The 2002 re-releases of Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman featured Bordin and Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo – both then members of Ozzy’s solo band – in place of co-founding band members Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley.
The controversial move was a result of legal action between the departed duo and Ozzy’s management.
Bordin recently told Radio.com, “That was a really kind of f–ked-up thing. It’s funny that no one’s actually mentioned that.
That wasn’t what I was going in expecting to do. It wasn’t the way it was presented to me at all. I never knew that – but that doesn’t lessen the fact that it happened.”
He refuses to “throw anyone under a bus” by suggesting who might be to blame, but adds, “I will say this – to hear the original guitar, bass and drum tracks in my headphones while I was recording was one of the most insane things I’ll ever experience.
I think I heard some guitar solos that I’d never heard before. There’s a reason why those albums are so good – they’re magical. Far be it from me to ever want to f–k with that.”
Kerslake and Daisley’s tracks were eventually replaced, and Bordin approves. “They had to,” he says. “It was just weird.”
Faith No More – who reunited in 2009 without original guitarist Jim Martin – just released comeback album Sol Invictus and play the Download festival at Donington next month.
additional source: classicrock.teamrock.com
25 Responses
“The controversial move was a result of legal action between the departed duo and Ozzy’s management”……coughSHARONcough…..
First off, I’m worried about Mike because he looks like HELL in that picture. And it was very f***ed up that Bob Daisley’s bass and Lee Kerslake’s drums were replaced. It was a sacrilege! Sharon Osbourne is to blame, we all know that. She’s done terrible things that she should forever be ashamed of but her evil, arrogant ways prevent her from having any sense of decency or even a conscience for that matter.
Right on James! Taking Bob & Lee off of the first 2 albums absolutely sucked! That was so wrong, Sharon has done some really fu-ked up things, but that was the worst! Hey have a blast in Rocklahoma, I’ll be having a blast in my backyard! Beer, burgers, fireworks, great music, and a giant American Flag! Don’t forget your neck brace, rock on brother! Cheers! 🙂
Rock on Doug! Fly those stars and stripes high and proud and have a great time my friend! Rocklahoma, here I come, neck brace with me (LOL!)
Later bro.
Evil? Really? Terrible things? Shameful things? As compared to what?
it was a business decision, and we as fans get to decide if we want to buy them or not. Simple as that. Ozzy is not the first nor the only musician to re-record works for various reasons (Kiss, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Tony Iommi, Little River Band), and it isn’t as if Bob Daisley is a saint. He cut the deals originally, then decided he wanted more cash, and decided to try to hold Ozzy hostage.
Uh, read Bob’s book before you reach such conclusions. And yes people re record stuff, but the HUGE difference is it is as an alternative to the original, not instead of. They made the original unavailable! Forcing the re records as the only versions! Nobody has ever done that with classic albums
Eddie thank you for reminding everyone about Bob’s book. this whole matter has been confusing me for years and I hope the book clarifies. Ozzy claiming to be a major songwriter was happening even when Sabbath was on the Mob Rules tour and he was saying they had no right to do “his” songs without him. In 1986 Kerrang! published an interview with Bob in which he went public about Ozzy depending on him for songs. And then, bizarrely, they published a follow-up letter from him in which he denounced Kerrang! for misquoting him, and actually downplayed his contributions!
Bill F.,
While I know I am supposed to be impartial, I find it very difficult to remain silent in this specific case.
If you read Daisley’s book, For Facts Sake, he took Ozzy at his word when the singer shook his hand and said “from my hand to my heart” as he promised to pay Daisley what he requested, only to never follow through on said agreement. The only thing Daisley is guilty of, is continuing to trust the word of parties who proceeded to make him empty promises. If you have ever been to Australia, as I have, you will quickly realize that most Aussies are very good natured, honest and hard working people. It was not in Daisley’s character to think that people would not be true to their word. Not to mention that he is also a practicing Buddhist, which only adds to his trusting nature.
