OZZY OSBOURNE Planning 'Black Christmas' Album, TV Special

May 18, 2010

According to an article in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine (Issue 1104 - May 13, 2010),Ozzy Osbourne will release a Christmas album, "Black Christmas", late next year, accompanied by a TV special. Ozzy's wife and manager insisted with a laugh that she'd discussed the idea with him, but "he's trying to forget that it actually exists." The article also reveals that Ozzy will release deluxe 30th-anniversary editions of his first two solo albums — "Blizzard Of Ozz" (1980) and "Diary Of A Madman" (1981) — with their original drum and bass tracks restored (unlike the 2002 reissues of these albums, which saw the replacement of the original bass and drum tracks by Osbourne's then-drummer Mike Bordin and -bassist Robert Trujillo).

Regarding the sound of his new solo album, "Scream", Ozzy told Rolling Stone, You can stay in the Eighties or move on. It's a very heavy record. It's a bit of my SABBATH days. It's a bit of my solo days. It's a bit of the modern day."

The new album and tour will introduce Greek guitarist Gus G. (FIREWIND, DREAM EVIL, ARCH ENEMY). Ozzy parted ways last year with axeman Zakk Wylde, who has played on every Ozzy album and almost every tour since 1988.

Gus played over nearly finished tracks rather than collaborating on songwriting as Wylde did. "It's a fine line, actually, between thinking of the ghosts of past [Ozzy] guitar players and basically not caring at all," said Gus. "I just tried to be myself and have respect for Ozzy's legacy as an artist."

Meanwhile, Ozzy has sold the film rights to his best-selling memoir, "I Am Ozzy". "It has to be a brand new talent playing Ozzy," said Sharon, "because if you go the Val Kilmer/'Doors' way, it becomes too Hollywood."

Ozzy told Rolling Stone he was excited to hit the road and was already thinking about potential set lists. "I've got such a fucking body of work to choose from now," he said. I'd like to do some different SABBATH songs, and some different Ozzy songs." Also under consideration are full performances of the "Blizzard" and "Diary" albums as a way to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

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