photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
LEGENDARY SINGER OZZY OSBOURNE was in a good place back in 2011 when this IN-HOUSE retrospective documentary GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE (NEXT ENTERTAINMENT, 2011) was released. at the time he was SOBER for nearly half a decade after years of ALCOHOL ABUSE that was pushing the limits of his FAMILY LIFE. and that hope that comes with RECOVERY is really what the film is about, placing it in the context of a LIFE'S NARRATIVE in which all his SUCCESS, PASSIONS, FEARS, ANTICS, OBSESSIONS, SELF-ABUSE was a COMPLICATED EXPRESSION of a SUFFERING individual with little regard for himself, and the toll such took on not one, but two sets of FAMILIES.
the story of OSBOURNE and by extension that of the FOUNDATIONAL METAL band BLACK SABBATH is practically COMMON musical history knowledge at this point. growing up dirt POOR in the ENGLISH WORKING-CLASS section of ASTON in the long-economically suffering MIDLANDS industrial outpost of BIRMINGHAM, the members of BLACK SABBATH found each other and their sound while attempting to escape the fate of their comrades whose DISMAL options included prison, the nearby factories or the army. however IMPROBABLE, somehow they wondered into FAME and NOTORIETY with an INNOVATIVE sound and unflinchingly RAW lyrical PERSPECTIVE that has yet to come out of FASHION in the more than half century since. DRUGS and ALCOHOL took over and effectively neutered the band, with them castigating and firing OSBOURNE eventually at the end, although they all admit they were just as worse for wear as he was. being reborn with a SOLO CAREER by finding his MANAGER, who later became his second wife, in SHARON ARDEN, and that of KINDRED musical spirit and MULTI-TALENTED MUSICIAN in RANDY RHOADS, lifted his CAREER and PUBLIC PERSONA to new limits. ROADS of course perished in a FREAK PLANE ACCIDENT and not too long later his MARRIAGE DISSOLVED with his first WIFE THELMA RILEY, the MOTHER of his first two CHILDREN. the IMMEDIATE LOSS of both his FAMILY and his FRIEND and SONGWRITING PARTNER was absolutely DEVASTATING and OSBOURNE could not handle such. ARDEN at some point later in the filming thinking about their own struggles in the 1980s with three SMALL CHILDREN in tow, mentions that for OSBOURNE the DRUGS, CASUAL SEX and LEGENDARY tales of UNHERALDED DEBAUCHERY was a shield to protect himself from REALITY. the REALITY being that he had a low-self esteem despite his success and that everything he cared about he lost eventually. in ARDEN and his SECOND FAMILY there is a theme that their mutual love and his eventual ability to love himself helped with their collective RECOVERY after years of TRAUMA and NEGLECT. in fact, it was OSBOURNE's son JACK becoming sober in his early 20s that set him on a track to pursue his RECOVERY. effectively the thought that his own YOUNG SON at such an earlier point in his development had the INTERNAL FORTITUDE and GUMPTION to take on REAL ACCOUNTABILITY and fight for SOBRIETY shamed OSBOURNE into following suit. and thank god he did. of course this was not a happy ending by any means. from 2012 to 2016 OSBOURNE admitted to having a fling with his hairdresser, a circumstance that nearly ended his marriage. in 2019 he was diagnosed with PARKINSON's DISEASE, only years after JACK was diagnosed with MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS in 2012. OSBOURNE very recently even learned of his second induction into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, the first as a MEMBER of BLACK SABBATH and this time as a SOLO ARTIST. lots of ups and downs, but the OSBOURNE clan carries on. there were quite a few NOTABLE interview participants in GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE, including his surviving siblings and all five of his children from both marriages, every MEMBER of BLACK SABBATH in TONY IOMMI, GEEZER BUTLER and BILL WARD as well as former MEMBERS of his solo band in RUDY SARZO (QUIET RIOT) and ROBERT TRUJILLO (METALLICA, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES). similarly additional PROMINENT MUSICIANS interviewed include JOHN FRUSCIANTE (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), HENRY ROLLINS (BLACK FLAG), BRANDON BOYD (INCUBUS), TOMMY LEE (MOTLEY CRUE) and undoubtedly the most EXTRAORDINARY of them all, PAUL MCCARTNEY of THE BEATLES. if there is an epitaph for OSBOURNE, let this documentary be it as it contextualizes the ups and downs of his CAREER and battle with ADDICTION with that of his FAMILY LIFE. im sure he would want his PERSONAL NARRATIVE told in no other manner.
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photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
its always intriguing to consider why certain DISTRICTS and CITIES develop into ECONOMIC CENTERS and CULTURAL HUBS from an purely urban planning perspective. usually one person starts a business that becomes SUCCESSFUL and then another does something similar nearby and then a few more rounds of that equates into the emergence of the GARMENT DISTRICT in midtown NEW YORK CITY. that ORGANIC sense of a COLLECTIVE expression over time in the creation of CULTURAL NEXUS sites is what makes the recent THE RAINBOW () documentary such an INTERESTING proposition.
