“Ozzy had been fired from Black Sabbath. People warned me against working with him because he didn’t have the best reputation”: Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley on why he decided to bet on the Prince of Darkness’ post-Sabbath career

Ozzy Osbourne band performs on stage on the 'Blizzard Of Ozz' tour, United Kingdom, September-October 1980. Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Bob Daisley (bass)
Bob Daisley (left) and Ozzy Osbourne (right) perform on stage on the 'Blizzard Of Ozz' tour, United Kingdom, September-October 1980 (Image credit: Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music/Getty Images)

Bob Daisley has enjoyed an illustrious career, holding his own on bass alongside a list of legendary guitarists, including Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, and Gary Moore. One of his most notable contributions to rock 'n' roll history, however, is his stint in Ozzy Osbourne's post-Sabbath solo career and his low-end work on Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981).

Joining Osbourne was far from a straightforward decision, however. After being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979, the Prince of Darkness’s career and personal life took a downward spiral, reportedly spending three months locked in his hotel room in a drug- and alcohol-fueled haze.

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Janelle Borg

Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.

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