes the 10 best Ozzy Osbourne songs as one of the more instantly recognizable tracks of the singer’s career. The catchy mid-’80s rocker was penned by bassist Phil Soussan and altered to Osbourne’s specifications. Easily one of the more radio-friendly songs of the singer’s career, the track does still rock with wailing guitar work from Jake E. Lee and a driving beat laid down by Randy Castillo. Listen to ‘Shot in the Dark’ 5 ‘Flying High Again’ From: ‘Diary of a Madman’ (1981) Osbourne’s affinity for drugs did occasionally find its way into song and ‘Flying High Again’ is a perfect example. In the lyrics, Osbourne shares his concern, stating, “ Mama’s gonna worry / I been a bad, bad boy / No use sayin’ sorry / It’s something I enjoy .” Then rationalizing his behavior, he adds, “ If you could be inside of me / you’d see, you’d see what light I see / flyin’ high again, alright! “ Listen to ‘Flying High Again’ 4 ‘Mama I’m Coming Home’ From: ‘No More Tears’ (1991) Here’s the rare non-rocker on our list of 10 best Ozzy Osbourne songs. But this song was a major hit in the era of the power ballad and its success was all the sweeter for Osbourne as it was a love song to his wife Sharon. The track, co-written with Zakk Wylde and Lemmy Kilmister , was penned about his proposed retirement from music and his return home to his lady love after his support of the album was complete. Listen to ‘Mama I’m Coming Home’ 3 ‘Bark at the Moon’ From: ‘Bark at the Moon’ (1983) ‘Bark at the Moon’ finds Osbourne once again digging into mythical territory for inspiration, as the track follows a beast that terrorizes a town, was killed and then was resurrected to wreak even more havoc. Musically, the guitar work from Jake E. Lee is top notch with a driving riff that is easily one of the most recognizable licks from Osbourne’s catalog. Listen to ‘Bark at the Moon’ 2 ‘No More Tears’ From: ‘No More Tears’ (1991) Ozzy Osbourne stated in his ‘Prince of Darkness’ liner notes that the song ‘No More Tears’ was “a gift from God,” and we’re not ones to disagree. The Bob Daisley bass line that opens the track pulls the listener in, while chugging Zakk Wylde guitar licks propel the song’s verses. The track also features an extensive bridge infused with keyboards, piano and what sounds like a string backing before finishing out with a fury. Listen to ‘No More Tears’ 1 ‘Crazy Train’ From: ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980) No surprise here — ‘Crazy Train’ is the best Ozzy Osbourne song of all time. It’s the song that signified that Osbourne’s move to a solo career was a wise one. Guitarist Randy Rhoads “doubled” his parts for the song’s very difficult solo, in the process delivering one of the most admired licks in rock history. As for the lyrical content, Osbourne addressed the crazy state of the world during the Cold War and offered the uplifting message, “ Maybe it’s not too late / To learn how to love and forget how to hate .” Simply put, ‘Crazy Train’ is not only one of Ozzy’s best, but one of the best rock songs ever. Listen to ‘Crazy Train’ What Is Your Favorite Ozzy Osbourne Song? We’ve show you our list and now it’s your turn to tell us if we got it right. What is your favorite Ozzy Osbourne song and did it make the list where you think it should have? Is there something we completely missed that you can’t believe didn’t make the cut? If so, what song would you knock off to replace it? Let us know your thoughts on the 10 Best Ozzy Osbourne Solo Songs list in the comments section below.

King’s X Drummer Jerry Gaskill Loses Almost All His Possessions in Hurricane Sandy

InsideOut Music King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill has been hit with a bit of bad luck lately. Back in February, he suffered a heart attack and underwent emergency surgery before recovering and leaving the hospital after three weeks under professional care. Now, Gaskill and his wife Julie have suffered great losses due to Hurricane Sandy, including losing almost all of their belongings and being dislodged from their home on the coast of New Jersey. Friends and fans have reached out to Gaskill to offer support during this trying time, and he’s notably moved. “Hey everybody. Julie and I want to again sincerely thank everyone all over the world for the overwhelming love and support during this devastating time for so many,” he said in an online posting. “I believe somehow things will be better than ever, just like when I died. I think Julie said it the best. She said, ‘It’s been quite a banner year for us. First you died, then we got married and now we’re homeless.’ “Because of all your love, we have hope. We thank you now and we will thank you always. I have a feeling that 2013 could just be a good year.” “All our love… Jerry and Julie.” If you would like to donate to help Gaskill rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, head to Give Forward . Note that donations will be treated as a gift, meaning they won’t be tax deductible.

