Blizzard Of Ozz (Expanded Edition)

At last Ozzy and Randy's albums have been released with some added extras and the original bass and drum tracks from Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley put back in the mix. Finally youger rockers can hear these classic albums how they where supposed to sound and its about time too!!! The bass and drums sound so warm and the guitar feels more prominent than I remember on the original recordings but I am not complaining about that, it is Randy Rhoads after all!!! I love this album so much and Randy's playing is stellar throughout and the fact that Ozzy still plays many of these tracks live is testament to the brilliance of the playing and writing throughout. Too many favourites too mention here and there is no such thing as a bad Randy Rhoads song or solo the man was a genius. How can you argue with Mr Crowley, I Don't Know, Suicide Solution, Revelation Mother Earth, Dee and Goodbye To Romance. The extra tracks are great too - Looking At Me Looking At You was on the last remasters of these cd's but sounds so much better with the original bass and drum tracks. A real gem is the extra track is Goodbye To Romance guitar and vocal mix which is a version of this song with just Ozzy's vocal and Randy's guitar and this highlights what a gorgeous song this was, and the solo remains one of my favourites of all time!! The last extra track is called RR and is a recording of Randy playing some solos and riffs in the studio. This was very illuminating and a real treat for Randy fans like me. If you have never heard this cd or Diary of A Madman then this is the time to buy them. Thanks Ozzy for writing the wrongs of the previous versions of these releases and finally doing justice to rock musics greatest ever guitarist!! Ps my only gripe is that the expensive box set edition of these releases is the only one with the dvd documentary included and as any stuff by Randy is very rare I would love to see this released seperately!! RIP Randy

Let's get one thing straight. Blizzard of Ozz, as recorded by Ozzy's original post-Sabbath band of Randy Rhoads, Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake is a truly classic Metal album, and one that deserves a place in any Metal fan's collection.

This abomination masquerading as that album is not the same thing.

As is now common knowledge, the bass and drum tracks were re-recorded for the latest reissue of both 'Blizzard' and the follow up album, 'Diary of a Madman' due to ongoing legal disputes between the Osbournes and the former bassist and drummer, Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake respectively. It is bad enough that the Osbournes did this just to punish their ex-colleagues, but what is totally unforgivable is that these albums are packaged as though they are the original recordings, when they are nothing of the sort. You only find out the truth once you have opened the CD booklet and there, on the inside back cover, in *small* letters, the deed is revealed.

No disrespect is intended to the musicians who were asked to perform the impossible (bassist Rob Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin) but you cannot go back to a twenty year old recording, overdub parts of it and expect people not to notice! Does Ozzy really think his fans are that daft? Whatever dispute he has with his old bandmates why should we, the fans who supported him for years, be insulted in this way? Furthermore, the fact that they have chosen to dub new musicians on the album insults the memory of the great Randy Rhoads, whose guitar parts now sit uncomfortably alongside those of players he never met!

In my opinion this issue of 'Blizzard' is a FAKE and I strongly recommend potential buyers to seek out the previous reissues of 'Blizzard and 'Diary' (from 1995, easy to spot, they have 'OZZY' in large letters down one side of the booklet) which contain the original recordings. Be quick though, they are being withdrawn and you will soon only be able to get the inferior new versions.

Ozzy has really shot himself in the foot this time. Metal fans are not noted for having short memories, and this disgrace will be remembered long after the TV show is forgotten by their new generation of 'fans'. I for one will never buy anything else with his name on it.

Avoid this 'reissue' at all costs!

If you don't know it yet, the bass and drums tracks on these recordings have been replaced due to legal disputes. It's just an appalling decision which has shocked many a fan, myself included. Protest here and post one star reviews on what's become a parody of a great metal masterpiece. An insult to metal and fans. Or should Ozzy call himself the Prince of Business from now on?