Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard Of Ozz (1980)

After the quiet implosion of Black Sabbath, the wise money was not on former vocalist, Ozzy, being the one to redeem himself musically. However, with shrewd management by his wife and a hotshot Californian in the shape of ex-Quiet Riot guitarist, Randy Rhoads, he reinvented himself and his musical persona, and created a startling debut album.



Ozzy Osbourne Paper Sleeve Collection: Complete set of TWELVE 2007 limited edition Japanese exclusive digitally remastered CD albums, offering a complete run of Ozzy's longplayers, originally released between 1981 and 2001, containing a total of 139 tracks! Featuring bonus live recordings and outtakes, with each disc superbly presented in an individual mini LP style card sleeve complete with fold-out Japanese/English lyric sheets and obi-strips.


Ozzy Osbourne's solo debut Blizzard of Ozz was a masterpiece of neo-classical metal. Upon its release, there was considerable doubt that Ozzy could become a viable solo attraction. Blizzard of Ozz demonstrated not only his ear for melody, but also an unfailing instinct for assembling top-notch backing bands. Onetime Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads was a startling discovery, arriving here as a unique, fully formed talent. Rhoads was just as responsible as Osbourne – perhaps even more so – for the album's musical direction, and his application of classical guitar techniques and scales rewrote the rulebook just as radically as Eddie Van Halen had. Rhoads could hold his own as a flashy soloist, but his detailed, ambitious compositions and arrangements revealed his true depth, as well as creating a sense of doomy, sinister elegance built on Ritchie Blackmore's minor-key innovations. All of this may seem to downplay the importance of Ozzy himself, which shouldn't be the case at all. The music is a thoroughly convincing match for his lyrical obsession with the dark side (which was never an embrace, as many conservative watchdogs assumed); so, despite its collaborative nature, it's unequivocally stamped with Ozzy's personality. What's more, the band is far more versatile and subtle than Sabbath, freeing Ozzy from his habit of singing in unison with the guitar (and proving that he had an excellent grasp of how to frame his limited voice). Nothing short of revelatory, Blizzard of Ozz deservedly made Ozzy a star, and it set new standards for musical virtuosity in the realm of heavy metal. (~ Steve Huey, AMG)

Tracklist:

01. I Don't Know
02. Crazy Train
03. Goodbye To Romance
04. Dee
05. Suicide Solution
06. Mr. Crowley
07. No Bone Movies
08. Revelation (Mother Earth)
09. Steal Away (The Night)
10. You Lookin' At Me Lookin' At You

All songs written by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, and Bob Daisley
except "4" by Rhoads & "7" by Osbourne/Rhoads/Daisley/Lee Kerslake

Produced by Osbourne, Daisley, Lee Kerslake & Rhoads
Engineered by Max Norman
Originally Recorded March 22 to April 19, 1980 at Ridge Farm Studios

Original Release Date: September 20, 1980 (UK)
Release Date: Juny 20, 2007 (March 22, 2002)
Label: Epic (Sony Music Japan)
Audio CD: [EICP 779]