THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: ozzy osbourne

OZZY OSBOURNE – Bark At The Moon

July 21, 2023 /

I’m sure we are all familiar with this: The Great Ozberts third album and what catastrophe had gone before. The big thing for me however was how would Jake compare to Randy. Before this, Ozzy finished touring Diary Of A Madmen with Brad Gillis on guitar. I saw that tour and Brad was a total revelation. Incredible player and I was hoping he would become Ozzy’s new axeman. Obviously that never happened and Jake was the man.

The main difference between them is how they construct riffs, and Randy’s style was a lot more dark and fit perfectly with what Ozzy was aiming for. Jake’s riffs however, are more lighter and happier (if that’s the right word) and this album on the whole reflects that. Bark At The Moon and Rock N’ Roll Rebel are great songs, but it’s Centre Of Eternity that is the best track on the album as it’s one of Jakes finest riffs.

It was near impossible to follow Diary Of A Madman anyway as it’s such an iconic record. This isn’t a bad album it just has a different feel and Jake is still a killer player.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

OZZY OSBOURNE – Blizzard Of Oz

May 18, 2022 /

For all of us mere mortals who lived outside of Southern California this was the first any of us had heard of Randy Rhoads. He came out of that same Pasadena scene that EVH and George Lynch came out of, albeit a couple of years later. He played on the first two Quiet Riot albums, but they just slipped by without gaining much attention.

As soon as you heard the opening to I Don’t Know, you knew you were hearing something special. A killer tone, sound, and a great band around him made all the difference. This and Diary Of A Madman are Ozzy’s best albums and that’s all down to the band with great playing and great songwriting. The only dodgy moment on this record is Goodbye To Romance, which is alien to everything else on the album, the rest of the album is just killer and it revitalized Ozzy’s career that’s for sure. Crazy Train, Mister Crowley, and Suicide Solution are all bonafide classics in their own right and a guitar hero was born. The solo in Suicide Solution, especially live, was a sight and sound to behold. Randy is sadly missed and we only have a small body of work to enjoy but he left was killer.

9.5/10 from the Grooveman.

OZZY OSBOURNE – Speak Of The Devil

September 10, 2021 /

You will not here Sabbath songs played better anywhere. This is in no small part due to the amazing guitar of Mr. Brad Gillis. Yep, that guy from Night Ranger. After Randy died, and after a few false starts, Brad was the guy that finished the Diary tour. On two nights at the Ritz in New York, Ozzy decided to play a best of Sabbath set and record it for posterity – and this ladies and germs is it. There was a big argument between Oz and Sabbath at the time, probably due to Sharon being Sharon, and this was Ozzy’s big FU to his previous band.

There is no point in me going through the songs, as everyone will have heard them countless times. All I will say is these are the best versions I have heard of these songs, as Gillis, Sarzo, and Aldridge give them a much need shot in the arm. Brad’s guitar is on the verge of feedback constantly, and the way he controls that whilst playing some killer leads is just awesome. He never overplays, it’s just what the songs need. A fantastic album.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

OZZY OSBOURNE – Diary Of A Madman

May 25, 2021 /

After Ozzy was ejected from Sabbath (or quit – depends on who you believe), he was at a huge turning point in his career. He was addicted to just about every known chemical that he could shove in his body, and his voice and attitude in Sabbath towards the end was pretty bad. So his next step had to be a huge one and a decisive one. When he found Randy Rhoads and released the first Blizzard Of Oz album, it was a huge boost for Ozzy, but with the release of this, the 2nd album, his legendary status had been assured thanks to Mr. Rhoads.

Make no mistake about it, these songs are all about Randy. His playing on this record is outstanding – rivalling the impact EVH would have a few years earlier coming from the same breeding ground in and around the Pasadena area. Every song on offer here is the best the Ozzman recorded throughout his solo career. From the opening crunch of Over The Mountain, you know you are hearing something special. I know Sabbath die hardship would say Ozzy’s best days were there, but in reality everyone knew this band was on a different level. It would only be broken by tragedy with the untimely death of Randy in that well documented stunt/accident that went horribly wrong.

We all know and love familiar songs on the this record, but it’s the sleeper tracks like You Can’t Kill Rock And Roll where Randy destroys on the fade out that I love. I wish that had been extended a lot longer. His rhythm tone alone is incredible throughout. S.A.T.O is another track where Randy just lets loose with the incredible riff and the control of the guitar is incredible when it’s always on the edge of feedback. I think most rockers and metal heads own this, and rightly so, as it’s in the metal fans owners manual.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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