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I am Ozzy

by Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Ayres (Goodreads Author) (Contributor)

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 7,278 ratings · 681 reviews

They've said some crazy things about me over the years. I mean, okay: 'He bit the head off a bat.' Yes. 'He bit the head off a dove.' Yes. But then you hear things like, 'Ozzy went to the show last night, but he wouldn't perform until he'd killed fifteen puppies . . .' Now me, kill fifteen puppies? I love puppies. I've got eighteen of the f**king things at home. I've kille...more

Hardcover, First U.S. Edition, 391 pages

Published January 25th 2010 by Grand Central Publishing (first published 2009)

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Nov 24, 2011 Buggy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: addicted, bio-memoir, shelf-11, demonexy, rock-gods

Opening Line: "My father always said I would do something big one day."

I grew up in the 80’s so the Ozzy that I knew wasn’t the comical, stuttering MTV family man of today but the Prince of darkness. Black Sabbath’s scary, out of control singer who bit the head off of bats and doves and worshiped the devil. (Or so the rumours said) My brother used to play his records (yes I’m that old) during his rocker/bad boy phase (he’s now with the RCMP) and I remember being forced to listen to Ozzy Osbourne...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, ebook, solo-books-read, humor, biography

Every time I watched the cover of this book I couldn’t get out of my head this song by Ozzy Osbourne "Over The Mountain". Just this part:

”Don’t need no astrology
It’s inside of you and me
You don’t need a ticket to fly with me
I’m free yeah”

Playing over and over again.

And you know what, it's true!

It's free! (Well... At least it was when I downloaded it.)

This probably is the funniest autobiography out there. I literally burst out laughing several times. Once I was at work, reading and couldn’t stop...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow, I am reading the most entertaining biography out there. This one I simply can't stop laughing - I am about half way through this book and can tell you that it is now my most favorite book. Since this is a library copy that I am reading I plan to still buy the book. I love Ozzy and his book so much. Even if you are not a Black Sabbath fan, I am sure you will enjoy this book. I recommend this book for reading to lighten their day and for a thoroughly relaxing little getaway from the stresses...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Artiom Karsiuk rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

How this man is still alive is beyond me. There are people who [to quote the Hulkster] say their prayers and eat their vitamins, yet they choke on a peanut or cross the street on a red light and it's curtains for them. Curtains, I say! But this guy did just about any drug there is and now enjoys a decently healthy life while being a grandfather.
I love rock music, but I can't say that I'm this hardcore fan of Black Sabbath or Ozzy - I do love some of his songs (the well known tunes, to be honest...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biografie, musik

Diese Bio ist fast das verückteste vor allem nicht fiktionale Werk, das ich je gelesen habe. Jedesmal denkt man - neiiin Ozzy mach das jetzt nicht und dann tut er es doch. Von den ersten Jobs in der Fabrik über das Schlachthaus bis zur Musikerkarriere vergisst Ozzy nie, woher er kommt und bleibt sich treu, obwohl er meist nicht ganz Herr seiner Sinne ist und wie eine geladene Waffe voller Unsinn und den Kopf voller Drogen und Alkohol durch sein Leben stolpert. Auch an ehrlicher Selbstkritik bezü...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

My favorite metal records of all time have been a tie between two things for the last 25 years: Ozzy-era Sabbath and early Motorhead. My suspicion is that I will never stop feeling this way... and yes, 0zzy HAS done a few solo records worth a damn, too.

The thing I learned from this book that I'd NEVER seen any details about before was the crash/ death of Randy Rhoads. Ozzy discusses it in detail, and it's one of the more surreal tragedies in rock history, if not THE strangest.

I was surprised how...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Synesthesia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ozzy Osbourne is interesting for some reason.
His book was fascinating. The main think you think as you read it is, how did this man SURVIVE all of this?
He did just about every drug in existence, drank tons of alcohol and got into so many dangerous situations and here he is alive to tell about it.
I must say, I think I'd rather hang with the Osbournes than the Duggars for some reason. They seem like fun and they'd have raucous metal and as mild as I am, despite the fact that I seldom cuss in publi...more

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Aug 01, 2010 Azadeh rated it 4 of 5 stars

So far Ozzy and his ghost writer are hilarious and keep me in stitches!

