Dan Goes To Ozzy Osbourne Concerts

 Well how do I begin this? The second sentence in and I'm just scratching the surface on this one. People who know me really know what I'm talking about. I'm clearly a music fanatic, I mean... you're reading this… on my blog… about going to concerts… but let me just say, there is just one artist that makes the fan boy in me squeal like a little girl.

Mr. Ozzy Osbourne. The madman of metal, the prince of darkness, father of 6. He's done more drugs than his music idols The Beatles all combined and then some. He's been evaluated by science as a genetic mutant through the use of his genome in the human genome project. He fronted the band Black Sabbath only to be kicked out and continue on to have one of the most successful solo careers of all time. There's Ozzy then there's his guitarist, whether he is being fronted by the beloved and missed Randy Rhoads, the blazing fast Jake E. Lee or the tried and true Zakk Wylde, also the newcomer Gus G. In the past 11 albums the guitarist no doubt outline the albums. But Ozzy is the front man, shocking and coloring in the lines, and making headlines since 1972. You're probably all familiar with the exhausted stories of biting the head off of a dove, or more famously a bat, pissing on the Alamo wearing Sharon’s wedding dress, or shooting down all of the cats in his house. He even died and came back to life when he had his ATV accident. So he’s basically a real life zombie. Heyyy Heyyy do the Zombie Stomp! (Ozzy song, which I shouldn’t have to clarify to you non believers!!!)
Regardless of what he is to you, he sits high up top the music constant that I so appreciate. When there is so much inconsistency in the world, you can always turn on a record and let the music take you away. There is no more ideal sound that makes it way through my ears and into my brain like the screaming guitar and biting vocals of Ozzy Osborne. Sabbath years, solo. You name it, I love it. My father instilled a love for Ozzy in me at a very young age. I remember not being able to tell Ozzy solo and Ozzy in Black Sabbath, but I knew Ozzy’s voice, and I knew I loved it. Let me put into perspective my early obsession towards the Ozzy. Picture me in 6^th grade, wearing an Ozzy shirt, walking around with a binder full of, what? School work? No, of course not, pictures of Ozzy! I also remember when the Osbournes came out, it upset me in so many ways. Suddenly there were people making fun of the dude that rocked my brain the hardest. People didn’t even know that Ozzy was a singer >.< blasphemy. I even had a nickname in Jr. High. Yep… “Ozzy”.

       Well holy snap Dan, the guy who goes to concerts, certainly you must have a good story or two about this guy. Who... Ozzy? You're goddamn right I do. There's already been a big bite taken out of this legacy when I wrote my blog post Dan Goes To Black Sabbath Concerts. Indeed that outlines my Dio and Ozzy fronted Sabbath experiences. But what about the Ozz Man? The man I've worshiped since I was in elementary school. Well let's start here...

...Freefest: that was the name of Ozzfest that particular year. Nestled in the hills of Devore, CA. Sharon and Ozzy decided that it was time to give back to the metal fans. They orchestrated an entirely free Ozzfest for people to be able to attend. Unfortunately this show was the beginning of a quick and ultimate demise of Ozzfest and truly there were no bands that I cared too much about. There were a handful of recognizable names to come out before Ozzy. Bands like Lamb Of God, Lordi, Static X, Behemoth, Nile. The rest of the artist lineup was a sea of acts lesser known to me. This wasn't an issue for me, because this was going to be my first time seeing Ozzy and truly that's all I cared about. It was a good time regardless, I remember falling down in the mosh pit which scared the crap out of me. And that was my first set of concert boobies that I saw. 

Ramping up the audience and bringing me to tears of joy (legit). Bark at the moon, already I'm just dying. It's almost hard to re live that performance. It was a cacophony of emotion and sound. Again, the fact that I was brought to tears of joy for the first time ever, should really outline my general feelings. It was epic, it was the Ozzman. I had watched the show clips and DVDs and I was taken in by the Ozzman as so many have been before. You'll never know the power of a front man until you're riding in the passenger seat of Ozzy's crazy train. The only downside to the whole thing was the fact that it took 2 hours to exit the parking lot. But I was tipsy from the excitement, so I just kicked back and waited.

Well... that's it folks.

No... stop... of course that's not it. I'm just getting started.

How about the time I shook Ozzy's hand?

Fuck you Dan, no you didn't! Yeah... I DID!

I Am Ozzy was the name of Ozzy's newest book, and I came across the discovery of a book signing that was going to take place in Huntington Beach. So me and my friend James Lane got in his car and took off to get ourselves there. We got our books, and I kid you not we waited for hours and hours and hours to get that book signed. But it was cool waiting in a line full of people anxious to get their book signed by Ozzy. The only thing I wasn't a fan of, was the fact that it was so rushed. It was crowded and rushed. I couldn't have had more than 15 seconds face to face with Ozzy. And I was so damn star struck I was walking away before I regained consciousness. I just know that I shook his hand said thanks for all the music and got mumbled at by him!

Yeah, that was the FIRST time I shook his hand! Aw... hell what?

Yeah, the second occasion was much sexier. So here's the scoop; me and again my buddy James along with a couple other guys headed to Hollywood to wait outside of the Amoeba records to get the opportunity to fetch Ozzy's newest album Scream. We got there early too because it was a limited engagement, only a few hundred people were given the opportunity to receive the album two days before release and get it signed. Again it was very rushed, very crowded, and I got mumbled at again. But I got to once again absorb some drugs through Ozzy's hand. I'm sure there was some sort of contact high! Yeah, but that's only part of this cool venture. You see not only were we given a free signed CD two days before release. We were also given a ticket to see Ozzy that same evening perform at the House of Blues. Again... For free. And that venue is like radical to see someone like Ozzy. House of Blues Sunset Strip is a hole in the wall compared to some of the venues Ozzy fills. The evening started with Sharon walking out and introducing the album which we got to listen too from start to finish until finally Ozzy came out and did an entire set. A set! for free! House of Blues! Any Ozzy fan might be fed up with this awesomeness by now. But theres a day two to this situation. You see I knew Ozzy was going to be performing on Lopez Tonight the next day. So once again, back in LA me and my buddies sat in on the audience. Sharon did the interview part, and Ozzy came out and performed like 3 songs. Oh, and we got another copy of Scream. So then I was in possession of two copies of an album not yet released. BALLER!!!

That wraps up my Ozzy experiences. Solo anyways. Because he's been fronting Sabbath for a few years now. That's nothing I can complain about, I enjoyed those shows a lot. But I really hope Ozzy busts out another solo album and tours solo again soon. I love Sabbath, but I'm also a HUGE fan of Ozzy's solo efforts.