The Good, The Bad & The Ozzy

In early 1990, Guitar World's Brad Tolinski sat down with Ozzy Osbourne and asked him to assess Tony Iommi, Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde

- BRAD TOLINSKI

IF ONLY HALF the rumors about him are true, Ozzy Osbourne should be dead. Yet, after 21 years of twisted public behavior, the man who brought you songs like "Paranoid," "Bark at the Moon" and "Children of the Grave" looks incredibly healthy and ready to take on the world. Ozzy recently celebrated more than 20 years in the business by polishing off a live greatest-hits EP, Just Say Ozzy, and is currently at work on his next studio metal masterpiece.

In the conversation that follows, Ozzy thoughtfully recalls what made each of his great guitarists special, and elaborates his criteria for choosing a guitarist, his audition process and his theory on why it's good to be bad.

Let's start by looking at your past guitarists. How did you find Randy Rhoads?

Thinking back, it was quite extraordinary. I had been in Black Sabbath since high school, and suddenly Tony Iommi fired me from the band. It was a shock because Sabbath had always been there. I was out of my brain on drugs and alcohol and I was stuck in the position of getting a band together. I had never auditioned anyone before and I was petrified.

The auditioning process was so embarrassing. How do you tell someone that they're not what you're looking for? Back then, everyone was trying to clone Jimi Hendrix. I heard nothing but “Purple Haze” and “Foxy Lady” riffs. One guy even hooked up several tape recorders and echo units so he could play both the lead and rhythms to Hendrix tunes simultaneously. It was a nightmare!