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May 04, 2013 David Roberts rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book I read to research this post was I am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne which is an excellent autobiography and which I bought from a local secondhand shop. Ozzy Osbourne was the lead singer with Black Sabbath before having a successful solo career. Later his family starred in the reality show The Osbournes. His current wife, Sharon is a successful music manager in addition to managing him. Also in Britain with his daughter he covered the Black Sabbath single Changes & it was a number 1 single....more

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Mar 27, 2013 Bonnie McDaniel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, memoir

For a good celebrity autobiography, the ghostwriter or co-author has to capture the subject's personality, quirks, and eccentricities. Chris Ayres, the co-author of this book, did this in spades, to the point where it's one of the funniest, most entertaining autobiographies I've ever read. This can't have been easy--Ozzy Osbourne, as he freely admits, is poorly educated, dyslexic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so he certainly didn't do any of the writing himself. His memory of...more For a good celebrity autobiography, the ghostwriter or co-author has to capture the subject's personality, quirks, and eccentricities. Chris Ayres, the co-author of this book, did this in spades, to the point where it's one of the funniest, most entertaining autobiographies I've ever read. This can't have been easy--Ozzy Osbourne, as he freely admits, is poorly educated, dyslexic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so he certainly didn't do any of the writing himself. His memory of events is also suspect, due to his incredible use of alcohol and drugs for forty years--to the point where he should have been dead several times over. You get the feeling Ozzy must have acquired a whole flock of guardian angels along the way, because he couldn't have survived otherwise.

Nevertheless, his clownish personality and basic decency is evident. This book had me giggling from start to finish, due to his wry British humor and penchant for getting himself in the most unbelievable situations, simply by being Ozzy. He's constantly falling into things--trenches, ditches--and getting into fights and pratfalls of the screwiest kinds. His horrendous drug and alcohol problems don't help this at all, and (to be fair) is the least funny part of the book, though he tries to lighten up his alcohol-fueled penchant for pissing and shitting himself. He also admits to verbal and physical abuse, and frankly I don't know how his wife Sharon stayed with him. But she did, and they're still together after thirty years.

Strangely, this isn't so much a music memoir--though there's a lot about Black Sabbath, and the first part of Ozzy's solo career, concentrating on the Randy Rhoads years--as it is about family. Ozzy's love for his family and his devotion to Sharon and his children shines through even his worst alcoholic/druggy excess. Although the book ends with Ozzy summing up what's going to be on his gravestone--"Ozzy Osbourne, born 1948. Died whenever. He bit the head off a bat."--his life is so much more than that. (less)

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Dec 08, 2012 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Surprisingly fun. The author does a great job of making the text seem like a verbatim transcription of Ozzy's many, hilarious anecdotes. Ozzy has always had a great way with stories and I recognised some of them told almost exactly the same in this book (such as the, "Fuck off! He's our midget!") story. Ozzy's habit of constantly retelling his yarns may have helped him to remember things from the long period when he was so drunk and coked up that he couldn't possible have remembered otherwise.

Oz...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Angela~twistedmind~ rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ozzy fans, fans of rock n roll auto-biographies

Weeeeeellllll, where to begin? I only read this book because it was about Ozzy, likewise it only received 4 stars from me because it was about Ozzy. As a rule, I don't enjoy auto-biographies. I usually find them dull and most of the authors are so busy trying to paint themselves in a saintly light that they tend to forget what actually happened. Ozzy, for the most part tells it like it is. He readily admits that most of his problems stemmed from his own actions. That said, I gleefully devoured a...more Weeeeeellllll, where to begin? I only read this book because it was about Ozzy, likewise it only received 4 stars from me because it was about Ozzy. As a rule, I don't enjoy auto-biographies. I usually find them dull and most of the authors are so busy trying to paint themselves in a saintly light that they tend to forget what actually happened. Ozzy, for the most part tells it like it is. He readily admits that most of his problems stemmed from his own actions. That said, I gleefully devoured all the tales of debauchery we've all heard about over and over.....biting off the dove's head (quite intentional, if not well thought out) or biting off the head of a bat (not in the least intentional and a very nasty surprise). The best were all the many stories that have never seen the light of day until now. Many of these stories are halarious, some make you want to smack him upside the head, some are so outrageous you're left not knowing what to think and some are so sad you can only feel sorry for the mess he's made of his life. One thing is clear. He loves Sharon with everything he has. I have always admired Sharon and I think that even those who can't stand her and say she's only with him for the money will find themselves cheering her on and giving her a mental ^5.
An excerpt: "I turned to the bloke next to me and said, 'Hey, will you do me a favour?' 'Sure,' he said. 'Punch me in the face.' 'What?' 'Punch me in the face.' 'I can't do that.' 'Look, I asked you to do me a favour, and you said you would. You promised. So punch me in the fu&kin$ face.' 'No!' 'Just punch me.' 'Mr. Osbourne, I'm sorry, but I can't do that.' 'Come on! YOU F$CK!NG PROMIS--' BLAM!! The last thing I saw was Sharon's fist approaching my face from across the table."
I think any Ozzy fan or people who enjoy auto-biographies will really enjoy this book. Otherwise, you should probably skip this one.