this longtime family-owned and operated restaurant on the FAMED SUNSET STRIP in WEST HOLLYWOOD has been an ICONIC CULTURAL INSTITUTION going back to even its pre-RAINBOW incarnation as the VILLA NOVA, when it was a DISCREAT haunt for celebrities like MARILYN MONROE and JOE DIMAGGIO (who had their first date at the restaurant). since the 1970s THE RAINBOW has been the central locus of all things ROCK N ROLL in the ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL of LOS ANGELES (and arguably the world), given its walking proximity to CELEBRATED venues THE ROXY, WHISKY-A-GO-GO and GAZZARRI'S (now defunct). with its longtime management in CHICAGO-transplant MARIO MAGLIERI (and later his son and grandson), who also ran the day-to-day operations of the likewise ICONIC WHISKY-A-GO-GO, the restaurant for all its INEBRIATED HEDONISM and DEBAUCHERY through the decades was somewhat of a family affair. and that sense of COMMUNITY radiated out into the musicians that frequented it, both famous and completely UNKNOWN. in fact, throughout the film numerous FAMOUS rock musicians from LITA FORD (THE RUNAWAYS) to MATT SORUM (GUNS N ROSES, THE CULT) spoke about how the MAGLIERI family gave them free soup on the house in their DOWN-AND-OUT, PRE-FAME days as a STRUGGLING musician. THE RAINBOW as a nexus point of the ROCK N ROLL COMMUNITY writ large is the main theme of the film. and that goes back to its early years in the 1970s as the watering hole for an exclusive drinking club that was ALICE COOPER, KEITH MOON (THE WHO), RINGO STARR (THE BEATLES), HARRY NILSSON, MICKEY DOLENZ (THE MONKEES), JOHN LENNON (THE BEATLES), BERNIE TAUPIN (ELTON JOHN), MARC BOLAN (T. REX) and KEITH EMERSON (EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER). just the idea that such rock royalty sought out this establishment to let their hair down back in arguably what was the heyday of ROCK N ROLL music as the pinnacle of the cultural ZEITGEIST is pretty REMARKABLE. that such momentum carried through the 1980s with HAIR METAL and on through the 00s with the NU METAL scene (albeit the 90s were a bit of a lull as the focus shifted to SEATTLE), it is crazy to consider what makes this place so special to so many for so long. it is also what makes one wonder about its fate moving forward as the LOS ANGELES REAL ESTATE MARKET devours addresses up and down the SUNSET STRIP, including MUSIC VENUES, to create LUXURY APARTMENT and CONDO COMPLEXES. there is also the matter of MUSIC PRODUCTION and RECORDING TECHNOLOGY that allows users to create product alone without a need for a COMMUNITY of musicians. record companies have followed suit with these ELECTRONIC and HIP HOP acts and the whole ECONOMIC underpinning of the ecosystem has largely collapsed, leaving ROCK N ROLL in a DISADVANTAGEOUS position. it is an open question if the ZEITGEIST can be recaptured in the same way that it did for decades before or the CULTURE has moved on. along with the aforementioned FORD and SORUM, this LOVINGLY-CREATED documentary included the engaged participation of ALICE COOPER, LEMMY KILMISTER (MOTORHEAD), GENE SIMMONS (KISS), SLASH (GUNS N ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER), OZZY OSBOURNE (BLACK SABBATH) and even JAMES PANKOW (CHICAGO), as well as generations of the MAGLIERI family. you really get the feeling that irregardless of the state of the music industry or ROCK N ROLL's roll in it, THE RAINBOW will last and persevere because that CORE COMMUNITY of fans persists and will support this institution because they believe in it. RIP MARIO MAGLIERI photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
the recent RANDY RHOADS: REFLECTIONS OF A GUITAR ICON (VMI WORLDWIDE, 2002) documentary is a WARM, WELL-MEANING yet CLUMSY film about the LEGENDARY OZZY OSBOURNE GUITARIST. utilizing archival footage from major PLAYERS is career and new interviews with minor collaborators and acquaintances, the film presents a generationally GIFTED musician who had a HUMBLE sense of grace about his elevated status in the entertainment industry. in other words, the FAME and UNIVERSAL PRAISE surrounding the OZZY releases BLIZZARD OF OZZ (JET, 1981) and DIARY OF A MADMAN (JET, 1981) never got to his head.
as a former educator myself, the aspect of RANDY RHOADS presented in this film that i found most COMPELLING was that at his heart he as a TEACHER. he was a servant to his students. case in point was how even at the height of his scene rivalry with VAN HALEN as a member of LOS ANGELES club band QUIET RIOT, he would lay his ego aside and still transpose and learn EDDIE VAN HALEN riffs at the behest of his students (who were naive to such competition). when living in ENGLAND with OZZY and his family during the writing of BLIZZARD OF OZZ, RHOADS remained TEACHABLE by taking lessons and studying CLASSICAL MUSIC which paid dividends on "REVELATION (MOTHER EARTH)." there is a PALPABLE sense that while he enjoyed his INSTRUMENT, the WRITING PROCESS and PLAYING LIVE, what RHOADS couldnt stand about his peer group was their arrogance towards fans and the public. he never deluded himself into believing his GIFT and PASSION towards GUITAR PLAYING elevated him relative to everyone else. this at the beginning of a decade that truly saw ROCK AND ROLL fall into that mental trip wholesale. in this sense he shared the DIY ETHOS of INDIR ROCK and HARDCORE acts of the 1980s rather than the GLAM METAL contingent he is associated with. and speaking of DIY, i did not realize the lengths to which QUIET RIOT during this early lineup that RHOADS was a part of went in attempting to garner a record deal. staging multiple televised protests with fans, COUNTLESS showcases and cycling through three managers, all for nought. but its this futility that led RHOADS to audition for OZZY and ultimately become a MODERN GUITAR ICON on par with his rival EDDIE VAN HALEN as well as JIMI HENDRIX, DIMEBAG DARRELL, SLASH and JIMMY PAGE among others. remaining UNASSUMING and TEACHABLE while feverishly perfecting ones CRAFT and sacrificing time and energy towards a goal is an INCREDIBLE ability. especially during that era. this documentary felt a bit HALF-BAKED with SHODDY visual transitions and LESS-THEN-STELLAR insights from minor characters. i think they should have held out for more HIGH PROFILE MUSICIANS to make this film more worthwhile, because as is its a bit meh. TRANSCENDENT GUITAR PLAYER, MEDIOCRE documentary. he deserved better. photo & text by nacrowe
i always thought of OZZY OSBOURNE's OZZMOSIS (EPIC, 1995) album, in spite of its being SUBPAR in his discography, a major TRANSITIONAL record in his career. his previous recordings all feel guitar-dominated with the VIRTUOSO contributions from the CELEBRATED likes of ZAKK WYLDE, JAKE E. LEE and most famously the late RANDY RHOADS. arguably such was also the case with BLACK SABBATH and TONY IOMMI. regardless of the revolving door of guitarists there was a sense of AESTHETIC CONTINUITY at play that seemingly ended with OZZMOSIS and has carried on to some extent PERPLEXING ever since. its as if OSBOURNE made a conscious decision to downplay that aspect of his sound and attempt to position himself as more of a singer-songwriter, with varying results.
