[I'm on with my rock 'n' roll pal Kaedy Kiely at 97.1 The River every Wednesday at 6:50 and 7:50 a.m. to talk about the latest music news. Tune in to hear what's up!]
A chat with Ozzy Osbourne is exactly how you might envision it.
He’s a little bit in his own universe, veering into whatever topics pop to mind.
But he’s also focused when asked about his recently released greatest hits collection, “Memoirs of a Madman,” and its accompanying DVD of his highly vivid and amusing videos.
Osbourne, as fans of his now-decade-plus old reality show “The Osbournes” know, is also quite funny, and intentionally so, such as when we inquire if he’s interested in social media and he responds, “I can’t the turn the bloody light on, never mind a computer. I can text, but I keep sending the texts to the wrong person.”
Talking from his house in Beverly Hills, Calif., Osbourne, 65, mentioned how wife Sharon is organizing the May 2015 OzzFiesta in Mexico, filled us in on the status of Black Sabbath and explained why he hates watching himself on screen.
Q: So what are you working on at the moment, Ozzy?
A: Not much, to be honest. Doing a bit of writing here and there. I finished with Black Sabbath July 4. Can you believe the album ("13") went to number one? It's the first number one album I had in America – it took this long! But the sad thing was that Bill Ward wasn't on it. When I first left Sabbath in 1979 it was not friendly terms and it was a bad scene for all of us. But we're going to do one more album and tour, and it's going to be the last one ever. Bill is going to send me some melodies and stuff, and then we're disbanding the name. You'll still see me with my solo career.
Q: When you see your hits compiled in one place like with “Memoirs of a Madman,” what kind of memories do they bring up for you? Is each song still attached to a certain point in your life?
A: I love what I do for a living. It's not a job, it's a blessing. I can't put it into words. To be successful in any entertainment industry, it's a gift, not a job. When people say is retirement coming, I say, retire from what? Having fun? I decided to put the (collection) out since Black Sabbath has taken a lot of my time and ("13") was a big hit. I was starting to get letters from fans saying when are we going to see Ozzy solo again? What this record is about is letting people know I'm not retired.
People say to me, which is the best song or best album and I say “Diary of a Madman.” This collection, it’s like a living diary for me, but it’s kind of typical because someone will say, “Why didn’t he put that song on, or that song?”
Q: Have you watched any of those old videos?
A: I cannot stand to see myself on screen. I never watched one of (the episodes of) "The Osbournes." I don't like to see myself on TV. I have seen bits and pieces of the TV show and I'm like, "What the (expletive) is that all about?" (During the show) my wife got cancer, my kids got hooked on drugs. The show was a great thing for the exposure, but was it worth the toll it took on my family? I dunno. Do I regret it? No, I don't. But my son asked me one day, "Do you like that people laugh with you or at you?" I have to think about that.
Q: It’s always great hearing you and Sharon on with Howard Stern. Any plans to visit his show to promote the new CD and DVD?
A: No doubt when we're in New York. He's a real performer, Howard, even at 7 a.m. It would have been great when (David) Letterman retires to have Stern take his place.
Q: How is everything with the family? Are you enjoying being a grandfather to Jack’s daughter?
A: Pearl is such a great experience to have. I have other grandchildren, but when I had my own kids I was touring or in rehab. It's a lot better environment now. I can be of service to my family.
Q: At this point in your career, what do you still want to accomplish?
A: I don't really want to accomplish anything - I just hope the party continues. I don't like what I do, I love what I do. Nothing makes me happier than seeing an audience get happy from hearing my music. I've always said if the audience dwindles and I'm playing bars I'll pull the plug, but I've been blessed with longevity. Right now I'm learning to live in the moment.
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