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With the release of Blizzard of Ozz<\/em>\u00a0on Sept. 12, 1980, Ozzy Osbourne<\/a> initiated one of the most improbable career comebacks in rock history, silencing scores of unbelievers who felt the former Black Sabbath<\/a> singer could never make it on his own.<\/p>\n Osbourne\u00a0himself could be considered one of those doubters.<\/p>\n Indeed, so low was Osbourne\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n In the end, it took an outcast of similar proportions \u2014 future manager and, later, wife, Sharon Arden<\/a> \u2014 to come to Osbourne\u2019s rescue, at a time when she was looking to break ranks with her father, legendary artist manager Don Arden (who, coincidentally was in charge of Black Sabbath\u2019s ongoing career).<\/p>\n Ozzy and Sharon saw something in each other no one else did: hope. So they started searching for accomplices also willing to take a chance on the singer. Though the going was tough at first (the only label willing to offer a contract was Jet Records, owned by\u00a0Sharon’s dad), they eventually hit the jackpot in soon-to-be-former Quiet Riot<\/a> guitar prodigy Randy Rhoads<\/a>, who amazed Ozzy with his talent and songwriting abilities.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Ozzy Osbourne Albums Ranked<\/a><\/p>\n Rhoads flew to England in November 1979 to join Osbourne\u00a0and Australian-born bassist Bob Daisley (ex-Rainbow<\/a>, Widowmaker, Chicken Shack and Kahvas Jute) for rehearsals in the seclusion of the Welsh countryside, backed by a virtual cavalcade of stand-in drummers. But after nearly giving the gig to future Praying Mantis man Dave Potts, it was another veteran musician, longtime Uriah Heep<\/a> drummer Lee Kerslake, who wound up completing the formation informally baptized as the “Blizzard of Ozz” (based on an old suggestion from Osbourne\u2019s dad).<\/p>\n By this point, 1979 had turned into 1980, winter into spring, and Osbourne\u2019s former bandmates in Black Sabbath had piled on the pressure by delivering a triumphant return to form in Heaven and Hell<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>their first studio album with Ronnie James Dio<\/a>, which bowled over fans and critics and quickly shot into the U.K. Top 10. All this while Osbourne\u00a0was simultaneously hard at work in rural Ridge Farm Studios, hacking away at their as-yet-untitled debut.<\/p>\n Having dispensed with original producer Chris Tsangarides early (choosing to produce themselves with the help of engineer Max Norman), Osbourne, Rhoads, Daisley, Kerslake and session keyboardist Don Airey closed ranks around a stunning set of songs\u00a0anchored by Rhoads\u2019 masterful, classically inspired lead and rhythm guitar work, Daisley\u2019s evocative lyrics, Kerslake\u2019s song-arranging experience and Osbourne\u2019s inimitable voice and charisma.<\/p>\n Listen to Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Crazy Train’<\/strong><\/p>\n The results\u00a0became\u00a0longtime staples of Osbourne\u2019s concert performances \u2014 especially the explosive call-to-arms of \u201cI Don\u2019t Know,\u201d the ready-made hit single \u201cCrazy Train,\u201d the cautionary tale of \u201cSuicide Solution\u201d (later to gain controversy when it was blamed for teen suicides) and the gothic fan favorite \u201cMr. Crowley,\u201d which benefited from a timeless cathedral synth intro from Airey. Nestled amidst these popular all-timers were the heartfelt ballad \u201cGoodbye to Romance\u201d (Osbourne\u2019s sad adieu to Sabbath), a pair of relentless heavy rockers in \u201cNo Bone Movies\u201d and \u201cSteal Away (The Night)\u201d and twin showcases of Rhoads\u2019 versatile talents in the acoustic interlude \u201cDee\u201d and neoclassical epic \u201cRevelation (Mother Earth).\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> The Best Song From Every Ozzy Osbourne Solo Album<\/a><\/p>\n Blizzard of Ozz<\/em> \u2014 as the album was ultimately named so that Osbourne\u2019s brand could be given top billing (to the chagrin of some of those involved) \u2014 gave Osbourne exactly the kind of impressive retort needed to silence his critics and counter Sabbath\u2019s own confident rebirth behind Dio. Blizzard<\/em> wouldn\u2019t perform as strongly out of the gate for lack of promotional support, and it didn\u2019t even gain a U.S. release until March 1981. But it would ultimately win the marathon, selling more than 5 million copies worldwide.<\/p>\n Ironically, just weeks after the album\u2019s European release, yet still months away from its arrival in America, Osbourne\u2019s band was already hard at work recording its follow-up, Diary of a Madman<\/a><\/em>. What the rhythm section of Daisley and Kerslake never saw coming, after everything they\u2019d contributed to Osbourne\u2019s resurrection, was their impending and unceremonious replacement by Rudy Sarzo<\/a> (Randy Rhoads’ onetime Quiet Riot bandmate) and Tommy Aldridge (ex-Black Oak Arkansas<\/a>, Pat Travers, etc.). Adding insult to injury, both musicians were actually photographed for the new album\u2019s sleeve.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Ozzy Osbourne’s Guitarists: A Complete History<\/a><\/p>\n This cold-blooded act of betrayal spelled the end of the Blizzard of Ozz band \u2014 but of course, the\u00a0Blizzard of Ozz<\/em>\u00a0album would transcend such petty behavior and go down as a heavy metal classic. Its songs have remained the very backbone of Osbourne\u2019s solo career, well beyond Rhoads\u2019 death<\/a> in 1982, his many six-string replacements, the unfortunate legal battles waged between the Osbourne organization and the album\u2019s rhythm section, and of course, Osbourne\u2019s own celebrity adventures and misadventures over ensuing decades.<\/p>\n All of it thanks to the unlikely career turnaround\u00a0precipitated by Blizzard of Ozz<\/em> and the large, talented cast of characters who contributed to its creation and success.<\/p>\n Between Black Sabbath and his solo career, Ozzy Osbourne became one of the most famous frontmen in hard rock history. Here’s a look back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHow Sharon Osbourne Rescued Ozzy From Self-Destruction<\/h3>\n
Black Sabbath Vs. Ozzy: Both Acts Release Classic Albums in 1980<\/h3>\n
The ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ Band Wouldn’t Last Long<\/h3>\n
Ozzy Osbourne Year by Year Photos: 1969-2025<\/h2>\n