I am currently reading Ozzy’s new autobiography I AM OZZY. It’s a very,very funny read. Ozzy is a very funny guy who has led a very interesting life to say the least.
One thing that comes through loud and clear is how doggedly determined Black Sabbath were to succeed in the early days. They would do anything to get ahead in the music game.
Ozzy was quite the careerist it tuns out!
One idea they had was to simply drive their van to the biggest venues in Birmingham whenever a big act came to town on the off chance that the band booked to play would somehow not show up and the desperate promoter would somehow agree to put a band nobody had heard of – Black Sabbath- on instead.
A laughably desperate and pathetic tactic.
But guess what, it worked!
One night Ozzy and the band were parked outside the Birmingham Roxy praying that Jethro Tull’s tour bus had turned into a fireball on the M1 motorway. And it had. Sort of.
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi had the balls to approach the theater manager offer to go on instead. The manager, desperate to avoid a riot, agreed.
Black Sabbath played the best gig of their short career in front of a huge crowd and they were on their way.
Jethro Tull singer Ian Anderson somehow got a ride to the gig and was impressed enough to try to hire Tony Iommi to play with Tull.
Everyone wants to be a rock star but Ozzy and the boys NEEDED to be rock stars. They had nothing to lose and they went for it.
Who dares wins!
ESCAPOLOGY (the escape pod's blog) 
Pingback: Tweets that mention LIFE LESSONS FROM OZZY OSBOURNE | ESCAPOLOGY (the escape pod’s blog) -- Topsy.com
love the attitude.
just proves that having more options makes you lazy and too comfortable. instead they took each chance as it is the only one they’ll EVER get and gave it 100%.
this “rock’n’roll tactics” are very applicable to our job.
agree riki. like bill bernbach said, the energetic displaces the passive. it’s a dog eat dog world. it was no accident that Black Sabbath made it. they were desperate to make it. great book.
“Bubbles! Oh come on Sharon! I’m fucking Ozzy Osbourne, I’m the Prince of fucking Darkness. Evil! Evil! What’s fucking evil about a shitload of bubbles!?”
Somehow, I can’t help thinking if I said that, it just wouldn’t be the same.
i loved that show Rant. It really elevated Ozzy, and the clan, to royalty status. and, as the line illustrates, it made great use of Ozzy’s sense of humor. the constant slightly outraged Birmingham lilt.
I loved the first couple of series, but I felt after that the programme seemed to stop laughing with him and started laughing at him. It all got a bit sad towards the end. Fortunately I don’t think the viewing public ever joined in and they always loved him.
Rant,
this reminds me of MTV’s The Osbournes slogan:
“They put fun into dysfunctional.”
genius.
Keef Richards bio is a spliffing good read.
He seems like a nice guy, though he is legendarily a prick. They all had to pitch in and forgoe their share of $ from pub-gigs to pay Charlie. Interestingly, he says Charlie was the lynchpin that made it happen.
Saw Killer Kane (NY Dolls) doc again the other night. What a beautiful and sad piece of work. The older I get, the more mistrustful I am of the past (and of the future for that matter).
Arthur let the past consume him; he forgot the present. I’ve seen
this a lot w/ entertainment types obsessed with a film/script/meeting/role/almost role that took place back in 04 or 94
or even 84. It’s a fucked up world, but you can’t let it win.
the keef bio is next. nobody can be as funny as ozzy but i bet keef has some great stories. and yes, poor old Arthur Kane. very poignant doc.
One of my favorite bands. Seen them 3 times but sadly in their later years. But aside from the terrible first show (Ozzy sucked the band rocked) the second 2 were incredible. I am trying to find the Rolling Stone Interview from 1-2 years back that was hilarious. Meantime one of the greats reviewed them in 1970..Lester Bangs
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/black-sabbath-19700917
never saw ozzy. saw black sabbath w Ian Gillan as vocalist. but that wasn’t optimal. ozzy calls that RS review out in the book. he hated lester bangs with a vengeance. metal never got any love from music mags. grrrr…