With the release of Blizzard of Ozz, on Sept. 20th, 1980, Ozzy Osborne initiated one of the most improbable career comebacks in rock history, silencing scores of unbelievers who felt the former Black Sabbath singer could never make it on his own. Ozzy himself was possibily one of those doubters.
So low was Osbourne’s self-esteem after being dismissed by Sabbath, in April 1979, that he would waste months wallowing in self-pity, sequestered in a seedy L.A. motel, while continuing to indulge in his numerous vices. In the end, it took an outcast of similar proportions with his future manager and, then later, wife, Sharon Arden to come to Ozzy’s rescue, at a time when she was looking to break ranks with her father, legendary artist manager Don Arden who, coincidentally was still in charge of Black Sabbath
In each other, Ozzy and Sharon saw something no one else did: hope. And so they started searching high and low for accomplices also willing to take a chance on Osbourne. Though the going was tough and the only label willing to offer a contract was Jet Records, they eventually found former Randy Rhoads from Quiet Riot a guitar prodigy who amazed Ozzy with his formidable musical talents and songwriting abilities.
Randy Rhoads flew to England in November 1979 to join Ozzy and Australian-born bassist Bob Daisley (ex-Rainbow, Widowmaker, Chicken Shack and Kahvas Jute) for rehearsals in the seclusion of the Welsh countryside, backed by a virtual cavalcade of stand-in drummers. it was another veteran musician, longtime Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake, who wound up completing the formation informally baptized as the “Blizzard of Ozz” (based on an old suggestion from Ozzy’s dad).
Osbourne’s former bandmates in Black Sabbath had piled on the pressure by delivering a triumphant return to form in Heaven and Hell their first studio album with the newly aqquired lead singer Ronnie James Dio which bowled over fans and critics and quickly shot into the U.K. Top 10. All this while the Blizzard of Ozz was simultaneously hard at work in rural Ridge Farm Studios, hacking away at their as yet untitled debut.
Osbourne, Rhoads, Daisley, Kerslake and session keyboardist Don Airey produced a stunning set of songs built around Rhoads’ uncanny mastery of classically-trained lead and rhythm guitar work, Daisley’s evocative lyrics, Kerslake’s song-arranging experience, and Osbourne’s inimitable voice and charisma.
Those songs have since become standards of Ozzy Osbourne’s concert performances — especially the explosive call-to-arms of “I Don’t Know,” the ready-made hit single that was “Crazy Train,” the cautionary tale of “Suicide Solution” and the gothic fan favorite, “Mr. Crowley,” which benefited from a timeless cathedral synth intro by the talented Mr. Airey. Nestled amidst these popular all-timers were the heartfelt ballad “Goodbye to Romance” (Ozzy’s sad adieu to Sabbath), a pair of relentless heavy rockers in “No Bone Movies” and “Steal Away (The Night)” and twin showcases of Rhoads’ versatile talents in the acoustic interlude “Dee” and neoclassical epic “Revelation (Mother Earth).”
Blizzard of Ozz — as the album was ultimately named so that Ozzy’s brand could be given top billing gave Osbourne exactly the kind of impressive retort needed to silence his critics and counter Sabbath’s own confident rebirth behind Dio. Blizzard didn’t even gain a U.S. release until March 1981. But it would ultimately win the marathon, selling in excess of 5 million copies worldwide.
Ironically, just weeks after the album’s European release, yet still months away from its arrival in America, Osbourne’s new band was already hard at work recording its follow-up, “Diary of a Madman”.
Blizzard of Ozz — the album — went down as a heavy metal classic. Its songs have remained the very backbone of Osbourne’s solo career, well beyond Rhoads’ tragic death in 1982,