"They've said some crazy things about me over the years. I mean, okay, 'He bit the head off a bat.' Yes. 'He bit the head off a dove.' Yes. But then you hear things like, 'Ozzy went to the show last night, but he wouldn't perform until he'd killed fifteen puppies..' Now me kill fifteen puppies? I love puppies. I've got eighteen of the fu*k^ng things at home. I've killed a few cows in my time, mind you. And the chickens. I shot the chickens in my house that night.
"It haunts me, all this crazy stuff. Every day of my life has been an event. I took lethal combinations of booze and drugs for thirty fu&%ing years. I survived a direct hit by a plane, suicidal overdoses, STDs. I've been accused of attempted murder. Then I almost died while riding over a bump on a quid bike at fuc#i^g two miles an hour.
"People ask me how come I'm still alive, and I don't know what to say. When I was growing up, if you'd have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of sixty, which one of us would end up with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and Beverly Hills, I wouldn't have put money on me, no f&ck!ng way. But here I am, ready to tell my story, in my own words, for the first time.
"A lot of it ain't gonna be pretty. I've done some bad things in my time. I've always been drawn to the dark side, me. But I ain't the devil. I'm just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston, who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time."(less)

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Oct 29, 2011 Jeb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Where to begin.

Ozzy is the Alexander the Great of substance abuse, except that he didn't die in his early 30s despite every attempt to do so.

I believe that this book is proof that there is no underlying justice in the world. How can Dio be dead and this pickled human still live?

The inherent injustice aside, my wife said that she has never heard me laugh out loud so many times while reading a book. Laugh-horror is the only 'adjective' I can think of to describe my impression throughout the autob...more Where to begin.

Ozzy is the Alexander the Great of substance abuse, except that he didn't die in his early 30s despite every attempt to do so.

I believe that this book is proof that there is no underlying justice in the world. How can Dio be dead and this pickled human still live?

The inherent injustice aside, my wife said that she has never heard me laugh out loud so many times while reading a book. Laugh-horror is the only 'adjective' I can think of to describe my impression throughout the autobiography.

Ozzy moves from one spectacularly insane recollection to another with little commentary. The stories are simply unbelievable but, I think, completely true. For 'normal' people, drinking four bottles of Hennessey per day is impossible to comprehend, but, I suspect, Ozzy is underestimating his intake....certainly not including the coke and beer he ingested (he even says at one point "beer doesn't count.")

Initially, I was a bit disappointed with this book because I'd really hoped that it would spend time talking about the importance of heavy metal for Ozzy, how Black Sabbath came up with their sound in the late 60s and early 70s, their influences, what recording was like, etc. But, this book isn't really about that. It's a cathartic book for Ozzy, not a musical genre expose. That direction is either intentional or Ozzy simply can't remember anything before 1978. I think either possibility is believable but, the former is more likely since the underlying tone is "I am a freak. Don't do what I've done because even though I've lived, you will probably die."

This isn't to say that there isn't some musical analysis in the book, but, it's light. Music is a medium for substance abuse to Ozzy and that's what you will read in story after story of blackouts, familial neglect, life threatening accidents, public defecation, etc. It only slows down at one part when Ozzy talks about Randy Rhoads. Clearly Ozzy loved Randy Rhoads and the emotional impact of his senseless death seems to be one of the only things that penetrated Ozzy's substance abuse haze.