Zakk Wylde Praises Randy Rhoads, Talks Black Sabbath + Recalls Funny Ozzy Osbourne Moment

Jo Hale, Getty Images Black Label Society  recently wrapped up a Canadian tour, and  Rock Cellar caught up with frontman  Zakk Wylde for a wide-ranging conversation about those shows and numerous other subjects. Wylde talked about the influence the late guitarist Randy Rhoads had on him. “One of the biggest things I learned from him is construction, and where you can go with a solo by playing Randy’s music. He was a brilliant soloist who had such a melodic sense — there’d be a beginning, middle and end, as he could tell a whole story in a song.” When Wylde joined Ozzy Osbourne’s band in 1987, he said his aim was to remain faithful to Rhoads’ guitar playing as much as possible. “Even those very first shows, everyone was rooting for me because they knew I was on the team, and loved Randy Rhoads as much as they did. They could see I played Randy’s stuff exactly his way, and had the highest respect for what he did. There’s no way you can fill his shoes, so you just have to give respect to his music and play it accurately. You have to, because this is the house that Rhoads built. And without Randy Rhoads, there never would have been a Zakk Wylde.” A huge fan of Black Sabbath, Wylde and his wife recently had a son and named him Sabbath . He gave his take on the new album Sabbath is in the midst of recording. “Put it this way – if anybody’s going to be working on the new Sabbath record, it couldn’t be in better hands than [producer] Rick Rubin,” Wylde said. “Father Rubin is a massive Sabbath fan as well, and if anything Rick is going to make sure it turns out to be an awesome Sabbath record.” The interview also features Wylde recalling a funny encounter that happened when Ozzy Osbourne visited him at his studio. “He looks up at this poster I have on the wall of Aleister Crowley, and he goes, ‘Zakk  [assuming Ozzy’s voice ], who’s the fucking bald-headed c–t on the wall?’ And I’m just f—ing cracking up.  So Ozzy says, “What the f—’s so funny?” And I said, ‘Dude, you don’t know who that is?’ Ozzy goes, ‘Why the f— should I know who he is? Who the f— is it?’ So I said, ‘Ozzy, you’ve only been singing about him for the last 30 f—ing years! It’s Aleister Crowley, bro!’ There’s a pause, then Ozzy says, ‘Oh, is that what he looks like?’ I kid you not.” In addition to being a guitar wizard, Wylde is a man of many other talents as well. He has a line of signature hot sauces, hosts a sports talk radio show and wrote the book ‘ Bringing Metal to the Children ‘ that was released earlier this year. Black Label Society head south for a tour that begins Nov. 11 in Mexico, which will also take them to Argentina and Brazil. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/zakk-wylde-to-host-sports-talk-radio-show/” title=”Next: Zakk Wylde to Host Sports Radio Show” align=”center”]

Korn Guitarist James ‘Munky’ Shaffer and Wife Welcome Baby Boy

Ethan Miller, Getty Images For fans of Korn , we’ve got some big news. And for fans of Baby Korn, we’ve got even bigger news! It’s time to light up a cigar for Korn guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer and his wife Evis, who just added a new member to their family. Son D’Angelo DraXon Shaffer was welcomed into the world Wednesday, Nov. 7. Shaffer’s wife Evis delivered the news in a Facebook posting. She explained, “My husband James and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son D’Angelo DraXon Shaffer, born simply perfect this beautiful day of Nov. 7, 2012 8:44AM at 8 pounds, 3 ounces. We are so excited to share this joyful news of our little angel’s arrival.” The guitarist also has a daughter from a previous relationship. The new arrival should give Shaffer a brief respite from the music, but perhaps only temporarily as he’s been promoting his Fear and the Nervous System project and taking care of his Korn duties. Korn recently issued the concert disc ‘The Path of Totality Tour — Live at the Hollywood Palladium,’ and the guitarist recently revealed that creative sessions for their next album were currently under way. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/korn-members-stage-name-origins/” title=”Next: Korn Member Stage Name Origins” align=”center”]

