Ozzy Osbourne supplied prolonged touch upon his forthcoming album Affected person Quantity 9 after its haunting title observe emerged on Friday (June 24). The rocker shared a brand new interview the place he touched on his latest difficulties — together with contracting COVID-19 this spring — amongst dialogue concerning the album.
That features the 73-year-old rocker and “Prince of Darkness” praising the hassle’s collaborators akin to Jeff Beck, Zakk Wylde and Tony Iommi, his former Black Sabbath bandmate. Osbourne additionally mentioned making the album helped take his thoughts off his issues.
Learn the interview close to the underside of this publish.
Osbourne teased the Jeff Beck-assisted “Affected person Quantity 9” earlier within the week. Its guardian album, Osbourne’s thirteenth solo studio effort and his first since 2020’s Atypical Man, arrives in September. Osbourne revealed he’d accomplished the album earlier this yr.
The lyrics of “Affected person Quantity 9” dramatize the plight of a psychological hospital affected person. Final yr, Osbourne mentioned it was written about Sharon Osbourne, the media persona who’s his longtime spouse and supervisor. (“There’s one [song] known as ‘Affected person Quantity 9,'” Ozzy mentioned on his radio present Ozzy’s Boneyard, per Metallic Injection. “It is one we wrote about Sharon and I.”) The music was written by Ozzy with producer Andrew Watt, Metallica’s Robert Trujillo, Pink Scorching Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Ali Tamposi.
Final week, Sharon mentioned Ozzy was “on the highway to restoration” after his latest neck and backbone surgical procedure. Ozzy additionally shared a recuperative message. The musician’s accidents stem from a 2003 ATV accident that required earlier surgical procedure. Ozzy examined constructive for COVID in April. Subsequently, so did Sharon.
Affected person Quantity 9 is out Sept. 9. Pre-order it right here. Learn the total Ozzy interview beneath.
Picture by Ross Halfin
Ozzy Osbourne on Affected person Quantity 9
Q: That is your first album to be launched after the pandemic. What was going by way of your thoughts throughout the early days of the pandemic and are any of these emotions mirrored in these songs?
OZZY: Nicely, I used to be vaccinated and boosted and I nonetheless caught COVID ultimately. My final album (Atypical Man) was launched only a few weeks earlier than the pandemic began, and I used to be nearly preparing to enter the studio to work on this new one when the world shut down. It is no secret that the final 4 years have been very tough for me however making this album took my thoughts off of my issues.”
Q: The album options some gamers with whom have historical past. What was it prefer to be reunited with Tony Iommi musically?
OZZY: It was actually nice working with Tony. He is the riff grasp. Nobody can contact him in that respect. I solely want we had these songs for Black Sabbath’s 13 album.
Q: Zakk contributes quite a bit on this album — how was the choice made to have him play since he did not play on the final album?
OZZY: Zakk is a part of my household and all the time might be. The album wanted that weight that his taking part in gives. He simply got here in and actually sorted issues out.
Q: Inform us concerning the first single, “Affected person Quantity 9,” which options Jeff Beck. What do you are feeling he has contributed to the music?
OZZY: The music is a couple of psychological establishment. Having somebody like Jeff Beck play on my album is simply unbelievable, a complete honor. There is not any different guitar participant that performs like him and his solo on “Affected person Quantity 9” is simply jaw-dropping.
