Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath singer, shared his views on the changing landscape of rock and metal music in a recent interview. Ozzy expressed discomfort with the ‘metal’ label, preferring to see his music as part of the broader rock genre. He highlighted the restrictive nature of genre labels, which can hinder artists’ creative freedom.
Reflecting on the evolution of rock, he noted how it has transformed from a bluesy style in the ’70s to the colorful ’80s, and later to the grungy ’90s. While acknowledging Black Sabbath’s influence on many bands, Osbourne sometimes finds it hard to see this impact in today’s heavier music. His bandmate Tony Iommi also resonated with the ‘heavy rock’ term over ‘heavy metal,’ a label that emerged during their American tours.
Geezer Butler, Black Sabbath’s bassist, accepted the ‘heavy metal’ term, attributing it to their unique sound that was heavier than the hard rock bands of their time. Ozzy, facing health challenges, has recently announced an end to his touring career.
—
Photo Credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com