one major variable on OZZMOSIS is the new producer MICHAEL BEINHORN, at this point no doubt RENOWNED for his production of SOUNDGARDEN's EXPANSIVE SUPERUNKNOWN (A&M, 1994) album the previous year. he would go on to produce other NOTEWORTHY albums such as SOCIAL DISTORTION's WHITE HEAT, WHITE LIGHT, WHITE TRASH (EPIC, 1996), MARILYN MANSON's MECHANICAL ANIMALS (INTERSCOPE, 1998), HOLE's CELEBRITY SKIN (DGC, 1998) and KORN's UNTOUCHABLES (EPIC, 2002) in the coming years. but in comparison to all of those records, OZZMOSIS sounds STILTED and HALF-COOKED, as if he was making a record with a proverbial arm tied behind his back. WYLDE's contributions, for instance are SCALED WAY BACK and often in their place are what appear to be synthesized guitars, which is absolutely INEXPLICABLE. on the previous record, NO MORE TEARS (), WYLDE was absolutely let loose and it showcased his full range as a guitarist from INTROSPECTIVE ACOUSTIC LAYERINGS and FEEDBACK-LADEN DOLPHIN SQUEELS to FULL-BORE, DISTORTED, PINCH-HARMONIC DESTRUCTION. on OZZMOSIS there is so much SYNTHESIZED midi-controlled ORCHESTRATED elements and FAKE guitars that it just comes off sounding BLAND. such can be heard on tracks like "PERRY MASON," "SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE" and "I JUST WANT YOU." thankfully there are a few PROPULSIVE tracks that buck this approach including the likes of "WHOLE WORLD'S FALLIN' DOWN," "TOMORROW" and "THUNDER UNDERGROUND" which somewhat salvage a COMPROMISED, MEDIOCRE album. in short, large swaths of this album dont sound like an OSBOURNE record. its IRONIC that such a release, which i am assuming was an ARTISTIC CONCESSION to the growing influence of the ALTERNATIVE ROCK movement of the period, was what led to a period that cemented his legacy as a cultural icon years after his BLACK SABBATH and GLAM METAL years. it was during this period that OSBOURNE was famously rejected from inclusion on the traveling national LOLLAPALOOZA festival, thus initiating his own massively INFLUENTIAL rival OZZFEST tour that effectively resurrected the EXTREME METAL scene as a cultural movement in the UNITED STATES over the coming decade. OZZMOSIS is a largely FORGETABLE record with a handful of decent tracks. a better introduction to his STELLAR career would be any of the first six BLACK SABBATH records or BLIZZARD OF OZ (JET, 1980), DIARY OF A MADMAN (JET, 1981) or NO MORE TEARS from his solo career. photo & text by nacrowe
seemingly all metalheads have their own favorite BLACK SABBATH album that they will endlessly advocate on behalf of and for me such is undoubtedly their third release MASTER OF REALITY (WARNER BROS, 1971). more than their debut BLACK SABBATH (review linked HERE) or their universally CELEBRATED follow-up PARANOID (WARNER BROS, 1970), MASTER OF REALITY is the record that cemented their reputation for being UNGODLY HEAVY and provided the template for EXTREME DOOM, STONER and SLUDGE METAL sub-genres that followed in its wake. HERALDED songs like "CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE," "AFTER FOREVER," "SWEET LEAF," "LORD OF THIS WORLD" and my all-time favorite BLACK SABBATH song "INTO THE VOID" are all QUINTESSENTIAL TONY IOMMI with PRODDING riffs that still SNARL and hold their weight more than half a century later. yes i said a half century, those SIGNATURE riffs that are as RELEVANT today as they were 50+ years ago which is beyond RIDICULOUS and showcases why their legacy endures.