I tend to read a lot of books at once so, it can take me quite a while to get through one as I swap back in forth. Not in this case. I read it straight through. I don't really know why I liked this book so much. I'm not much of a rubber necker when it comes to human tragedy, but, this human train wreck is a story that shouldn't be missed, a highly recommended read.(less)

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May 02, 2011 Mimi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I have to admit that I never really appreciated heavy metal music & was not exactly a fan of Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne. However, as I’ve “matured”, some of my musical tastes have “immatured,” and I’ve started to like some classic Ozzy music, particularly “Crazy Train”, “Changes”, etc. With Ozzy’s celebrity re-emerging due to the MTV reality show featuring his family (and some REALLY funny TV commercials), I have become more and more interested in his...more Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I have to admit that I never really appreciated heavy metal music & was not exactly a fan of Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne. However, as I’ve “matured”, some of my musical tastes have “immatured,” and I’ve started to like some classic Ozzy music, particularly “Crazy Train”, “Changes”, etc. With Ozzy’s celebrity re-emerging due to the MTV reality show featuring his family (and some REALLY funny TV commercials), I have become more and more interested in his life story, so “I am Ozzy” was a great way to satisfy my curiosity.

This was an awesome memoir…but before I get into that, here’s a disclaimer. This book is for those readers who are interested in reading an honest autobiographical account tracing the life of an important heavy metal rocker who has run the gamut of experiences, including a prison sentence, extreme drug & alcohol abuse, wife abuse, animal cruelty issues, superstardom and ultimate rehabilitation. Written completely in Ozzy’s voice, the reader will feel like he/she is actually have a conversation with the rocker himself, one who doesn’t water down the details of the past or soften his language to do so. This is what makes the memoir so wonderfully real because it truly shows Ozzy how he really IS…but if you are someone who might not appreciate this type of language and candor, you may not want to read this one.

However, that being said, I LOVED this book for the very reasons mentioned above. Starting with his childhood & traveling to the present day, Ozzy gives the real scoop about his life, without leaving anything out. I think it’s great that he does not try to gloss over the negative elements of his past and he doesn’t try to make excuses for himself…while he is not proud of many of his actions, he knows that these are the experiences that make him who he is, and he should not deny his past. …and despite the seriousness of many of these issues, Ozzy is an outstanding storyteller who is also soooo funny…he definitely had me laughing aloud throughout the book (sometimes after saying to myself “Ewwwww…TMI Ozzy!”, but that’s beside the point :P).

I definitely think this is an important book for anyone who loves Rock & Roll and wants to learn as much as possible about the history of Rock. I’ve seen books about many musicians, singers, etc, but never such a revealing memoir dealing with heavy metal music. Many (including Ozzy himself) have called the rocker a medical miracle…with all the drugs and alcohol he has consumed, a doctor once asked him “How are you still alive?” I think of other musicians from the 60s & 70s who were sooo talented, but who just couldn’t survive the substance abuse…too bad they couldn’t tell us their stories in their own words! Fortunately, Ozzy has survived, and is willing to talk so openly about his memories of his past. His road to rehabilitation has been a long one, and hopefully he will have continued success with it.(less)

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May 24, 2010 Bet Lantaff rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really don't like to read autobiographies. I hate reading about other people's lives. I've read a very small few of them in my years (I can count them all on 2 fingers) and didn't really think that much of them. Which is what amazes me about liking this one so well. I don't care for Osbourne's music, so therefore wasn't interested in his book. A friend recommended it to me and I borrowed a copy. It immediately hooked me from the dedication at the front of the book. This book is written as if O...more

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May 15, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am a sucker for learning about famous people. In this book, Ozzy seems just as amazed and repulsed about his own life as we are. I found this way of looking at his life, along with him, somehow endearing. There is something so naive and sweet about this man. Just like any life story, there were incidents that made me laugh out loud (like the Vicar story) and occasions that brought a tear to my eye (when he didn't attend his mom's funeral because he knew it would turn into a media circus). And,...more

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Mar 29, 2010 T. Edmund rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well... Wow, just wow. It must have been said so many times before, but just how can this man take so many drugs over the all decades of his life? Like most biographies, Ozzy’s covers his early childhood and some of his early ‘work’ experiences. Unlike many biographies (although not that uncommon amongst musicians’) after his initial success in Black Sabbath, Ozzy’s life drops into an endless rush of booze, illegal drugs, legal drugs and substances not supposed to be consumed by human mortals.

