Ozzy Osbourne “Blizzard of Ozz” 1980/1981. Today, December 6th, would have been guitarist Randy Rhoads 66th birthday (b. 1956, d. 1982). Disclosure: this is my teenage son’s record and I basically risked life and limb to get it – the state of his bedroom is exactly what you’d expect from a 17 year old boy who has Ozzy in his collection.

Blizzard of Ozz is Ozzy’s first solo album (released in ’80 in the UK, spring of ’81 in the US) and is considered one of the greatest metal albums of all-time. Rhoads’ guitar work definitely made that happen; he’s considered one of the best guitarists ever, posthumously awarded induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2021) and the Hall of Heavy Metal History (2017). Blizzard of Ozz hit #21 in the US and #7 in the UK. I’m really only familiar with the hits from the LP, songs that can still be heard regularly today on classic rock radio. “Crazy Train” was the first single and while it initially did OK in the UK (#49) and didn’t quite squeak into the US’s Top 100, it has since sold and streamed over 400 million streams/copies and is ranked in the top 10 of greatest metal songs/metal guitar solos ever. Rhoads supposedly came up with the main riff while still in Quiet Riot (he joined that band at just 16 years old). “Mr. Crowley” was the second single, its topic about Aleister Crowley (fitting nicely with Ozzy’s Black Sabbath background, the song has an extra-creepy organ intro); it is also ranked as one of the best heavy metal songs with one of the best guitar solos of all-time. Not a single but still heard often, at least by me though not sure where, is the album opener “I Don’t Know” which is a great lead-in to the record. Also of note is the track “Suicide Solution” which garnered a lot of controversy in the early 80’s when Ozzy was sued by the parents of a teen who committed suicide after listening to the lyrics. The parents claimed Ozzy sang “Why try? Get the gun and shoot!” but Ozzy and lyricist Bob Daisley claimed the lyrics are actually “Get the flaps out.” While it was really sad situation, of course, the defense of Ozzy by his wife Sharon is kinda hilarious. She stated “To be perfectly honest, I would be doubtful as to whether Mr. Osbourne knew the meaning of the lyrics, if there was any meaning, because his command of the English language is minimal.” (Wiki)