To be 100% honest with you, hardly anyone would have expected Ozzy Osbourne to release two full-length albums so close this far into his career. But here he is, announcing the “Patient Number 9” for this September, featuring a super-exciting lineup of musicians. So far, Ozzy has launched the album’s title track, featuring Jeff Beck on guitar, which you can check out below.
The album also features none other than Tony Iommi, Ozzy’s former Black Sabbath frontman and the band’s sole founding member throughout its entire existence. In a recent Q&A session shared by the singer’s label Epic Records (via Blabbermouth), Ozzy discusses various topics related to the album, including his collaboration with Iommi. You can check out the full Q&A below:
This is your first album to be released after the pandemic. What was going through your mind during the early days of the pandemic and are any of those feelings reflected in these songs?
“Well, I was vaccinated and boosted and I still caught COVID in the end. My last album [‘Ordinary Man’ from 2020] was released just a few weeks before the pandemic started, and I was just about getting ready to go into the studio to work on this new one when the world shut down. It’s no secret that the last four years have been very difficult for me but making this album took my mind off of my problems.”
The album features some players with whom have history. What was it like to be reunited with Tony Iommi musically?
“It was really great working with Tony. He’s the riff master. No one can touch him in that respect. I only wish we had these songs for Black Sabbath’s ’13’ album.”
Zakk contributes a lot on this album. How was the decision made to have him play since he didn’t play on the last album?
“Zakk is part of my family and always will be. The album needed that weight that his playing provides. He just came in and really sorted things out.”
Tell us about the first single, “Patient Number 9”, which features Jeff Beck. What do you feel he has contributed to the song?
“The song is about a mental institution. Having someone like Jeff Beck play on my album is just incredible, a total honor. There’s no other guitar player that plays like him and his solo on ‘Patient Number 9’ is just jaw-dropping.”
Photo: Egghead06 (Ozzy Farewell 2017), Guy Evans (Tony Iommi HomeofMetal Fox 0659)