T...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Torie Duda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having grown up in the 80's and being a HUGE fan of Duran Duran and the likes, I admit that Ozzy Osbourne scared the bejeezus out of me. His music scared me...his pictures scared me...don't even get me started on his videos!

It wasn't until MTV started with "The Osbournes" that I saw a completely different side of him...and I actually loved him (and his nutty family!). I was so excited to read that he had a book coming out that I snatched it up as soon as I found it...

I must say, it is written as...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Heather McDaid rated it 4 of 5 stars

*Back-dating reviews based on snips I find*

I’ve had this book sitting on my bookshelf for a long time but – for some reason or another – I never got around to it. I don’t really understand why seeing as a) I love Ozzy Osbourne b) I love Black Sabbath c) I love autobiographies and d) I love books surrounding rock ‘n’ roll, especially classics. So anyway, I got around to it and – surprise of the century – I really liked it.

I had some issues with it. I mean, at the end he did say “these are how I r...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Alora rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-autobiography

The reviews for this book were so great I just had to check it out. And besides, while I was never a serious head-banger I did have my Ozzy 8-track back in the day... and I was darn curious to see what he has to say now that he's old enough to be someone's grandpa.

First of all, if you are at all easily-shocked, don't read this. Second of all, if you can't hand the odd (as in mentioned every other sentence) four-letter word, don't read this.

But I did. And, honestly, I was completely engrossed all...more

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Sep 19, 2010 Becky R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

The show, "The Osbournes" was one of the shows that I credit for pulling me out of a serious depression after my father passed away from cancer. The thing that really struck me about that show was how much they genuinely loved each other. Yes, their lives were crazy, but the love they had for one another came pouring out of them. It made me smile.

Ozzy Osbourne's life was filled with crazy ups and downs; some he created and some came from left field. Ozzy worked in slaughterhouses, sang for Black...more The show, "The Osbournes" was one of the shows that I credit for pulling me out of a serious depression after my father passed away from cancer. The thing that really struck me about that show was how much they genuinely loved each other. Yes, their lives were crazy, but the love they had for one another came pouring out of them. It made me smile.

Ozzy Osbourne's life was filled with crazy ups and downs; some he created and some came from left field. Ozzy worked in slaughterhouses, sang for Black Sabbath, and starred in his own reality show. Regardless of what he was doing, it was easy to see from his autobiography that Ozzy was always honest about where he came from and who he was.

I think the thing that struck me the most about Ozzy Osbourne's life was that although he admits to and acknowledges his many weaknesses, that his drug and alcohol abuse also helped to serve as a cover for his weaknesses. I realize that addiction is a disease, but no matter how honest one claims to be, addiction overrides that honesty and allows one to hide behind its gruesome coat tails. From all the drugs and alcohol that Ozzy took in his lifetime, it's hard to say why he's still alive. Beyond that, his escapades with other women and larger than life rocker lifestyle should have driven any semblance of family far from the picture, but he has managed to hold on to his family. This success at home has to be due to his wife Sharon, who put up with her fair share of abuse over the years.

As a fan of Ozzy's, I am hard pressed to really fault his own life story too much. The one thing I do wish he would have included more was his relationships with his children. Very little is mentioned about his kids, and I found myself curious about how he has maintained a strong, loving relationship with his children, regardless of his drug and alcohol abuse.

Right or wrong, the Osbournes are a family with heart. They want to be honest about their actions and feelings, which is strangely why they seem endearing. Ozzy's autobiography was interesting, and I enjoyed reading more about his life. I do have to give a huge disclaimer that there is a lot of profanity throughout the book, reminiscent of Ozzy's way of speaking. Honestly though, the book was trying to show this larger than life character for who he was, madness and all.
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Jun 08, 2011 Chip'sBookBinge rated it 5 of 5 stars

How fitting it is to come from reading one of the worst books ever in that of Tommyland to this one, I Am Ozzy, which is the epitome of how to write a book. I Am Ozzy is hands down the best Rock Biography I have ever read. From page one to the very end of the book, there is not one wasted moment. Everything I read in I Am Ozzy is perfect. It's engaging, entertaining and more often than not, extremely funny.

