By Anthony Kuzminski
It’s hard to believe but back in 1979, Ozzy Osbourne had been fired from Black Sabbath and no one seemed to care. Who could have imagined that he would one day reinvent himself into an industry all unto himself? The movies, documentaries, festivals, world tours and the television show which made him a household name; none of it would have been possible without the first two albums that defined him as a solo artist; Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. These two records set the template for his entire solo career with everything that has followed being compared to them. Besides the songs, one of the reasons for their untouchable status is because of guitarist Randy Rhoads; a one-of-a-kind guitarist who could not only shred but had equally astounding talent to hold back and compose supple sonnets of serenity. Rhoads virtuosity, Ozzy’s character and the team of Bob Daisley on bass and Lee Kerslake on drums combined created two albums that are widely regarded masterpieces all these years later.
Both albums are celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year (Blizzard was initially released in Europe in 1980 and six months later in the US). Their existence in remastered form (along with the digital realm) has been a confusing one. Initially, when Ozzy began to remaster his catalog in 1995 the album art work was shrunk and placed amidst poor and cheap looking coloring. This was done to differentiate them from the non-remasters on the market. The sound quality was pristine but the extras and artwork were lacking. In 2002, most of his catalog was reissued, but stunningly Blizzard and Madman were reissued with the bass and drums re-recorded by Osbourne’s then bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin. Let’s be honest, Trujillo and Bordin are immeasurably better musicians than either Daisley or Kerslake but the problem was the fans know these records from their own memories and newer fans discovered these songs from the radio and YouTube. However, for the first time, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madmen receives the reissue treatment they both deserve. The recordings are restored in stunning quality restored and touched up by George Marino. While the 1995 remaster sounds great, I’d give a slight nod to these recordings. Both sets include bonus material as well where between the 1995 and 2002 editions, a mere two extra songs were released. Lastly, for the uber Ozzy fan there is a box set containing both albums on CD, 180-gram LP Vinyl, a bonus live CD, a replica of Ozzy’s iconic cross, a 2-sided poster, an expansive 100-page coffee table book and the most anticipated item of the set, Thirty Years After the Blizzard DVD which has a 40-minute documentary and an additional 70-minutes of bonus material (more on this in a bit).
Blizzard of Ozz opens like a mist rising off a lake in the early morning and Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career ascends with a unleashed riff on “I Don’t Know”. The opening is punctuated by a robust rhythm section and indistinguishable vocals. This opening cut, and all of Blizzard for that matter, take the listener on a rock n’ roll roller coaster ride that never relents. “Crazy Train” has one of the most tremendous and euphoric openings ever. Finding middle ground between humor and joy, the song invades your aural senses the same way a first kiss speeds up your heartbeat. The lovely “Goodbye to Romance” shows depths of Osbourne no one knew existed before. Sure, we all heard “Changes” when he was with Sabbath, but he goes one step further in expressing his solitude in a song so superbly solemn and sweet. This new anniversary package also a new mix of the song with only Osbourne’s vocals and Rhoads’ guitar. The stripped version of the song is almost eerie. It reminds me of John Lennon from Osbourne’s vocal inflictions to the lyric writing (some of which must be credited to Bob Daisley); it gives a tip-of-the-hat to Lennon while Osbourne’s fingerprints are definitive. The instrumental acoustic “Dee” is perfect before it dovetails into the confessional and controversial “Suicide Solution”. “Mr. Crowley” is spooky with its organ/synth opening that summons spirits from the past and could have been mood music for a horror film. Even a few of the album’s lesser known songs, “No Bone Movies”, “Revelation (Mother Earth)” and “Steal Away” (The Night) are every bit as invigorating making Blizzard of Ozz not just one of the definitive albums of the hard rock-metal genre but one of the most enduring rock records of the last three decades.
There are three bonus tracks on this edition of Blizzard; the Non-LP B-side “You Looking At Me, Looking At You”, “Goodbye To Romance” in a previously unreleased guitar and vocal mix created just last year and a “RR” a never before heard Randy Rhoads guitar solo found at the end of a tape of one of the Blizzard songs. It’s featured on the documentary Thirty Years After The Blizzard where you can see Ozzy hear it for the first time. It’s a wonderful revelation and scene. The solo is short, but because of the limited amount of music Rhoads left behind, every bit of it counts. “You Looking at Me, Looking At You” is a b-side that is here in its original incarnation on CD for the first time (the 2002 reissue has the bass and drums re-recorded). The 2002 CD editions had some great liner notes and pictures surprisingly not available here, however, the biggest omission from the reissue is the song “You Said It All” from the 1980 Mr. Crowley Live EPsingle release. None of the live cuts from this EP have ever appeared digitally or on CD for that matter. “You Said It All” was cut live at sound check with crowd noise added later and it would have been a nice addition to the extra space on Blizzard, alas it was not meant to be. One can only hope that it will find a place on a more extensive all encompassing box set of outtakes and rarities one day. If the EP had been included (along with the live b-side of “I Don’t Know” included on the 2002 edition of Madman) these reissues could be definitive.
