Ozzy Osbourne

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[[File:Ozzy Osbourne 1973.JPG|thumb|Osbourne in 1973]]
In 1978, Osbourne left the band for three months to pursue a solo project called ''Blizzard of Ozz'',<ref name="Necromandus">{{cite web| author=Pete Sarfas (Taken from the CD reissue of "Orexis of Death plus...") (AACD 051), March 2005| url=http://www.alexgitlin.com/npp/necromandus.htm |title=Necromandus|publisher=alexgitlin.com}}</ref> a title which had been suggested by his father.<ref name="Daisley1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bobdaisley.com/interview/website|title=Bob Daisley's History with the Osbournes|publisher=Bobdaisley.com|access-date=11 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515122125/http://www.bobdaisley.com/interview/website|archive-date=15 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Three members of the band [[Necromandus]], who had supported Sabbath in Birmingham when they were called ''Earth'', backed Osbourne in the studio and briefly became the first incarnation of his solo band.

At the request of the other band members, Osbourne rejoined Sabbath.<ref name="Necr2">{{cite web |url=http://www.fenderstrat.co.uk/Necromandus.htm |title=Cumbrian Bands of the Seventies: Necromandus |publisher=Btinternet.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630225054/http://www.btinternet.com/%7Efenderstrat2/Necromandus.htm |archive-date=30 June 2012 |access-date=30 March 2016 }}</ref> The band spent five months at Sounds Interchange Studios in [[Toronto]], where they wrote and recorded their next album, ''[[Never Say Die!]]'' "It took quite a long time", Iommi said of ''Never Say Die!'' "We were getting really drugged out, doing a lot of dope. We'd go down to the sessions, and have to pack up because we were too stoned; we'd have to stop. Nobody could get anything right; we were all over the place, and everybody was playing a different thing. We'd go back and sleep it off, and try again the next day."<ref>Hoskyns, Barney (2009). "Into the Void: Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath". Omnibus Press.</ref>

In May 1978, Black Sabbath began touring in support of ''Never Say Die!'' with [[Van Halen]] as an opening act. Reviewers called Sabbath's performance "tired and uninspired" in stark contrast to the "youthful" performance of Van Halen, who were touring the world for the first time.<ref name="MusicMight">{{cite web|last=Sharpe-Young|first=Garry|url=http://www.musicmight.com/artist/united+kingdom/west+midlands/birmingham/black+sabbath|title=MusicMight.com Black Sabbath Biography|publisher=MusicMight.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052617/http://www.musicmight.com/artist/united+kingdom/west+midlands/birmingham/black+sabbath|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> The band recorded their concert at [[Hammersmith Odeon]] in June 1978, which was released on video as ''[[Never Say Die (video)|Never Say Die]]''. The final show of the tour and Osbourne's last appearance with Black Sabbath for another seven years, until 1985, was in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]] on 11 December.

In 1979, Black Sabbath returned to the studio, but tension and conflict arose between band members. Osbourne recalls being asked to record his vocals over and over, and tracks were manipulated endlessly by Iommi.<ref>{{Cite book | last1 = Osbourne | first1 = Ozzy | author-link1 = Ozzy Osbourne | last2 = Ayres | first2 = Chris | title = I Am Ozzy | year = 2010 | publisher = Grand Central Publishing | isbn = 978-0-446-56989-7 | url = https://archive.org/details/iamozzy0000osbo }}</ref> The relationship between Osbourne and Iommi became contentious. On 27 April 1979, at Iommi's insistence but with the support of Butler and Ward, Osbourne was ejected from Black Sabbath.<ref name="I Am Ozzy" /> The reasons provided to him were that he was unreliable and had excessive [[substance abuse]] issues compared to the other members. Osbourne claims his drug use and alcohol consumption at that time was neither better nor worse than that of the other members.<ref name = IAmOzzy/>

The band replaced Osbourne with former [[Rainbow (rock band)|Rainbow]] singer [[Ronnie James Dio]].<ref name="black sabbath"/> In a 21 August 1987 interview with [[Tommy Vance]] on [[BBC Radio 1]]'s ''[[Friday Rock Show]]'', Dio said, "I was not, and never will be, Ozzy Osbourne. He was the vocalist and songwriter in that era who helped create that band and make it what it was, and what it is in its classic form."<ref>Ronnie James Dio interview with [[Tommy Vance]] for [[BBC Radio 1]]'s ''[[Friday Rock Show]]''; broadcast 21 August 1987; transcribed by editor Peter Scott for Sabbath [[fanzine]] ''Southern Cross'' #11, October 1996, p27</ref>

The conflict between Iommi and Osbourne commenced almost immediately in their working collaboration. Responding to a 1969 flyer that read, "Ozzy Zig Needs Gig- has own PA",<ref>{{cite episode |title= "Heavy Metal" |series= Seven Ages of Rock|station= [[Yesterday (TV channel)|Yesterday]] |airdate= 5 March 2009|minutes= 8}}</ref> which was posted by Osbourne in a record store, Iommi and Ward arrived at the listed address to speak with Ozzy Zig, as he then called himself. When Iommi saw Osbourne emerge from another room of the house, he recalled that he knew him as a "pest" from their school days.<ref name = "I Am Ozzy"/> Following Black Sabbath's formation, Iommi reportedly "punched out" Osbourne several times over the years when the singer's drunken antics became too much to take.<ref>''Black Sabbath'' book, by Chris Welch. Published June 1982. {{ISBN|978-0862760151}}</ref> Iommi recalls one incident in the early 1970s in which Osbourne and Butler were fighting in a hotel room. Iommi pulled Osbourne off Butler in an attempt to break up the drunken fight, and the vocalist proceeded to turn around and take a wild swing at him. Iommi responded by knocking Osbourne unconscious with one punch to the jaw.<ref name="iommibook">{{cite book |last=Iommi |first=Tony |author-link=Tony Iommi |title=Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell With Black Sabbath |url=https://archive.org/details/ironmanmyjourney00iomm_0 |url-access=registration |year=2011 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0306819551}}</ref>