OZZY OSBOURNE is likewise firing on all cylinders through this album, celebrating both the potential for EXPANSIVE CONSCIOUSNESS provided by MARIJUANA as well as warning HUMANITY against the SURGING drumbeat of a NUCLEAR APOCALYPSE spurred by competition between rival nations. his voice never sounded more POWERFUL and his lyrics more COHESIVE and PENETRATING. its just a VALIANT, INCREDIBLE effort on all fronts and presciently addresses on cultural touchstones related to INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS and STATE-SANCTIONED VIOLENCE that have only festered and further DIVIDED DEMOCRATIC NATIONS in the decades since. in retrospect, his fears and INSECURITIES a few generations before were WELL-FOUNDED and there is a sense of DREAD and LACK OF HOPE at a potential solution being salvaged from this wreckage. MASTER OF REALITY is both an exercise in ESCAPISM from the HARSH REALITIES of the period (i.e. VIETNAM CONFLICT) as well as a DAMNING indictment at the forces that seek to divide us and allow for us to stare deep into the VOID of our own DESTRUCTION. as long as their are TYRANTS, foreign and domestic, that seek to subjugate and enslave us, the MASTER OF REALITY will be the soundtrack to both the rise of such DESTRUCTIVE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC and GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS and the popular revolution that seeks its eventual DOWNFALL. in other words, this record will only prove to be more RELEVANT as the new century continues and competition for dwindling resources in an altered INHOSPITABLE CLIMATE carries on unabated. MASTER OF REALITY is required listening. end stop. photo & text by nacrowe
it is arguable that OZZY OSBOURNE will be CELEBRATED inasmuch for his years of the traveling OZZFEST summer METAL concerts as for his involvement with BLACK SABBATH in establishing the genre outright. this is because by the 1990s and the ALTERNATIVE ROCK movement basically killed METAL in general, which quite honestly was necessary given the fact that it became a parody of itself in the 1980s. famously OSBOURNE advocated for a slot on one of the LOLLAPALOOZA tours in the mid-1990s and was turned down, such was his CULTURAL IRRELEVANCY and that of METAL from the zeitgeist in general. OZZFEST was his METAL version of the same concept and went on, along with the PUNK-themed WARPED TOUR, to be among the most SUCCESSFUL annual traveling summer music festivals in history.
so fast forward a few years when this OZZFEST 2001: THE SECOND MILLENNIUM (SONY, 2001) live compilation came out the SCENE had changed immeasurably. in that time OSBOURNE, or more precisely has wife/manager SHARON, had provided countless emerging and established METAL bands of varying sub-genres with a NATIONAL PLATFORM to springboard their careers from: groups like SYSTEM OF A DOWN, NEUROSIS, INCUBUS, SLIPKNOT, TYPE O NEGATIVE, LINKIN PARK, P.O.D., MUDVAYNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, DISTURBED, TOOL, SOULFLY, PANTERA, NONPOINT, FEAR FACTORY, TAPROOT, COAL CHAMBER, PAPA ROACH, DEFTONES, STATIC-X, LIMP BIZKIT, GODSMACK and ROB ZOMBIE among many others. the result was that METAL became a part of the national conversation again and basically single-handedly REVITALIZED the SCENE. many still view this as OSBOURNE's crowning cultural achievement, which is saying something given how INFLUENTIAL both BLACK SABBATH and his solo career have been. by 2001 the festival was in full swing and well-established, and the line-up that year of BLACK SABBATH, MARILYN MANSON, SLIPKNOT, LINKIN PARK, PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, MUDVAYNE, HATEBREED and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY showcased on the live compilation highlights such. i was at OZZFEST 2001 at the NYC-area stop in HOLMDEL, NEW JERSEY and my recollection was how different the acts were from one another. the polish and professional songwriting prowess of LINKIN PARK (who were blowing up at the time) and how they contrasted with the INTENSITY of the more METALCORE influenced bands like HATEBREED and the high-concept PERFORMATIVE theatrics of MARILYN MANSON. there really was something for everyone. OZZFEST that year presented the SCENE to a national audience as being in a particularly STRONG, DIVERSE position with acts of varying styles and levels of heaviness. its difficult to look back and think about the fact that METAL today is a bit more listless with a KALEIDOSCOPIC variety of BRUTAL sub-genres competing for attention. there is no more tentpole event for the COMMUNITY to rally behind and celebrate each year, as the tribes have spread out and work on a much more local and DIY level outside of national acts that largely derive their notoriety back from the time of OZZFEST. its hard not to think about how promising bands on an upward trajectory like BRING ME THE HORIZON or ARCHITECTS are going to make that jump to SLIPKNOT-level exposure in this day and age without such a PLATFORM. its interesting. maybe they should bring OZZFEST back. here is hoping. photo & text by nacrowe
i remember being a freshman in high school when i first came across PRIVATE PARTS: THE ALBUM (WARNER BROS, 1997), which was the soundtrack to the film adaptation of HOWARD STERN's book of the same name about the relationship between his personal life and career as a TRANSGRESSIVE radio personality. i cant recall if i had seen the film at that point. what i do know is that by high school i was completely obsessed with ALTERNATIVE ROCK icons JANE'S ADDICTION and the lead single "HARD CHARGER" from the soundtrack was the PERRY FARRELL-led PORNO FOR PYROS with a guest solo by DAVE NAVARRO. for me that was worth the price of admission.
as an album itself PARTS: THE ALBUM comes off a bit REDUNDANT in spots and only makes sense for its connection to the film, since "I WANT YOU TO WANT ME" by CHEAP TRICK, "CAT SCRATCH FEVER" by TED NUGENT, "PINHEAD" BY THE RAMONES, "SMOKE ON THE WATER" by DEEP PURPLE, "JAMIE'S CRYING" by VAN HALEN, "YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG" by AC/DC were all staples of CLASSIC ROCK and ALTERNATIVE ROCK stations at the time. this makes some contextual sense since STERN is famously associated with national terrestrial radio stations (such as the former 660 AM WABC and 92.3 FM K-ROCK stations) that no doubt played played these songs. that said, those songs are staples of their genre and nothing exciting. the new tracks were what made that record interesting at the time, specifically OZZY OSBOURNE's collaboration with TYPE O NEGATIVE on a STATUS QUO cover "PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN," GREEN DAY's cover of THE KINKS' "TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOU," MARILYN MANSON's "THE SUCK FOR YOUR SOLUTION" and ROB ZOMBIE's "THE GREAT AMERICAN NIGHTMARE". many of these recording artists (ROB ZOMBIE, TYPE O NEGATIVE, MARILYN MANSON, OZZY OSBOURNE) had CONTROVERSIAL career trajectories that found them at the center of debates regarding free speech, so their involvement makes absolute perfect sense thematically. as a broadcaster, STERN is noteworthy for his ability to stretch out what was acceptable on public air and in the national discussion, whether that be political, cultural, racial, intergenerational or sexual topics. again, for me the standout track of this film cash-in is the PORNO FOR PYROS track, but overall its an interesting repackaging of AOR format favorites from the 1970s and 1980s as well as more relevant efforts by then-contemporary bands pushing the cultural envelope much like STERN did pre-satellite radio. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
with the revelation in recent years of his diagnosis with PARKINSON'S DISEASE, the cable documentary THE NINE LIVES OF OZZY OSBOURNE (A+E, 2020) has the feeling of a long-form EULOGY about the beloved and celebrated singer. PARKINSON'S is a long-term auto-degenerative disease (much like life itself) that attacks the nervous system and is highly debilitating. so stands to reason that now is the best time speak with the man and have him reflect on his life in depth.