Diary of a Madman is often deemed to be the better of the two releases. I’m not sure I agree with many of this, but it does demonstrate the band’s growth as musicians and songwriters, especially Randy Rhodes. Listening to the album’s title cut, you get a sense of Rhoads bringing classical elements into Ozzy’s music and the 6-minute track is one of his greatest. Songs like “Little Dolls” show the band’s further evolution with the marching drum opening to the ending guitar solo, it’s another lost treasure in Osbourne’s catalog; ditto “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll” which reaches epic proportions especially with its 7-minute length. “Over the Mountain” and “Flying High Again” are the best known tracks and offer the album a one-two punch in its opening. “Believer” with Bob Daisley’s downright wicked bass is haunting. While the album may have an unfinished feel to it, the development in terms of performance and songwriting is noticeable, it’s only a shame Rhoads died before he could have taken Ozzy to new realms.
Included in the Legacy edition of Madman is a previously unreleased live show from the Blizzard of Ozz tour in 1981. The notes and press release do not disclose where the show is from or specifically when. Despite this, the show is nothing short of epic. Even if you own Tribute (possibly the best release in Ozzy’s entire catalog), the performances and sound here are so enlivening you can’t help but feel pulled in. I am pretty sure to my ears there are no overdubs here or any touch ups are minimal. I’m not sure if it has been recorded before or after Tribute. Based on comments, my hunch is it was recorded on he second leg of the Blizzard tour. It is Tommy Aldridge on drums and Rudy Sarzo on bass. Despite the fact that every song is on Tribute there are subtle differences in the performances making it essential for any Ozzy fan.
The box set, which includes a 100-page coffee book (which I unfortunately did not have an opportunity to view), has something that may tempt even casual fans to buy it, an exclusive DVD, Thirty Years After the Blizzard. It’s an imperfect documentary, but while it may miss some key interviews and historical aspects, it hits a home run from an emotional level. Key players Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake are not interviewed and that is a shame and a gaping hole in the history of these records. That being said, it’s not necessarily your normal type documentary. It doesn’t fit in with the Classic Album series or even a straight up documentary. Despite being a mere 40-minutes long, it’s completely engaging and if there is any major fault to it, it’s too short. Much of the documentary has contemporary musicians discussing the importance of these two records and the lasting influence of Randy Rhoads. Some of the most fascinating footage is of Zakk Wylde recreating the guitar solos note-for-note. He also does more than discuss Rhoads from an emotional standpoint but from a technical one as well since he was writing things on the guitar that there was no template for before him. Nikki Sixx has some great insight into the two records and members of Osbourne’s current touring band stand in awe of the legacy they get to recreate every night onstage but its Osbourne’s facial expressions which tell us a deeper story. Both Sharon and Ozzy give their insight to the events surrounding these albums including the Alamo and biting heads off animal incidents (yes that is plural) but it’s the ghost of Randy Rhoads that infiltrates the film like a thief in the night. I was a bit stunned to see them barely discuss the crash that took his life and to see the film end abruptly with little explanation or aftermath but in retrospect it makes complete sense. They don’t glorify the incident and the look on Osbourne’s face as he hears his voice and Rhoads guitar on a new mix of “Goodbye to Romance” is the most sobering scene in recent rock documentary memory. The Osbourne family can get a bad rap at times for an assortment of business decisions, but that being said, there’s no hiding the shock and devastation from their faces when discussing Rhoads. It’s ghostly seeing a lucid Osbourne mourn his friend and the emotions on his face say it all.
While the documentary itself may be short, there is an additional 70-minutes of additional features all of which are hard to find or rarely seen before. We get professional television performances from 1981 (“After Hours” which we have seen on YouTube but having them all here in one place is a treat. This was also years before we became addicted to cutting the camera and having as many angles as possible. Here there only seems to be two (possibly three) cameras and as a result, it usually stays on the respective member for a while. The footage of Rhoads wailing on his guitar is especially fascinating. He was doing things with the guitar few were capable of but he made look so easy. We also get a slew of bootleg footage from the 1981-1982 tours to revel in. The New York footage from 1981 is a tad rough but there’s something o be said to see someone not fully aware they’re being filmed. There are several interviews on the DVD as well, but the most fascinating clip for me is from early 1982 in New Mexico where we see Tommy Aldridge, Rudy Sarzo, Randy Rhoads and Osbourne open a show on the Diary of a Madman tour. Footage from this tour is scarce, including audio, so it’s wondrous to have it here on the DVD. Seeing “Over the Mountain” kick off the show is a thrill and the four piece band is at the top of their game. It’ a shame more footage does not exist.
Making a decision to repurchase albums you already own isn’t one that comes easy especially when the albums are being released on CD for the fourth time. However, the new 30th Anniversary editions of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman are essential purchases for both casual and die-hard Ozzy Osbourne fans. Both albums sound the best they ever have and the added bonus features take them over the top. While the deluxe box set carries a hefty price tag ($170), there is a high volume of top notch quality associated with it. Even though they fall short in terms of capturing everything, they’re still worthy additions to your musical collection even if you already own them.The bonus live CD and the DVD almost make it worth the price alone, let alone with a 100-page book throw in, it may be worth investing in. Even if you can’t afford the box, both albums are available individually and since they’re had the original performances reinstated, added bonus tracks and the best sound they have ever had makes your decision simple. These two records find Osbourne reborn and at the peak of his powers which are more than the first steps into a much larger career, but defining albums of the hard rock genre.
Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter
