Ozzy Osbourne said he was retiring from music. Then he came back with “Ozzmosis”.
Released on October 23, 1995, Ozzy seventh solo studio album arrived after “No More Tears” and the famous No More Tours run, which was supposed to mark the end of his time on the road. But retirement didn’t last. With Zakk Wylde on guitar and former Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler on bass, Ozzy had more to say and more heavy metal to bring.
The album reached No. 4 on the US Billboard 200 and No. 22 on the UK Albums Chart. It would eventually sell more than two million copies in the United States and earn double platinum certification. Not bad for a man who had supposedly called it quits.
Ozzy, Zakk, Geezer and a Different Lineup
The lineup alone makes “Ozzmosis” worth revisiting. Ozzy handled the vocals, Zakk Wylde brought the guitar, Geezer Butler played bass and Deen Castronovo took care of the drums. Rick Wakeman of Yes also contributed keyboards, playing Mellotron on “Perry Mason” and “I Just Want You”.
It was a special combination, even though this lineup didn’t last beyond the album. Geezer return brought another connection to Ozzy’s Black Sabbath past, while Zakk remained a key part of Ozzy’s solo sound.
The record also brought together a long list of writers, including Lemmy Kilmister, Jim Vallance, Mark Hudson and Steve Vai. There was plenty going on behind the scenes before the album reached the shops.
The Steve Vai Album We Never Got
One of the biggest what-ifs surrounding “Ozzmosis” is Steve Vai.
Ozzy and Vai worked together during the early stages of the project, recording a large amount of material. Only “My Little Man” remained from that collaboration on the released album, while the record company changed the direction of the sessions.
Vai later said he still had enough material for an entire Ozzy album sitting in his vaults. Think about that for a moment: an unreleased collection of music made by Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Vai, waiting somewhere out there.
Zakk Wylde ended up handling the guitar work on the finished record. Fans can only wonder how different “Ozzmosis” might have sounded if the original plan had gone ahead.
“Perry Mason” and the Road Back
The first single “Perry Mason” arrived in November 1995. Its title came from the classic courtroom television drama starring Raymond Burr, an surprise source of inspiration for an Ozzy song.
The track reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. It helped show listeners to the album new chapter, while “See You on the Other Side” and “I Just Want You” followed as singles.
“See You on the Other Side” also carried a connection to Lemmy Kilmister, who co-wrote several songs for the project. Lemmy writing made him a natural fit for Ozzy world and the song became one of the album best known tracks.
The three singles showed different sides of “Ozzmosis”, but the bigger story was Ozzy’s return. The man who had announced his retirement was back in action and the next tour made that clear.
Retirement Sucks!
Ozzy named his next run of shows the “Retirement Sucks! Tour”. You couldn’t ask for a clearer message.
The tour began in Mexico in August 1995, with dates in Monterrey and Mexico City, continuing through 1996. Ozzy had turned his retirement announcement into a joke and a comeback slogan. If the fans thought they had seen the last of him, they were wrong.
But the album sessions themselves weren’t all fun and games. Michael Beinhorn took over production from Michael Wagener after an earlier version of the record had already been worked on. Several songs were recorded again under Beinhorn, including “Perry Mason”, “See You on the Other Side” “Tomorrow” and “Old L.A. Tonight”.
Ozzy later spoke about how difficult those sessions had been. Beinhorn would have him sing for hours, only to tell him his voice sounded tired and that they should try again the next day. Then, according to Ozzy, the next session would bring a new reason to start over.
That gives “Ozzmosis” another side to its story: the album that brought Ozzy back also came out of a recording process that left him frustrated.
The Songs That Didn’t Make the Album
The original sessions produced more music than the final tracklist could hold. “Aimee” and “Living with the Enemy” appeared as B-sides, while “Slow Burn” remained unreleased in the material described from those sessions. The 2002 remaster added “The Whole World’s Falling Down” and “Aimee” as bonus tracks.
There was more Ozzy music around “Ozzmosis” than the original album suggested and the story of those sessions still leaves fans with questions about what else might have been released.
The Prince of Darkness Wasn’t Done
“Ozzmosis” received mixed reviews from critics, but its commercial success told another part of the story. It reached the Top 5 in the United States, went double platinum and gave Ozzy a way back after his supposed retirement.
With Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler, Deen Castronovo, Rick Wakeman and contributions from writers like Lemmy, the album brought together a fascinating group of musicians. And the Steve Vai story remains one of those alternate history questions metal fans can argue about for years.
October 23, 1995 wasn’t the end of Ozzy career. It was another beginning.
What do you think of “Ozzmosis”? Is it an underrated Ozzy album or do you reach for “No More Tears” when you want him at his best?
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