Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz September/October 1980
When Ozzy left Black Sabbath in 1979 I honestly thought it could be the last we saw of him. Sure; he was a great, mad front man in Sabbath, but I really didn’t see him as a solo act. Ozzy always struck me as crazy, fearless, yet almost child-like. He fitted well within the Sabbath context, and as part of a group; but on his own? How wrong I was. No-one could have predicted just how successful his career would turn out to be. But it was obvious from the first time I saw him in concert and heard him play his new songs that Ozzy was going to be OK, more than OK in fact. The new album had some great tracks in “Crazy Train”; “Goodbye to Romance”; and “Mr. Crowley”, and he included Sabbath favourites “Iron Man”; “Children of the Grave”; and “Paranoid” in the live show, so how could he not be great. Oh, and Randy Rhoads was a simply incredible guitarist, just as good as his legend suggests. The tour called at Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle Mayfair and Sunderland Mayfair. Now this is another one of those gigs that has tested my memory; which has been playing tricks on me again. Now in my mind I went to see Ozzy at the City Hall concert; but I can’t find a ticket for that show, and I always keep them. I do have a programme so I know that I did see Ozzy that year, and on that tour, and I can definitely remember it was shortly after the Blizzard of Oz album was released. I can only conclude that I must have gone to the Sunderland Mayfair gig, and I either paid at the door or tickets were collected on the way in. I’m learning just to accept things like that now; I can’t always remember details fully these days, and it’s no good dwelling on them or trying to figure it out; it just drives me nuts 🙂 . The line-up of Blizzard of Ozz was Ozzy (of course) on vocals, the late and truly great guitarist Randy Rhoads; Bob Daisley from Rainbow on bass, Lee Kerslake fom Uriah Heep on drums and local lad Don Airey on keyboards (replaced by Lindsey Bridgewater for the tour). Support came from those excellent Welsh rock heroes Budgie.
Setlist for the tour was: I Don’t Know; You Lookin’ at Me Lookin’ at You; Crazy Train; Goodbye to Romance; Mr. Crowley; Suicide Solution; Iron Man; Children of the Grave; Steal Away (The Night). Encore: Paranoid
16 Jan
Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz September/October 1980
Posted January 16, 2014 by vintagerock in Budgie, Ozzy Osbourne. Tagged: concert, concerts, gig, gigs, heavy metal, heavy rock, music, rock, rock n roll. 12 Comments
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Posted by Mitch on January 16, 2014 at 12:17 pm
I was at the Newcastle City Hall show 17/9/80. There was a couple of songs Ozzy performed that you have missed from the set list – No Bone Movies and Revelation Mother Earth both appeared midway in the set.
Support band Budgie were a big favourite of mine throughout the ’70’s and it was sad to see that they had gone from concert headliners to support act. At the time they were about to release their latest album Power Supply – the first with new guitarist John Thomas who in my opinion wasn’t in the same league as original guitarist Tony Bourge. They went down particularly well though.
Budgie’s set included old songs as well as new ones –
Breaking All The House Rules, Crime Against The World, Napoleon Bonapart 1 & 2, Forearm Smash, Panzer Division Destroyed, Wildfire, Breadfan.
Encore: (a medley of) In For The Kill / Rape Of The Locks / Guts.
Posted by vintagerock on January 16, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Thanks Mitch. I still can’t remember which gig I was at. I agree with you about Budgie, they were just as good as many bands who “made it” and are often forgotten when accounts of heavy rock are written Peter
Posted by jeffollerton on January 21, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Although I didn’t go to the Ozzy gig at Sunderland Mayfair, for many years I had the poster from it, a green screen print of Ozzy wearing his fringed jacket, giving a double peace sign, with the title “Ozzy Osbourne’s Lizard of Oz”. Clearly someone had misheard the name of his new band…
Posted by vintagerock on January 21, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Great story! Wish I had the poster 🙂 Peter
Posted by jeffollerton on January 21, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Wish I could remember what happened to that poster, Peter! I think I probably gave it to a friend who was a big Ozzy fan. Just wanted to say, well done on the blog, it’s a phenomenal bit of personal history! I was at a lot of the gigs that you mention in the 80s so it’s brought back some good memories. Jeff
Posted by vintagerock on January 21, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Thanks Jeff Pleased you are enjoying it. I still have quite a way to go to finishing it. Cheers Peter
Posted by Tony Poolan on September 7, 2014 at 8:16 am
I was at the City Hall and equally upset at the fall of Budgie – Tony Bourge was irreplaceable and at that point they had lost it. I was very impressed with Ozzy, Rhoads et al the album was good and Ozzy was in good form.
Posted by vintagerock on September 7, 2014 at 8:23 am
Thanks Tony Yes I think Budgie deserved more success Best wishes Peter
Posted by David Sutherland on February 5, 2018 at 1:05 pm
Trying to find out date of a gig at Newcastle Mayfair back in 80/81 where I saw French band Trust. They were supporting some big act but were absolutely brilliant on the night. Anybody remember the date and who they were supporting?
Dave
Posted by Neil on March 4, 2018 at 11:50 am
Trust supported Iron Maiden on the Killers tour. I also saw them support Motorhead at Leeds in March 1981, but I’m not sure if they played Newcastle with Motorhead ?Could it have been one of those? Thanks, Neil.
Posted by Steve Turnbull on February 23, 2021 at 4:26 pm
I was at the gig .One of my best nights ever at a concert . I hwas young hadnt heard of Budgie but they blew me away . I went straight out and bought Power Supply then went on to discover the whole Budgie back catalogue
Posted by vintagerock on February 23, 2021 at 6:47 pm
Yes Budgie were a great band. Bread fan and Teachers were my favourites. Also In the Grip of the Tyre Fitters Hand. Very underrated. Happy days Peter