The Ozz Man Cometh -Remembering (Some Of )Ozzy’s Local Visits
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Ozzy Osbourne was a legend. Plain and simple, You either liked him or you did not. If you did not, you stayed away, if you liked him, you came out and joined the droves to watch him. Back on August 29, 1978 Black Sabbath brought a newer band out on the road with them open their shows, that band was Van Halen. Many people have their own stories about Ozzy I was fortunate enough to see him several times (but not in 1978) and meet him as well. Here are some of them. If you have a story or a recollection, please post it to this article for all to see.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Delaware Valley News.com 1986 Spectrum Ozzy commands the stage
April 26 1982 was the first time I saw him. He was at the Spectrum with UFO and a band called Magnum, who Ozzy introduced via taped announcement. Watching this guy from up close was an experience. You wanted him to point at you, to throw a bucket of water on you and to acknowledge you from the stage in some way. Prior to this , Ozzy was at the Tower Theater with Motorhead. The 1982 show was postponed for a month due to the death of Randy Rhoads, Ozzy’s guitarist.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Ozzy is gifted miniature shades in 2001 Tower Records.
By now it was clear, up and coming bands wanted to open for Ozzy as they would break wide open and the Oz man was the perfect vehicle to give them that push. In 1983 he returned with Vandeberg to (what was then the Atlantic City Convention Hall). He shaved his head , and took over the same stage that saw Miss America get crowed for years. A lot of fans took casino buses to the show and after the concert, many casinos stationed their security at the doors to keep out Osbourne fans.
ALEX LLOYD GROSS PHOTO DELAWAREVALLEYNEWS.COM
OZZY 1984
January 15-16-1984 Waysted, Motley Crue and Ozzy would storm the Spectrum for two nights. Waysted had Philly members in the line up like Johnny Dee, who now drums for Doro. Motley Crue would later tour on their own and within a few years sell out football stadiums. This was a general admission show with everyone clamoring to get as close to the stage as possible. I was on the floor right along with them. They called them “dance Concerts”, but no one was dancing.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Ozzy arrives in Philly for Live Aid
In 1985 by pure dumb luck I met Ozzy briefly for the first time as he was getting into a Victory Cab outside the Four Seasons Hotel. He was there for Live Aid. Ozzy was being escorted by an assistant that called out every move, “That’s your cab, Ozzy,” ” Open the door,” :Get in,”. In those days, the newspaper business was very different. I freelanced for the Daily News, Inquirer and the Daily News could go on to use a photo of Ozzy inside. Thier cover photo of the Live Aid arrivals was taken by me, of a girl that broke through the barricades to meet Duran Duran. For the actual concert, I was a bit too close to get the entire band in one photo. I did get some great photos of Ozzy.
ALEX LLOYD GROSS PHOTODELAWARE VALLEY NEWS.COM Ozzy Osbourne at Live Aid
In 1986 Reserved Seating was the norm at the Spectrum and in April of that year Ozzy rolling into town with Metallica. It was bedlam and after the show, a lot of the chairs were broken. Ozzy was not too happy with his album the Ultimate Sin, but it did lead to one of his biggest its, “Shot In The Dark.”
In 1990, Ozzy Retired for a little bit but when he did, a local radio station held a contest to have Ozzy visit your house. One lucky listener near the Art Museum got a visit from the Oz Man. When he stepped from his SUV, Ozzy gifted the man’s mother with a set of flowers. Inside the living room, Ozzy was busy signing mans Black Sabbath and Ozzy collection. He graciously signed everything, as the man was awestruck and a nervous wreck. Ozzy would later play the Tower Theater and bring along Prong as support act.
Ozzy came out of retirement because as he put if “Retirement Sucks”. He put together Ozzfest, which in it’s early days had Danzig on the lineup along with Sepulura. Ozzfest would move to the Ampitheater on the Camden Water front, where two stages were erected. Ozzy played this venue solo and with Black Sabbath. During one Ozzfest, he was not up to the performance, so Rob Halford from Judas Priest filled in.
In October of 1998, Black Sabbath reunited and spent about two hours at the Wall at the Neshaminy Mall. I got the chance to meet all of Black Sabbath that day. I shot photos for the News Gleaner, a community paper which used one. The next year they again returned to the Spectrum with Pantera.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Members of Black Sabbath kid around in the back office of the Wall.
October 2001, just after 9/11 Ozzy paid a visit to the Tower Records on the Roosevelt Boulevard. People could get a polaroid with hi,. Prior to the fans getting in, I was able to ask him a few questions. When I asked him if the terrorist attack was making him nervous, he replied “No, I’m concerned but I’, not going to let it keep me from working”. That day hundreds of people showed up to meet Ozzy. Most got a Polaroid. Ozzy was not signing anything that day but a few people got autographs.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo- Delaware Valley News.com Black Sabbath with Ozzy
Ozzy came to a book signing at a center city bookstore. He came early and stayed late. Prior to the signing, he posed for a few photos for the assembled media.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo The Price Of Darkness takes his throne at Tower Records in 2001.
Make no mistake . Ozzy is a legend. Since his death, social media has become filled with tributes. no politics, no sniping, just tributes to the Price Of Darkness.