True To Metal Part One – ‘Blizzard Of Ozz’ And ‘Mob Rules’
Back in 1981, I was a freshman in high school. My buddy Scott introduced me to the albums Blizzard Of Ozz and Mob Rules. Seriously, my life changed forever. For those that never lived this era, the feeling and vibe of these albums being newly released was nothing short of ecstasy.
I worry that younger generations of Metalheads will never fully understand the full magnitude of Blizzard O Ozz and Mobb Rules on the Metal spectrum back in 1981. Yes, Ozzy Osbourne is a mainstream figure today. Yes, Randy Rhoads will forever be an iconic Metal guitarist. What I want to scream out loud for the universe to here is that the rhythm section of Blizzard Of Ozz was a once in a lifetime duo of Bob Daisley on bass and the late Lee Kerslake on drums.
Bob Daisley wrote the songs AND lyrics for Blizzard Of Ozz. No debate. Fact. Please, just do the research to know the truth. Regardless, Ozzy was the singer that was so unique for its time and is still to this day. I believe each member of Blizzard Of Ozz were honestly dependent on each other; they were a group that will never again be matched. They’re vibe as a cohesive group is to be emulated. Forever.
Now, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward countered with Mob Rules. With Ronnie James Dio recruited as the new lead singer of Black Sabbath, the evolution of Metal will forever be changed for the better, in my Metal opinion. Now, the Black Sabbath album Heaven And Hell was already released a year earlier and set the bar for the new era of Metal. Regardless, Mob Rules solidified the impact that this new era of Black Sabbath was about.
My main objective with this post is to remind seasoned Metalheads and/or let the younger generations of Metalheads that 1981 was a pulsar of Metal history due to Blizzard Of Ozz and Black Sabbath. These albums have stood the test of time. Heck, these albums are better than most Metal albums released since then.
Metal Be Thy Name. Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
June 15, 2023 at 10:50 am
You are absolutely right. Both these iconic albums shaped heavy metal as we know it today.
June 27, 2023 at 7:56 pm
I was in 9th grade when these two albums dropped. That whole era was just exceptional. You are correct. Bob Daisley and Randy Rhoads did the bulk of the writing of the material. Daisley wrote most (if not all) of the lyrics. As for Mob Rules, Bill Ward had left the band during the Heaven and Hell tour. Vinnie Appice replaced him for the remainder of the tour and the Mob Rules album. I was fortunate enough to have seen Ozzy’s Diary of a Madman tour in February of 1982. Six weeks later, Randy was killed. I’ve seen dozens of concerts since then. That show remains my favorite. Great post.
June 27, 2023 at 8:49 pm
Thanks, appreciated. You’re lucky to see Randy Rhoads. I first saw Ozzy on the Ultimate Sin Tour. Jason Newsted was bassist for Metallica then, when they opened for Ozzy. Bob Daisley is a Metal hero. Same with Lee Kerslake. Sharon Osbourne is a fart stain on the legacy of Blizzard Of Ozz.
June 27, 2023 at 10:46 pm
Kerslake and Daisley were monsters as a rhythm section! You are correct about Sharon.