I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud at some of the stories Ozzy would recou...more How fitting it is to come from reading one of the worst books ever in that of Tommyland to this one, I Am Ozzy, which is the epitome of how to write a book. I Am Ozzy is hands down the best Rock Biography I have ever read. From page one to the very end of the book, there is not one wasted moment. Everything I read in I Am Ozzy is perfect. It's engaging, entertaining and more often than not, extremely funny.

I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud at some of the stories Ozzy would recount throughout the book. And there are moments of just his dialog alone with whoever he was having a conversation with would leave me in stitches. One in particular that comes to mind is the "Brick is a dick" conversation. I chuckle now just thinking about it. "He's a dick, that brick" Haha.

I have to take my hat off to the co-writer of the book, Chris Ayres for editing and trimming away any and all unnecessary fat from the book to make this the most concise read ever. I can't tell you how fast I was reading this one as every page was page turner.

I thought I knew all there was to know about Ozzy, but I came away after reading the book knowing him a little better. There were a handful of stories that even I hadn't heard about tell now.

If there is one negative about I Am Ozzy, it was the lack of stories about Randy Rhoads. He was the sole reason why I wanted to read this book in the first place, so I was expecting to get a lot of inside information about Randy here. That was not the case. Ozzy really only talks about him a couple of times regarding his arrival into the band and then of course the tragic plane crash that took his life away too soon. I know that Ozzy still doesn't talk much about him to this day because it's too painful for him and I can respect that he still can't bring himself to really lay it all out there now, even in a book. He did lose his best friend and that's got to really weigh heavily on him, even 30 years after the fact. So I won't hold it against him here.

I guess I can still get my Randy Rhoads fix in Off The Rails by Rudy Sarzo, but it may take awhile since my local Library doesn't have it yet.

As for I Am Ozzy, I highly recommend this book to everyone. You don't have to even be a fan of the man himself to enjoy his stories and the chaos that follows him around. This book is so good that I look forward to reading it again...and again.....
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Aug 30, 2010 Sunflower rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-read-2010, e-books

A life of unadulterated craziness and chaos, with a bit of luck thrown in. Ozzy himself admits that he should be dead- but at the same time is amazed and grateful that the severely dyslexic kid who was raised on lard sandwiches and chips, and who spent the vast majority of his life out of his head on alcohol and drugs, (prescription and otherwise), somehow survived. He has drained the dregs of the rock star life -at the end of the book tells a mate that the only rock star thing he hadn't done wa...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs, finished-2012

After reading memoirs from members of Van Halen, KISS and Motley Crue that all had "Ozzy is fucking crazy, man" stories I simply had to read this memoir. I'd seen episodes of The Osbournes about a dozen years ago when it aired and at the time wondered if Ozzy was brain damaged or just really high or perhaps both. Turns out the answer is both.

This book is about the 10th memoir I've read of a British musician born around the end of WW2. It is interesting how similar all their stories are at the be...more After reading memoirs from members of Van Halen, KISS and Motley Crue that all had "Ozzy is fucking crazy, man" stories I simply had to read this memoir. I'd seen episodes of The Osbournes about a dozen years ago when it aired and at the time wondered if Ozzy was brain damaged or just really high or perhaps both. Turns out the answer is both.

This book is about the 10th memoir I've read of a British musician born around the end of WW2. It is interesting how similar all their stories are at the beginning. The stress the war brought upon their families, the rationing of goods that continued until the mid-fifties that led to a sense of deprivation, the bombed out buildings, the bad weather and grey cities and grey people, the repressed nature of people in the 50s & early 60s, the revelation of American rock & roll and how music could provide an escape from their regimented,narrow futures. It is the same story with Ozzy, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Sting, Pete Townsend, George Harrison etc.

