Speak of the Devil by Ozzy Osbourne

Speak of the Devil

Available from Amazon
Usually ships within 1-2 business days

Speak of the Devil

Reader Reviews
First, I need to correct something on my recent review of Ozzy's DIARY OF A MADMAN. I just read a website interview with bassist Rudy Sarzo, who replaced Bob Daisley in 1981 and recieved credit on this album alongside drummer Tommy Aldridge (who replaced Lee Kerslake the same year); Rudy admits that DIARY "was already in the can by the time Tommy and I came aboard." Here I was in my review of this great album, giving credit to Rudy Sarzo for his great & prominent role on bass guitar, when it was actually Daisley's playing that was recorded! Also, Rudy Sarzo was not born in Italy like I had thought (his accent sure sounds Italian to me!); instead, he's from Cuba. Oh, well...just proves that I, like other reviewers, are just fallible human beings and occasionally make mistakes like everybody else! ;-) I still think that Rudy Sarzo is one of the best bass guitarists to come out of the 1970's-'80's Heavy Metal scene. He proves it here on Ozzy's 1982 live album, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL---on which he actually *does* play! Recorded at the famous Manhattan rock club The Ritz on September 27th, 1982---just a few months after Ozzy (and the rock world) was devasted by the untimely and, let's face it, completely avoidable death of 26-year-old guitar virtuoso Randy Rhoads, Ozzy had to quickly scrap plans for a live album of his solo recordings, which of course would have prominently featured Randy. Instead, with Rhoads' sudden and shocking death and with his former bandmates in Black Sabbath releasing a double-live album with Ozzy's replacement Ronnie James Dio---something they never did in the 10 years Ozzy sang for them---Ozzy set about to show them up by recording his *own* live set of Black Sabbath tunes! With gifted bassist Rudy Sarzo in the Geezer Butler role, and---believe it or not---Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis in the must-have-been-high-pressure-filled Tony Iommi role, Ozzy played The Ritz to a surprised and packed house. I can sum up this performance in one word: wow! I like the stylistic difference between the raw, powerful, pure blasting Black Sabbath original sound and this lineup's smoother, rumbling take---it makes this dynamic live performance not a retread but a fun reinterpretation that somehow still remains true to the classic original versions. Ozzy and Gillis/Sarzo/Aldridge really walked a fine line here, and they come through brilliantly. SPEAK OF THE DEVIL is one of the most fun live albums to listen to! Now, you may ask, which live album is better: Ozzy's SPEAK OF THE DEVIL or Black Sabbath's LIVE EVIL? The answer, in my humble opinion, is without a doubt SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. Most versions on this album are far better than the Dio-led ones on Black Sabbath's LIVE EVIL, with very few exceptions. But LIVE EVIL's my next review...for now, enjoy Ozzy in all his nostalgic splendor! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Back To Top