to its credit, THE NINE LIVES OF OZZY OSBOURNE is as much concerned with the narrative surrounding the iconic and massively influential career of OZZY OSBOURNE as it is with his private relationship with his family, with special attention to his wife/manager/business partner SHARON. notable participants in this documentary include three of his adult children (AIMEE, KELLY and JACK) as well as former bandmates RUDY SARZO, TONY IOMMI and GEEZER BUTLER and industry peers like ROB ZOMBIE (WHITE ZOMBIE), JONATHAN DAVIS (KORN), MARILYN MANSON, POST MALONE, ICE-T (BODY COUNT) and record producer RICK RUBIN. i will not try to hide my adoration of OZZY. suffice to say i have dedicated not one but two radio show episodes to him and his massive influence (DEER GOD RADIO 12: OZZY OSBOURNE and DEER GOD RADIO 133: OZZFEST). i have also written in the past about watching him perform at OZZFEST JAPAN in 2015 (linked HERE), which in my opinion didnt go well (note: i was not aware of his condition at the time i wrote it). in my opinion the allure of OZZY is his ability to be an everyman. he's not a MYTHOLOGICAL figure like ROBERT PLANT, phenomenal poet like BOB DYLAN or JOHN LENNON or have a preternaturally stellar vocal range / stage presence like RONNIE JAMES DIO or ROB HALFORD. to me he has something more valuable, he makes great music seem TANGIBLE and within reach of his audience. his lyrics are immediate and direct with little need for fancy decorations to show off his cleverness. there is a reason that his work in BLACK SABBATH has influenced every generation of modern rock music since (NEW WAVE OF BRITIS HEAVY METAL, PUNK ROCK, THRASH METAL, ALTERNATIVE ROCK, DEATH METAL, HARDCORE, SLUDGE METAL, METALCORE, POST HARDCORE, BLACK METAL, etc.). and a lot of that has to do with the unique PERSONAL relationship OZZY has with his audience. so all that being said, i thought it was particularly interesting that THE NINE LIVES OF OZZY OSBOURNE moves past the more tabloid-bating aspects of his career (biting the heads off doves and bats, pissing on THE ALAMO, snorting ants on tour with MOTLEY CRUE) and delves into his failings as a father with his first marriage and the time he was so out of his mind on drugs that he attempting to strangle his second wife SHARON. to me that relationship with SHARON is the crux of this film and the central node on which his life and career hinged. the daughter of OZZY's former manager DON ARDEN, it was SHARON that basically willed OZZY to move on with his career after being dismissed from BLACK SABBATH in the late 1970s. her PATIENCE with his ADDICTIVE PERSONALITY which included drugs and infidelity is almost saint-like in some aspects, even as recently as a few years ago. interestingly the very recent public shaming of OZZY for his dalliance with a longtime hairdresser was completely omitted from discussion in the film. that was an interesting decision since here most of his poor behavior is limited to the 1980s. with that one omission in mind, the film does a pretty good job of providing a portrait of a legendary musician that doesnt delve into HAGIOGRAPHY as is often the case. by his own admission OZZY is flawed human just like the rest of us. maybe his extremes are further out then us mortals will ever go (example: attempting to strangle your wife while intoxicated) but it is precisely his FALLIBILITY that makes him one of the most beloved frontman of all time. and perhaps one of the greatest as well. photo & text by nacrowe
i am aware that the previous album NO REST FOR THE WICKED (EPIC, 1988) was his debut on an OZZY OSBOURNE record, but for me NO MORE TEARS (EPIC, 1991) is the real coming-out party for the squealing riffage and pinch-harmonic madness that is the virtuosic yet tasteful guitar playing of ZAKK WYLDE. i start out saying this because OZZY has been blessed in his career to collaborate with some singular guitar players: namely TONY IOMMI and RANDY RHOADS (R.I.P). to say that WYLDE was successful in establishing his own sonic legacy within such a storied lineage is pretty remarkable.
