Many people have formed their own opinions about Ozzy Osbourne before hearing any of his music. From his black attire to his foreboding presence on stage, Osbourne has become the epitome of heavy metal, inspiring millions of artists to explore the heavier side of music. Osbourne has been able to create art that scares people to death. However, he believes that one soft rocker contributed one of the best singular moments in pop music.
However, Osbourne wasn’t always the foreboding figure that everyone imagines him to be. Before considering joining Black Sabbath, Osbourne was used to playing the kind of rock and roll that he admired. Inspired by acts like The Beatles, Osbourne’s introduction to music occurred when he heard ‘She Loves You.’
When he started playing among Tony Iommi’s doomy riffs, Ozzy Osbourne knew he’d be able to channel his sadness and anger into music with no worries. Compared to the other blues-tinged rock acts emerging at the same time, Sabbath had a unique approach. Their music sent chills down one’s spine whenever it came on the radio. Osbourne’s intense vocals screamed about demons and those seeking revenge on everyone who wronged them.
As the band continued to experiment with their sound on albums such as Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, they frequently drew on the same tropes as many progressive rock bands at the time. Adopting Yes’ Rick Wakeman as their in-studio keyboardist, the group quickly became a force to be reckoned with onstage. They created doom hymns with whatever they had at their disposal.
Although Osbourne left for a solo career in the early 1980s, Phil Collins did the same with Genesis. After taking over as frontman for Peter Gabriel, Collins eventually put his band on hold to work on his marriage. He prompted him to release the album Face Value during his solo career.
Among the various tales of heartache was ‘In the Air Tonight,’ a song filled with rage over how frequently his wife had wronged him. Despite the intention for the track to convey pain and anger, the drums played the most crucial role. It started with a drum machine and progressing to organic drums with Collins’ signature fill.
Looking back, Osbourne recalls that piece as having one of the best drum sounds he could remember. When speaking with The Daily Telegraph, Osbourne recalled how much the song surprised him when he heard it for the first time. He said, “[I’m] the reason he sold so many albums”. That drum fill is the best ever; it still sounds great. We love Phil Collins.
There is a slim chance that Osbourne will perform the Collins classic live. However, his love of the song is based on the emotion rather than the genre. As much as people may be able to relate to a lyric or vocal melody, there is no substitute for the feeling that a song evokes when it begins.