Please do not compare what was done in this specific case to the other bands you mentioned and their work. If Def Leppard had wiped all of Steve Clark’s tracks so that his estate wouldn’t have to be paid, then you might be in a similar vein of this egregious act. Wiping Daisley’s and Kerslake’s tracks is equivalent to the Beatles wiping Harrison’s and Starr’s tracks from some of their landmark recordings. Also, if they were going to re-record Daisley’s bass tracks, they shoud have re-written all the lyrics at the same time, since Daisley wrote all of those as well.
Finally, with exception of the Osbournes, Daisley has never had any problems with most of the other bands and musicians he has played with throughout his career. On the other hand, the Osbournes have had issues with Jake E. Lee, the Rhoads family, Bill Ward, Billy Corgan, etc.
While I admire Sharon for saving Ozzy’s career, and for being a shrewd business woman, I cannot condone, nor justify, being petty and greedy. Apparently, neither could Ozzy, because the singer stated that he did not agree with this decision in the first place, or so he claims. Let us not fool ourselves, Sharon can only wear the black hat for so long. Ozzy claiming innocence and being uninformed of business decisions on a constant basis can only go so far before his credibility starts to exponentially begin to wane.
Just my two cents.
Cheers,
D 🙂
Spot on, Dana, though I personally could do without the smiley face.
Sorry that you don’t like it 🙁 But, I guess that is the girl in me.
D 🙂
If I remember correctly, doesn’t Ozzy have smily faces tatooed on his hands? I know that on the early tours, Iommi had a smiley face on his SG, which was an apt counterpoint to the kind of shit he was laying down.
Dana, while being impartial is probably your best bet generally, no one is going to mind if you occasionally get on the soapbox.
Very astute Mark 🙂 ,
But I believe Ozzy’s smiley faces are on both of his knee caps. At least that is what I recall from the Diary Of A Madman album cover. I think he tattooed them himself while he was in prison.
Thanks for the kind words.
D 🙂
You stay a girl Dana =) The statement was well said, I remember listening to both re-recordings and they just didn’t sound right. Mike and Robert are great musicians, but it just didn’t click for me and the reasons for it are underhanded business tactics.
Thank you, Carlos 🙂 As always, your kind words are appreciated.
D 🙂
Beautifully said…
Thank you so very much.
D 🙂
Bill, Eddie’s right, you should read Bob’s book. I did and it was eye opening. Another example of Sharon being the Sharon I described above is clear if you heard Eddie’s podcast with Jake E. Lee. Jake was basically forced to write and record the BARK AT THE MOON album with no contract. Then, once the album was completed, Sharon denied him any writing credit and publishing and simply dared him to try to do something about it. Taking advantage of a young, probably naive and inexperienced person as far as how the businesses and legal side of the music biz works was cruel and despicable.
The worst part about the first two albums being re-recorded is my original copy of BLIZZARD OF OZZ was damaged and not listenable any more but I couldn’t buy a new one because the bass and drums had been replaced on all new available copies. I refused to buy that album until they reinstated the original bass and drums.
Businesses is business but that situation was done out of spite and greed.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the most recent reissues from a couple years ago have the original bass/drum parts.
Yes Kenneth, they were restored to their original glory after all the public backlash, lack of sales, and Ozzy claiming that he never approved of the remasters. This was, of course, conveniently after the statute of limitations ran out on Daisley’s and Kerslake’s lawsuit.
thanks for the little river band mention on this page. it made my day
Really jacked up thing is that Sharon stepped in to manage Ozzy when he went solo because her father was being an A*&hat manager with Sabbath. Guess it runs cold in that family. All the bad stories you hear from the 60’s and 70’s bands on getting ripped off, stuff like that never changes.
Good for Mike to say that, thank goodness I never bought those nor have I ever heard those albums. Praise GOD!!! or Satan whomever saved my ears from being sodomized and irreversibly damaged.