tracks like "MR. TINKERTRAIN," "DESIRE," "I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD," "HELLRAISER" and "ZOMBIE STOMP" are ripping, propulsive examples that showcase his paradoxically flashy yet tastefully restrained style. he is equal parts JIMI HENDRIX, ALBERT LEE and ROBIN TROWER. i read years ago in an interview that he was very deliberate when joining OZZY's band about not stepping on the toes of his predecessors (TONY IOMMI, RANDY RHOADS, JAKE E. LEE) and this strayed away from TRIADS, DIVE BOMBS (and WHAMMY BAR TRICKS in general) and anything sounding NEOCLASSICAL. this meant that he relied on NATURAL and PINCH HARMONICS and PENTATONICS to derive and inform his expressive style. and in my opinion it worked. as for OZZY, this record found him in a reflective mood as he was at a stage where he had a second chance at fatherhood with a growing young family. famously the tour for this record was the ingeniously (and in retrospect laughably incorrect) monikered NO MORE TOURS tour where he played with the idea of retirement. he beat JAY-Z to that punch by a decade. given that introspective sentiment, the notable track "MAMA, I'M COMING HOME" finds him pledging to his wife SHARON that he is ready to finally settle down. it was co-written with the legendary MOTORHEAD frontman LEMMY KILMISTER (along with"HELLRAISER"). that song also showcases some tasteful DICKY BETTS-esque acoustic chicken-picking by the likes of WYLDE, again making his range very apparent. outside of the classic RANDY RHOADS albums of the early 1980s, NO MORE TEARS is the OZZY solo record i return to most often. arguably the best produced record, it just sounds huge with a hungry young guitarist at the peak of his powers. it still holds up and most definitely worth reinvestigation. photo manipulation by nacrowe
sadly in recent years there has been a series of documentaries chronicling the demise of the recording studio, most notably the DAVE GROHL-directed SOUND CITY (review linked HERE). inevitably the repeated narrative is about what has been lost with the advent and rise of powerful (and mobile) digital recording technology (i.e. PROTOOLS), such being the spontaneity, feeling and magic that happens when musicians make it happen in close proximity to one another.
ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM (IE IE PRODUCTIONS, 2020) follows the story of the notable WELSH residential recording studio, ROCKFIELD STUDIOS, that has been utilized by the likes of everyone from BLACK SABBATH, QUEEN, IGGY POP, DAVID BOWIE, ADAM ANT, JUDAS PRIEST, ROBERT PLANT and HAWKWIND to THE STONE ROSES, CHRISTIAN DEATH, OASIS, BAUHAUS, MANIC STREET PREACHERS, ROYAL BLOOD and even COLDPLAY among countless others. what is interesting about the studio is its isolation. when it was created in the 1960s by two brothers, it was completely unique in that all other studios of its caliber were owned by record labels and located in LONDON. atmosphere-wise many of them were effectively sonic laboratories and had the vibe of a dental office. ROCKFIELD was located far removed in the WELSH countryside on what was effectively a pig and dairy farm. artists could rehearse and record with little to no distractions and effectively no volume restrictions. this was the setting that bands like BLACK SABBATH and HAWKWIND perfected their decibel rattling sound. this isolation and lack of distractions also means that there is an intimacy to the experience of recording at all hours for an extended period of time. recording at ROCKFIELD came with cooked meals by the family that ran the studio and sleeping on the premises that they also maintained. apparently THE STONE ROSES famously stayed for 14 months straight during their peak creative and prolific period. it went the other way as well since some of the participants spoke of it as a prison, especially if your band was not clicking. given that DEER GOD ran a recording studio for a period that was deliberately removed from the hustle and bustle of NEW YORK CITY (we were located in a late 19th century victorian mansion in southern STATEN ISLAND), its always interesting for me to listen to the shared experience of working with artists. in all these films it seems that one gig leads to the next. with SOUND CITY there was a long dry spell in the 1980s until NIRVANA came which begot RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, TOOL, KYUSS, MASTERS OF REALITY, SLAYER and so on. same with ROCKFIELD STUDIOS with a similar trajectory in the 1980s followed by THE STONE ROSES who begot OASIS, THE CHARLATANS, THE BOO RADLEYS and several members of BRITPOP royalty. the recording studio as a destination is now an outmoded anachronism. which is sad. im glad documentaries such as ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM exist since it allows us to take stock in the moment of a period of transition as music and art "progress" forward with the advent of ever more powerful recording technology. its interesting to consider what lays ahead and how music production will shift and evolve moving forward. whether or not the human element in music will survive. its an endlessly captivating topic. photo & text by nacrowe
i came to OZZY OSBOURNE late in the game. when i was 15 i went alone to OZZFEST in 1999 and saw him play with a reunited and all-original BLACK SABBATH. which was basically as close to a religious experience as i have ever come to know, with the exception of seeing a FLAMENGO futbol game at the MARACANA stadium in RIO DE JANIERO (now that was insane!). SABBATH had a more relaxed, dare i say groovy, vibe than what was on offer that day: which included ROB ZOMBIE, SLAYER, DEFTONES, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, FEAR FACTORY and the national touring debuts of STATIC-X and a little band from IOWA called SLIPKNOT. by the time i came back the following year with my brother and saw OZZY play solo (with support from PANTERA, SOULFLY, INCUBUS and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), i was among the converted.
