Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne (born Dec. 3, 1948) is an English hard-rock/metal singer who gained international fame as the original frontman of Black Sabbath, which he co-founded in 1968. After recording eight studio albums with the band between 1970 and 1978, he left Sabbath in 1979 to launch a solo career.

Between 1980 and 1982, he released two albums and a live double-LP on Jet, followed by three albums on CBS between 1983 and 1988. The subsequent quarter-century yielded six further albums on Epic amid several reunions with his old band.

Background

He was born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, where he grew up in a two-bedroom house with five siblings. His nickname “Ozzy” dates to primary school, where he dealt with dyslexia and acted in plays. Upon hearing The Beatles at age 14, he decided to become a musician. After leaving school at age 15, he dabbled in crime (landing six weeks in Winson Green Prison) and worked assorted manual labour jobs.

In 1967, Osbourne joined the band Rare Breed, formed by bassist Geezer Butler. The following year, they regrouped in the blues combo Polka Tulk with guitarist Tony Iommi and Bill Ward. This band morphed into Black Sabbath, one of the founding acts of heavy metal. With Osbourne as lead vocalist, they released eight studio albums between 1970 and 1978. Amid mounting tensions and personal difficulties, Ozzy left the band in 1979.

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Discography:

• Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
• Diary of a Madman (1981)
• Speak of the Devil (live, 1982)
• Bark at the Moon (1983)
• The Ultimate Sin (1986)
• No Rest for the Wicked (1988)
• No More Tears (1991)
• Ozzmosis (1995)

Sources:

• Discogs: Ozzy Osbourne