GEEZER BUTLER Was Surprised By OZZY OSBOURNE's Early Success As A Solo Artist

During a recent appearance on QFM96's "Torg & Elliott" radio show, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler was asked if he was surprised to see Ozzy Osbourne launch a successful solo career so soon after being fired from SABBATH in 1979. Geezer responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, because we were all in different stages of drug and alcohol addiction, but I think Ozzy was probably the worst of the four of us. And he got himself together so fast, and that's what he needed. 'Cause we were no good to him, 'cause we were just in the same state as he was in, so we couldn't help him. Once he got hooked up with Sharon [Ozzy's now-wife and manager], she got him together, and the rest is history."

Two years ago, SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he thought Ozzy's success as a solo artist was a positive thing for everyone involved. "I think it was the best thing for Oz," he said. "It was the best thing for all of us because he'd made us work again, made us all realize, 'Blimey, we've got to do something here.' And it was great because Sharon got Ozzy rolling again. I mean, Ozzy went through a real bad dip in himself, and he was managed to be pulled out of it, and got a good band behind him. And coming out with some good songs, it was really good. He took on another career, as we did, so we took on the career with [Ronnie James Dio], and then Ozzy took on his career as his solo thing, which was really good. People have got two bands for the price of one, really."

Dio replaced Ozzy and recorded two iconic albums with SABBATH — "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" — before leaving in 1982 to form DIO. He periodically reunited with SABBATH, and ended his career by touring and recording with Iommi and Butler under the HEAVEN & HELL moniker from 2006 to 2009.

Ozzy's exit from SABBATH came while he and his bandmates were trying to record the follow-up to "Never Say Die!", an album Osbourne has previously called the group's worst.

"I wasn't really happy with the way it ended because it was such a great dream come true for all of us," Osbourne recalled few years ago. "Because we were like a band that wasn't created by some business model. We were four guys and we just got together, made a record, and from then on our lives were forever changed."

Ozzy sang on the first eight SABBATH albums before embarking on a solo career, which led to the recording of such classic songs as "Crazy Train" and "No More Tears". Ozzy eventually became more commercially successful as a solo artist than he ever was with SABBATH, although he did reunite with the legendary heavy metal band for 2013's "13" album and accompanying world tour.

In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, BLACK SABBATH bassist

Geezer is currently promoting his newly released autobiography "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond".

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" arrived on June 6 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books and on June 8 in the United Kingdom.