Ozzy Osbourne Elected President of Heavy Metal

What an amazing election! After close calls, intense moments and incredible campaign efforts, the President of Heavy Metal has finally been elected. The winner is the one and only  Ozzy Osbourne . The Black Sabbath singer has captured the hearts of heavy metal music fans with his wailing voice and legendary debauchery, leading him to the evil office in a nail-bitingly close final round. Defeating GWAR’s Oderus Urungus , Maynard James Keenan and Rob Halford in previous rounds, the final battle pitted Ozzy against Rob Zombie . Zombie himself had defeated such legends as Bruce Dickinson , Dave Mustaine and Lemmy Kilmister on his way to the final round. The lead changed hands a number of times as both Zombie and Ozzy began to actually campaign for the title of President, with Zombie’s team creating custom graphics for multiple Facebook posts and Ozzy’s team busting out an old ‘Ozzy for President’ button and enlisting the help of his wife Sharon and son Jack to collect votes via Twitter. After roughly 100,000 votes, Ozzy edged out Zombie by a margin of 50.82 percent to 49.18 percent. Congrats to the ‘Prince of Darkness’ for winning Loudwire’s inaugural President of Heavy Metal Election and thanks to everyone who voted and made this whole race such a blast! Full President of Heavy Metal Election Bracket: Campaign Artwork: [button href=”http://loudwire.com/ozzy-osbourne-bark-at-the-moon-halloween-light-show-texas/” title=”Next: Watch a ‘Bark at the Moon’ Halloween Light Show” align=”center”]

Suicide Silence Launch Donation Page to Benefit Daughter of Late Singer Mitch Lucker

The metal world has been severely shaken since the death of Suicide Silence vocalist Mitch Lucker . The vocalist struck a light pole on Halloween night while riding his 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle, dying from his injuries early the next morning. In memory of Mitch Lucker and for the benefit of his 5-year-0ld daughter Kenadee, Suicide Silence have started an official donation page with all proceeds going towards Kenadee’s education fund. For those who donate $20 or more to the fund, you’ll receive a memorial Mitch Lucker t-shirt, pictured left. For any donation under $20, your name will be added to a tribute page coming soon on SuicideSilence.net. As publicly revealed by the wife of Mitch Lucker, the singer had issues with alcohol that led to his fatal motorcycle crash. “He was an alcoholic, and it’s been a big battle,” said Lucker’s wife at a candlelight vigil . “I tried to stop him. I was in front of him begging him not to leave the house. Begging him, ‘Just seriously, for us, don’t leave,’ and he did. And this is what happened.” To donate any amount of money to the Mitch Lucker Memorial Fund, click here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/joe-siracuse-death-2012/” title=”See the Rockers We’ve Lost in 2012″ align=”center”]

Daily Reload: Slash, Marilyn Manson + More

Larry Busacca, Getty Images – Slash typically takes the high road where Axl Rose is concerned, but his wife got in a jab at the Guns N’ Roses singer’s weighty ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ appearance. [ Loudwire ] – The ever-spooky Marilyn Manson seems like an ideal choice to soundtrack a family’s Halloween display. Watch the ‘This Is Halloween’ light show. [ Loudwire ] – The Foo Fighters may be taking an extended break, but that just means it’s the perfect time to reflect on the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs. [ Loudwire ] – Are you ready for the second annual National Metal Day? Find out what metal favorites will be turning up on VH1 Classic Nov. 11. [ Loudwire ] – In honor of Halloween, check out this list of horror movies that inspired songs. [ Loudwire ] – The Rolling Stones finally returned to the stage, playing a small club show in Paris. See the set list and watch some footage. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Twisted Sister are ready to go to war over businesses utilizing their band name. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Looking to add to your Metallica collection? A 2003 Orlando show is available as a free download. [ Ultimate Metallica ] – All That Remains have debuted a new lyric video for ‘You Can’t Fill My Shadow.’ [ Rock Music Report ] – Foster the People vocalist Mark Foster got tossed from watching a Prince club gig in Los Angeles. [ Diffuser.fm ]