whereas SABBATH records had those epic, thundering MT. OLYMPUS godlike riffs from guitar-lord TONY IOMMI and that BLUES-rock, and even jazzy, rhthym section that actually swung, OZZY's solo band on his debut BLIZZARD OF OZZ (JET, 1980) is all pyrotechnics and virtuosic guitar heroics courtesy of the legendary RANDY RHOADS. its crazy to think that OZZY had stumbled upon such amazing talent not once but twice in his career. but yeah, the singular musical range and compositional talent of RHOADS is on full display throughout BLIZZARD OF OZZ from the blazing riffage of "I DON'T KNOW," "SUICIDE SOLUTION" and "CRAZY TRAIN" to more introspective, multi-part ballads like "GOODBYE TO ROMANCE," "REVELATION (MOTHER EARTH)" and of course, "MR. CROWLEY." in terms of his solo career and the trajectory of METAL in the 1980s, both good and bad, it is arguably the work of RHOADS (as well as EDDIE VAN HALEN) that set the course for the decade. you can hear the arpeggiated riffs and composed neoclassical guitar leads/solos all over records by THRASH METAL bands like METALLICA and SLAYER as well later acolytes in PANTERA. i know people like to slight OZZY for his vocal limitations, especially when compared to peers in RONNIE JAMES DIO and ROB HALFORD, but i think that misses the point. OZZY to me represents an everyman and his voice is less operatic and more human. more street level and oddly, more authentic to what he is singing about: commonly themes revolving around ADDICTION, RELIGION, LOSS OF CONTROL and the OCCULT. and i do feel his voice plays into his preternatural ability in relating such to a METAL audience he largely created. for me, the BLIZZARD OF OZZ record was arguably the most effective effort he ever made, because it was something only he could do. its definitively him. rest in peace, RANDY RHOADS. parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the traveling summer METAL circus that was OZZFEST!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo & text by nacrowe
it is hard to downplay the cultural and historical importance of the massively influential debut BLACK SABBATH album BLACK SABBATH (WARNER BROS, 1970). it basically created METAL as a genre. in fact, BLACK SABBATH is such an important band that there are whole current sub-genres that trace their origins back to specific songs from various albums.
of course this is all in hindsight, at the time of its release this record was not a critical favorite and the band were never considered to be at the vanguard of ROCK N ROLL or anything particularly unique or special. that fascinates me. this is the type of stuff i find intriguing about art in general, how each generation rediscovers and cherry picks from the past. how the inscrutable 16th century DUTCH painter HEIRONYMOUS BOSCH was a favorite of the SURREALISTS some 400 years later. how KRAFTWERK and KRAUTROCK in general influenced early HIP HOP acts like AFRIKA BAMBAATAA. why is BLACK SABBATH arguably as celebrated as LED ZEPPELIN with modern METAL musicians? its beyond interesting. putting that aside, what always struck me about their debut was how much a JAZZ element there was to it. if you listen to the interplay of the drums and bass on songs like "N.I.B." and "THE WIZARD" there is a definite swing element at play. in fact, it really grooves. i think that aspect of their sound is criminally overlooked. on subsequent releases they streamlined this sound which eventually became further developed with subsequent bands like JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, SLAYER into various beloved subgenres ranging from the extreme in GRINDCORE, BLACK METAL and DEATH METAL to the streamlined in THRASH METAL and the experimental in SLUDGE METAL, POST METAL and even DOOM METAL. obviously the most celebrated track is the opener "BLACK SABBATH" with its iconic tritone riff and creepy atmospherics. when i envision it the adjective cinematic comes to mind. it just sets a mood long before singer OZZY OSBOURNE enters in. obviously OZZY is one of the great frontman in ROCK N ROLL history, but id argue not from his voice which is evocative but rather limited. i dont think he'd disagree with me on that. where his gift lies is in his commitment to the material and his presence as a relatable avatar for the every-man. i find OZZY immensely more relatable than contemporaries of the 1970s like ROBERT PLANT, ROGER DALTREY or even members of the then-recently disbanded BEATLES. no disrespect to any of them but they cover an altitude beyond us mere mortals. to my ears, OZZY comes off as something attainable. i think this is why he is beloved by every ROCK N ROLL iteration since, including PUNK ROCK and all its incarnations like 1980s HARDCORE and 1990s ALTERNATIVE ROCK. i also think lyrically OZZY is never given enough credit for the intelligence of his lyrics. in my mind the song "BLACK SABBATH" can be a substitute for your pick of any existential crisis, global or personal. i should also mention that the riffs of guitarist TONY IOMMI are legendary and the aforementioned TRITONE PATTERNS (specifically diminished 5ths) as well as detuned guitars (to accommodate his recently disfigured right fretting hand) and ample distortion is in effect the very template for the sound of METAL for the past 50 years. its hard to downplay his impact on this and subsequent records. his riffs alone are copied by modern guitarist to this day. IOMMI basically is METAL. i was lucky in that as a teenager i got to see a reunited BLACK SABBATH at OZZFEST numerous times and hearing specific tracks like "BLACK SABBATH" and "N.I.B." in a love context always sounded haunting and absolutely massive. even in their waning years they were a force to reckon with even after supporting acts like SLAYER, PANTERA, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, JUDAS PRIEST, SLIPKNOT or ROB ZOMBIE. never did they disappoint. again, its hard to downplay the importance of this record. as i stated before, it is also one of those records that gets rediscovered year after year by young musicians, much like THE STOOGES or THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, and continues to influence and shape modern culture. seminal record by a seminal band. definitely worth your time to investigate. photo manipulation by nacrowe
RICK RUBIN is a renowned record producer with an enviable discography that transcends genre and era. he is celebrated for his ability to tap into an artists creative mindset and challenge them to produce new material that often exceeds audience expectation. notable records he's produced include the likes of SLAYER's REIGN IN BLOOD (DEF JAM, 1986), RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS's BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK (WARNER BROS, 1991), TOM PETTY's WILDFLOWERS (WARNER BROS, 1994), BEASTIE BOYS' LICENSED TO ILL (COLUMBIA, 1986), SYSTEM OF A DOWN's SYSTEM OF A DOWN (AMERICAN, 1998), RUN-DMC's RAISING HELL (PROFILE, 1986), JOHNNY CASH's AMERICAN RECORDINGS series (AMERICAN, 1994-2010), SLIPKNOT's VOL.3: THE SUBLIMINAL VERSES (ROADRUNNER, 2004) and METALLICA's DEATH MAGNETIC (WARNER BROS, 2008) among many others. he has also involved been involved in the formation of two successful record labels, DEF JAM and AMERICAN, with each known for their diverse roster lineups.
