Via UltimateClassicRock.com. The legend of Ozzy Osbourne grew on this day in 1981. At Epic Records annual sales convention, Sharon Osbourne gave a short speech to thank everyone at the label for their hard work leading up to the release of his debut solo album, "The Blizzard Of Oz." As Mick Wall wrote in his Black Sabbath biography, "Symptons of the Universe," Ozzy was supposed to do a simple, peaceful gesture. "The piece de resistance was to have Ozzy ending his speech by releasing three white doves into the gathered audience of [label] higher-ups and worker bees.” But the clever peacemaking reference unexpectedly and gruesomely backfired when Osbourne (who “had polished off a bottle of brandy in the car on the way to the convention,” according to Wall) got bored with the proceedings.
As Osbourne recalled to Wall, “I just remember this PR woman going on and on at me. In the end, I said, ‘Do you like animals?’ Then I pulled out one of these doves and bit its f---ing head off. Just to shut her up. Then I did it again with the next dove, spitting the head out on the table, and [the woman] fell on the floor screaming. That’s when they threw me out. They said I’d never work for CBS again."
The ensuing media storm helped propel "The Blizzard Of Oz" up the charts, going on to sell millions of copies, and The Prince of Darkness legend grew darker.
Ozzy has been recuperating at home from his recent health scare. To cheer him up his grand children sent him this video of them dancing and singing to "Crazy Train." Awwwwwwwwwwwwww...