Black Sabbath are undoubtedly one of, if not, THE band, which created
the genre of heavy metal. There are already a handful of tribute albums
dedicated to Sabbath and countless bands who were inspired by Sabbath. Ozzy has
repeatedly said he hates being classified as a heavy metal artist however since
it has become so diverse. Alice In Chains and Bon Jovi are considered heavy
metal. See his point? If you look at his albums lately, they really aren't heavy
metal. His albums contain a diverse mix of gentle ballads to hard rocking songs
with ear splitting guitar licks. There are fans of metal who listen to Metallica
or Slayer but hate Ozzy. Then there are those who would give their next born
child just to be able to meet the man. These are our own personal tastes, but I
think there is probably a song on every one of his albums that everybody could
enjoy. Classify his music as you will, the man deserves some credit for his part
in music history. True, he has led a life of ups and downs, much of it under the
influence of various drugs (though he is now sober). He has made McDonald Happy
Meals out of various flying animals. He has been accused by just about every
religious organization to be a devil worshipper, a promoter of Satan's music.
Yes, Ozzy's life has been surrounded by highs and lows, and it is quite likely
that when he dies he will be remembered only as a lunatic madman. Who is the
real John Osbourne? Nobody but him really knows. The John Osbourne that I know
and like is just an ordinary man who plays a role. He enjoys making kids happy
and going crazy on stage. Sure he has made some mistakes in the past, and the
media propagates these because he is a world famous celebrity. John Osbourne
eats and sleeps the same way you and I do, and he has feelings just as we do.
His wife is conservative, dresses in stylish attire and conducts herself as a
professional manager. She is not a groupie, nor does she conduct herself in any
appropriate ways. Sometimes, because she is the wife of Ozzy she is not taken
seriously, but this woman is every bit competent as the next manager out there.
The two of them have made some excellent business investments which have enabled
them to lead a very wealthy life. They have also helped small bands get off on a
good start. Take for example, Motley Crue. While the Crue was still a club band,
Ozzy allowed them to tour with him and thus helping them become more popular. It
is painfully obvious that he is getting old though. He no longer jumps up and
down like a wild man, no longer runs back and forth from one end of the stage to
the other. His later concerts show him either standing at the mic, hopping up
and down or walking from one end of the stage to the other. His voice can no
longer make all the high notes it once did, and he will sometimes mouth curses
at his frustration with this. Nobody knows what lies ahead down the road for
Ozzy Osbourne. The one thing I do know however is that his shows continue to
sell out, his albums continue to sell millions and millions. I wonder what will
he be doing when he is eighty years old, if he is alive. I think even if it was
Ozzy doing karaoke in a wheelchair at a small bar, the crowds would still come
out to see him. His fans and I can only hope he will be around to entertain us
for some time to come. We love you Ozzy!
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