For Facts Sake

by Bob Daisley

Written entirely by acclaimed bassist, songwriter and lyricist Bob Daisley, 'For Facts Sake' is a fascinating account of a journey that led him to work with some of the biggest names in Rock. Those featured in the story include Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, Gary Moore, Tony Iommi, Ronnie Dio, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Bon Scott, John Bonham, George Harrison, Jon Lord, and the notorious Don Arden, among many others. Reading through every chapter, with the hundreds of corresponding photographs, is like accompanying Bob on his journey. This book is the culmination of decades of an extraordinary life spent in music and Bob Daisley recalls it all with candour and a quirky wit that is as unique as the man himself... The title says it all.

Genres: Music

336 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Kurtbg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A musical autobiography more so than a personal reflection on life in the music business.

In the vein of Robbie Robertson’s “Testament” Bob Daisley was a witness and participant in music starting in the 60’s. He crosses paths with major rock/metal icons and plays with many of them. Always keeping busy, writing, recording, and on the road - music drives him.

What the book doesn’t cover this Buddhist practitioner is how the music life meshed with his home life. What happened to his wife and children and their relationship isn’t concluded.

For many, Bob’s relationship with Ozzy Osborne and his work with Randy Rhoads is the biggest draw. Not much is spent on how the Blizzard of Ozz gelled (which songs did they play to get a feel for each other musically) and what was the musical genesis and quirks for the creation of each song including structure, sound, and contribution. What was Bob driven and what was Randy driven? I.e. Who’s idea was it to have each song be in a different key for BoO?

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story for heavy metal fans. Amazing to see the treachery of Sharron Osbourne (and Ozzy's enabling of it) laid bare. I do wish he had an editor though. I could easily cross off 1/3 of the paragraphs in this book and it would have made a better read. He has amazing stories about how Blizzard of Ozz was formed and how great songs were written, but they're mixed in with stories about how he once heard an old lady get confused about the temperature of soup when the waitress said it was "cool." And there's also the time that he farted really bad in a strip club. Zzzzz. And then there are several really cringy stories that come off as racist, sexist, and antisemetic. He uses the term, "Lets haggle, Big Nose," not once, but TWICE in the book. He also gives some great on-the-ground reporting about being in Manhattan during 9/11, which is amazing and powerful. But then he wraps it up with a cringey paragraph about how 9/11 was probably an inside job. Ouch.
That last one is important because this whole book is about his credibility vs. the Osbournes. He shows amazing recollection and detail about who wrote what songs, which build a lot of trust in the reader for his side of the story. But then he undermines it with 9/11 truther bs? Bad move! Hand this book over to an editor for the second edition please!

But still, an amazing, must-read book for any fan of heavy metal or music from the 70s and 80s, if you can skip over some parts.

[Rickard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked to learn a lot about how the early records of Ozzy were made, and the photos were great. And to get the thoughts behind some of the classic songtexts was really interesting. It is a kind of hidden truth revealed, a bit away from the more known Ozzy saga and that goes also for the crazy, strange and agressive business world of Sharon and her father. Daisleys diaries gives credibilaty to it and you also get to know Ozzy a bit more. It isn't a professional author (nor a skilled editor?) behind it which makes it quite boring in parts, but for a fan of Black Sabbath and/or Ozzy (and in some parts for fans of Rhoads and Gary Moore), it is really fascinating to learn how the person Daisley is behind an essential part of many classic metal songs.

[Doyle Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must for any discerning rock fan. Bob manages to deliver all the intricacies, anecdotes, ups and downs and still leave you wanting more. Thoroughly enjoyed every page, especially being a Rhoads fan but FFS is far more than Bob’s work with Ozzy. An absolute gem. I never knew Bob wrote so much of the music I grew up listening to.Top marks.

[Harry Sahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those acquainted with Bob Daisley recognize him as an Australian musician and songwriter who has contributed bass, backing vocals, and songwriting on Ozzy Osbourne’s finest recordings. Before Blizzard Oz, he worked with rock acts such as Chicken Shack, Mungo Jerry, and Widowmaker, establishing a name for himself. He got Ritchie Blackmore’s attention and joined Rainbow in 1977.

While that history of his was interesting, the book gets better once he joins Blizzard of Oz with Ozzy Osbourne. While I am a tremendous fan of Ozzy Osbourne, one may lose considerable respect for Ozzy. Does one regard him as a puppet of Sharon and her dad, Don Arden, or was he part of being manipulative in dealing with Bob and Lee Kerslake? Read the book and decide for yourself, for Mr. Daisley spells it all out and for me, this was the strongest part of the book.

But there’s plenty more to this autobiography. He collaborates and performs with Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Yngwie Malmsteen, Gary Moore, and others. Hundreds of corresponding photographs add to the enjoyment of reading this book. It is by far the finest autobiography I have read regarding rock musicians with significant details to songwriting, touring, and the dirty music business industry.

I was a huge fan of his before reading his book and am a bigger fan now. I highly recommend Bob Daisley’s autobiography.

[Doug Birkitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really enjoyed getting the low down on all the bands that daisley played for. it’s kind of crazy, actually. the parts about widowmaker, blizzard of ozz, and rainbow stood out to me as great. though he spent Waaaaay too much time covering the details of what certain song lyrics were about and what gear he played on, track by track. it became tedious to me. a good read, though not great.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Bob’s story and getting his perspective on a few myths in the rock business. He seems like a good-hearted person and is a wicked talent as a bassist and songwriter.

He could have used a good copy and content editor to fix up mechanics and tighten up some of the storytelling, but overall it was a good read. The book itself is great quality print with lots of photos.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. Bob Daisley has so much intricate detail in this book about a fascinating career. I wish I could recall my past in this much detail! If you want to lose respect for Ozzy and Sharon, this isn’t definitely the book for you. The physical book itself is beautifully done.

[raymond cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting account of his life. It nice to know what really happened with the Blizzard of Ozz.

[James Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool story on bob's life and also the ozzy days I bought it to know the inside on how the first 2 Ozzy records were made but enjoyed a lot of the stories before that chapter and after.