all that being said, it comes as no surprise to anyone that RUBIN decided to start an interview podcast where he does what he does best: talk. his deft ear and inquisitive, probing questions mark him as an active listener of idiot savant levels. check out these interview he's done over the past few years. definitely worth your time if you are a fan of modern music and the process behind their creation. photo manipulation by nacrowe
in the wake of the suicides of both CHRIS CORNELL of SOUNDGARDEN and CHESTER BENNINGTON of LINKIN PARK in 2017, a conversation about MENTAL HEALTH in the METAL community was long overdue. obviously in a music genre that seemingly openly cultivates an exaggerated, almost cartoon-like, depiction of masculinity, the idea of publicizing a sense of self-reflection and being vulnerable is quite revolutionary. and that was what this 2018 four-part video series produced by REVOLVER MAGAZINE sought to accomplish. raising awareness about MENTAL HEALTH treatment, as well as the adjacent issue of SUBSTANCE ABUSE (which really only exacerbates the former).
JOHN DYER BAIZLEY from BARONESS, JESSE LEACH of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, ZAKK WYLDE of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY/OZZY OSBOURNE and ROBBIN FLYNN of MACHINEHEAD all present testimonials about how they went about addressing issues surrounding their MENTAL HEALTH, whether that be ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR or issues of self-worth leftover from their formative years. the courage on display is astounding and it will no doubt pay forward in terms of raising awareness and elevating the consciousness of their audience. not only that, i think this conversation will save lives. period. i've written before and spoken on the air about the fact that the most impactful thing JAMES HETFIELD of METALLICA has ever done is being open about his issues surround MENTAL HEALTH and ADDICTION. when he returned to rehab in 2020, after years of sobriety since his previous stint in 2001, it took real bravery to take ownership and responsibility of his problems. and stop the machine to address such. the fact that his band supported such and didn't let financial or non-health related considerations influence his decision is a testament to their values and an example of human empathy. this has long not been the case. people will stay on the road so that the crew will get paid. because of that, the grind and pressures of the road and the music industry have claimed actual lives and anything that contributes to an atmosphere of less toxic masculinity in METAL is great, long-overdue thing. if anything, i think it may actually assist in attracting a more inclusive and tolerant audience as well as fostering a more empathetic touring industry. how METAL would that be?
parody by nacrowe
given his recent health issues and the very real likelihood that his touring days are now in the rearview mirror, i would like to revisit an early radio show i did back in JULY 2018 dedicated to the contributions of OZZY OSBOURNE, both as a solo artist and as a member of the genre-defining juggernaut that was BLACK SABBATH.
this man has brought so much joy to me and a lot of other people to such an extent that its hard to even put into words. just the butterfly effect brought about by this one musician is staggering. his influence on modern music cannot be overstated. i have future playlists already created that highlight the myriad of sub-genres of METAL, but perhaps the show i am most looking forward to is one dedicated to the participating bands on the now-discontinued OZZFEST traveling music festival he spearheaded in the late 1990s and early 2000s. great memories from my formative years there. much love OZZY. thank you so much. and if you have any interest in the fight against PARKINSONS, here is a link for ways you can get involved with the AMERICAN PARKINSONS DISEASE ASSOCIATION. photos by nacrowe
been a fan of JANE'S ADDICTION since my teens and are my all-time favorite rock band. only THE SMITHS and DEVO, two very different bands, come close in admiration.
luckily i've gotten to see the band play in various iterations over the years, but none more bizarre than a 2015 gig in TOKYO at OZZFEST 2015. first off, the show itself was all kinds of strange as you had two main stages, one with american bands of various genres like A DAY TO REMEMBER, HATEBREED, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and OZZY & FRIENDS and the other japanese bands, namely BABY METAL. japanese metal is weird, its all mixed with J-POP music so there is lots of hand-clapping and choreographed dance moves. BABY METAL has a legit rhythm section so they absolutely crushed, if you ever get the chance definitely hit up their live gigs. BLACK SABBATH had to back out due to health concerns surrounding TONY IOMMI's battle with lymphoma, so essentially OZZY & FRIENDS was the legendary singer with his band plus guest guitarists DAVE NAVARRO, TOM MORELLO and his first performance with ZAKK WYLDE in over 10 years. too bad OZZY sounded awful. he just sounded old and tired. i left early. but my reason for going was strictly JANE'S ADDICTION. living in the greater LOS ANGELES area in my formative years, i have memories of riding around with my dad heading off to soccer games in at-risk MEXICAN soccer leagues listening to K-ROQ blasting songs off RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL (WARNER BROS, 1990). to me, JANE'S ADDICTION is LOS ANGELES, the land of my youth.
the show was great with the requisite dancers and swinging models fearlessly suspended above the fray with hooks in their backs (a then-recent hobby of guitarist DAVE NAVARRO). it was everything you'd expect from them, something a bit raunchy, dangerous and obscure to go with a setlist made up primarily of their transcendent genre-defining efforts NOTHING'S SHOCKING (WARNER BROS, 1988) and RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL. if they never do anything of merit again, those two records are canonical in my opinion. so in summation, having attended several OZZFESTS in the early 00s, this version had little of the feeling of those events which was as much due to the lineup as it was about the location. it was more like a LOLLAPALOOZA/OZZFEST hybrid which was fine by me, although historically a bit absurd given that OZZFEST was created by SHARON OSBOURNE after not being able to secure her husband/client OZZY a gig on one of the initial LOLLAPALOOZA. regardless, i had a great time soaking in the absurdity of it all and JANE'S ADDICTION sounded killer. too bad OZZY had an off night. he really should retire. he more than deserves his time off. ALL HAIL! |
NICHOLAS ARCHIVES
April 2024
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