One fact I can't get over is how few working class families had indoor plumbing. Seriously - like no one did. And they all used old newspapers for toilet paper. Ozzy even brings the issue of bathrooms up towards the end of his memoir. He compares his childhood where they had an outhouse outside (And used a bucket in their bedroom for at night when it was cold out) to his current mansion in Beverly Hills where he has an enormous marble bathroom with a fancy Japanese toilet with a heated seat and warm air to dry one's bottom. It is an amazing change in his life that Ozzy well recognizes.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this memoir. I started off with a very cynical attitude, thinking Sharon had written the book and that Ozzy was just this sort of blank figurehead. I still think it was Sharon's idea to write the memoir but it does seem like Ozzy's voice (dictated to his co-author/the guy that actually wrote the book). Ozzy talks about his severe dyslexia and how he doesn't even write emails now - he dictates them to one of his staff. He says he finished school at 15 without really ever learning to read. He was not diagnosed with dyslexia & severe ADHD until he went to rehab & therapy in the 80s. He just always thought of himself as stupid and a failure. His defense mechanism from childhood on was to play the class clown, the fool. He says that came into play as an adult on tour. He was uncomfortable and knew that acting crazy was a true & tested method for fitting in. Also, he was totally wasted all the time which made him act nuts. Hence all the "Ozzy is a fucking lunatic" stories.

He talks some about the music. About how he felt less than the others because he didn't play an instrument. Again with the feeling stupider than everyone else. I found it sad and rather touching when he writes about being kicked out of Black Sabbath and thinking "Well, that's that. I guess I'll move back to Aston and get a job at a factory after all." It didn't occur to him that he could be a successful solo artist. Chalk that up to Sharon. Even though Ozzy talks about the bitter feud between Sharon & her record executive dad, she obviously got a lot of business acumen from him. Props to her for creating Ozzy's career. He credits her with saving him and he is right. What a smart cookie, her buying out all his contracts and creating his own company & publishing firm. Not to mention creating Ozzfest. Until Sharon, Ozzy kept get screwed over on the business side of things. Like a lot of musicians. His illiteracy and his poverty stricken background did not help him navigate the music business. The constant drinking and drugging only served to make him more clueless.

Ozzy is fairly honest in this memoir - it's very warts & all sort of writing. He discusses beating his first wife & Sharon, his cruelty to animals, his terrible failings as a father, his detachment from his family once he became successful. He feels shame & regret towards a lot of his actions. Towards the end of the book when discussing his son Jack's drug addiction Ozzy yells at him "Why did you do this? You've had an easy life, got everything you wanted. Did you ever want for anything?" and Jack answers "I wanted a father." Oooooh snap! Harsh! Because Ozzy was never that. He writes that Jack's comment really struck a nerve because it was so true.

I think anyone who has struggled with addiction, or loved someone who struggled with addiction, would enjoy reading this book. I'm not a big fan of Ozzy's music but the music really takes a back seat to his personal issues. It's a fast, easy read. Would be a good book to take on vacation.

(less)

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Dec 14, 2011 Benito rated it 4 of 5 stars

OK, this isn't the sort of guilty reading I normally post on Goodreads (I have an odd passion for rock bios - the fate of a failed muso I suppose) but Ozzy has such a strong voice in this, and it's such a funny voice, full of great tales of struggle and excess. No wonder that as a simple wog kid in early 80s Homebush I so enjoyed listening to Black Sabbath - although by the time I discovered them Ronny James Dio was in the driver's seat, and making a damn fine fist at it actually, but after I lo...more

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Mar 29, 2010 ICPL Staff Picks added it

Shelves: biographies, terri, nonfiction

Who would have thought a book about addiction , poverty and music could be so funny? I have been aware of Ozzy Osbourne for many years and while not a fan of his type of music I do realize that he did have a special gift. Born in a family that was very poor, Osbourne grew up listening to the radio and through a lot of hard work found himself on the radio with his own group Black Sabbath. Sabbath, was one of the pioneering groups that performed Heavy Metal Rock and Roll. Sabbath is in The Rock an...more

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Mar 17, 2010 Cody rated it 4 of 5 stars

The writing is truly atrocious. It reads like Ozzy dictated his life story into a tape recorder, handed it to the ghost writer, and said "Transcribe this word for word." Since Ozzy left school at 15, you can probably guess how that went.

