STREAMING numbers for the late Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath had already been rising since the massive farewell concert at Villa Park, Birmingham, UK on July 5. Dubbed the biggest event in the history of heavy metal, it was a suitable send off for a band deemed many to be a pioneering force of the genre.
Though Ozzy had looked frail during the spirited performance, fans around the world were still left shell-shocked by his sudden demise a mere three weeks later. As with any rock star death, this inevitably leads to a surge in interest in the artiste’s discography. If you are just streaming, the playlists will take care of the selection for you. But if you are looking to invest in tangible copies, what are considered essential albums in the Prince of Darkness’s oeuvre.
With prices expected to rise dramatically following Ozzy’s passing, music collectors may have to pick wisely to get the best retrospective listen at his legendary career.
Back to beginning
Ok, here is the bad news as far as Ozzy’s output with Black Sabbath is concerned. There are literally no crap albums. The first six are bona fide classics, laying the blueprint for thousands of bands thereafter. The self-titled debut is the obvious starting point and one can still order a vinyl copy for RM140 from some local music emporiums. Same go for Paranoid, Masters of Reality, Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage. To think the Rhino label vinyl reissues were selling for a mere RM70 just a few years back. Nothing like the Grim Reaper to help push prices skywards!
Even the much derided Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die re worthy additions to any collection as they are solid albums. They pale somewhat to earlier releases but when the bar is set so high, there is bound to be some drop off. Compact discs of the first eight studio albums usually retail for under RM50, for now. Do expect prices to start creeping up.
Even the comeback album – 13 – is well worth the investment. Not classic but good enough to warrant the RM150 musicrecords2u was asking for a vinyl copy. Compact disc editions of this later album is significantly cheaper and can be had at RM50 while used copies change hands for significantly less, depending on condition.
Box sets and collections
Those who have a tight budget but want a slice of Sabbath on vinyl or CD could opt for a compilation. There are quite a few on the market but the one to look out for is the double LP set – We Sold Our Souls for Rock n Roll – which cherry-picked the best tunes from the first five studio albums.
Rhino did a splendid eight CD box set containing the first run of Ozzy-fronted albums, with some online stores demanding in excess of RM300 sans postage. Truth be told, this is really essential stuff as every album is worth its weight in gold.
If money is no object, then by all means opt for the vinyl edition of the said box set. Titled Hand of Doom, each album is loving presented in 180g remastered vinyl, promising a truly mind-blowing sonic experience. Expect to pay in excess of RM1,300 for this deluxe box set which was released in 2023.
Slightly cheaper is the box set from the Castle label which has everything from the first six albums crammed into five LPs or four CDs. These can only be found as pre-loved items as it was released in 1991 and has not been reissued since. It is thus quite a rare collector’s item and vinyl editions start from US$100 (RM422) online sans shipping whilst the CD equivalent is significantly cheaper, depending on condition.
Solo material
After being booted out of Black Sabbath in 1978, Ozzy went on to forge an incredibly successful solo career. Tapping into heavy metal’s growing popularity in the 80s, Ozzy released a slew of records that captured the zeitgeist. Not least were Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman which showcased the incredible talent of genius guitarist Randy Rhoads. These two are absolute essential purchases as they capture Ozzy at his best as a solo artiste.
It can be said that aside from No More Tears (1991), the rest of Ozzy’s solo material is patchy at best despite being multi-platinum sellers. However, if you are looking to go the whole hog and want to be a completist, then the 18-lp box set See You On the Other Side – is the way to go. Released earlier this year, it was retailing for US$599 sans postage, prior to Ozzy’s passing. Expect the price to be much higher now.
How much you wish to spend is entirely dependent on your state of finances. But it can safely be said, splurging on the first six (or even eight) Black Sabbath albums will be a decision you will not regret. This is music that laid the very foundations for an entire genre. It is not everyday that such an artiste appears and those albums will sit very nicely in any music collection.