But you don't read this book for the prose; you read it for the stories. And oh, the stories. The famous dove, bat, and Alamo tales are there, as are more behind the scenes accounts of band in-fighting and tragedy. Ozzy doesn't hold back on any of his crazy esca...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Pia Göös rated it 5 of 5 stars

Olen lukenut aika paljonkin näitä heavy-rockin elämäkertoja (kun niitä nyt viime vuosina on suht mallikkaaseen tahtiin suomennettu) ja tämä on selkeästi paras.

Tarinaa tulee sellaisella volyymillä, että tukka heiluu väkisinkin. Kuitenkin huumorin- ja viinankatkuisen kirjan sisälmyksissä on niitä mietittyjäkin juttuja. Meno on aivan yhtä sekapäistä kuin esimerkiksi Törkytehtaassa, mutta väliin mahtuu selkeästi pitkäänkin pohdittuja juttuja.

Erityiskiitoksen tämän opuksen kohdalla ansaitsee mieletön...more

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Dec 25, 2011 William Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, since-joining-goodreads

A marvelous biography that, alongside Not Bad For A Human, is refreshingly honest and graphic. Ozzy has led a life of immense joy and misery, the misery being his self-loathing and massive addictions, his stint in prison, his creative failures with old friends, his failed marriage, and the death of guitarist/legend Randy Rhoads.

The joy is quite clear: immense success as a musician, gobs of money, and a wonderful family (that it took him awhile to appreciate).

Almost everything is covered here fro...more A marvelous biography that, alongside Not Bad For A Human, is refreshingly honest and graphic. Ozzy has led a life of immense joy and misery, the misery being his self-loathing and massive addictions, his stint in prison, his creative failures with old friends, his failed marriage, and the death of guitarist/legend Randy Rhoads.

The joy is quite clear: immense success as a musician, gobs of money, and a wonderful family (that it took him awhile to appreciate).

Almost everything is covered here from his never-boring childhood to his days in Black Sabbath (or, at a very early time, when they were called Earth), to his solo career with Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Zakk Wylde, to the hit TV Show The Osbournes.

Along the way we get the classic rock n' roll stories, most notably his time with Motley Crue. Even after all we've heard from Ozzy, things are even crazier during that period.

The book is written almost like a movie, with peaks and valleys of emotion. Sometimes Ozzy's stories are incredibly hilarious but, over time, he manages to instill in them the sadness and despicable nature of what these funny stories have done to him physically, mentally, and to the people he loves.

A lot of people know of Ozzy's two kids on The Osbournes but not a lot of people know about the daughter who declined to appear or Ozzy's two kids from another marriage that always seemed to be in the back of his mind and left alone.

Ozzy is not a perfect person and he admits as much. It's his honesty that saves him as many things he has done is deplorable: hitting and strangling his wife while completely loaded is one of the worst offenses and while excuses do exist, there is a remorse and agony to Ozzy's words that make you realize he is a man who has learned from his sins and has never repeated them.

Towards the end, the endless stories of drug abuse and alcoholism can get a bit depressing but, in the end, Ozzy is clean and the family is in tact. Along with his amazing music, of which I own every album, Ozzy is a true personality and one of a kind, and a person who, if his book is to be believed, has changed his life for the better.

I've never had quite as much fun reading a bio as I had with this one.(less)

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Jul 02, 2011 Lilly Echeverria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is fun. There are some parts that are annoying, kind of like listening to someone bs with a whole lot of obnoxious stories. The crazy part is, that I bet most of them are true. He does go on and on about the insane amount of drugs and alcohol he did and how he should be dead, blah, blah, blah. We get it, you did a lot of drugs Ozzy. That being said, anyone that loves metal, will enjoy this book. He talks about how Black Sabbath started and his solo career and Randy Rhodes. Interesting...more

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About Ozzy Osbourne

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is the lead vocalist of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, a multi-platinum, award winning successful solo artist and the star of the reality show, The Osbournes. Considered by many to be the "Godfather of Heavy Metal," Ozzy has enjoyed a career that has now spanned four decades.

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“That night, at God knows what hour, Bill phoned me up and shouted, ‘Ozzy, I think my
house is haunted!’
‘Sell tickets then,’ I told him, and put the phone down.” — 15 people liked it

“It had a huge impact on me, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ – and I was very proud when I found out that Kurt Cobain was a fan of mine. I thought he was awesome.” — 13 people liked it

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