Ozzy Osbourne Talks About Guitarist Search

Band Photo: Ozzy Osbourne (?)

BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne announced earlier in the week that he is searching for a guitar player to collaborate with on his next solo album.

Even though he's made records with guitar legends including Tony Iommi, the late Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Zakk Wylde, Osbourne told Launch Radio Networks that he doesn't go looking for the flashiest player he can find. "When I audition guitar players, I go, 'I don't want to know how fast you can play, I don't want to know if you can stand on your head and play it through your butt, or whatever — just give me a riff that'll make a kid want to go out and buy a guitar,'" Ozzy said. "Simple, but effective — how (much) more simple can you get than (the KINKS song) 'You Really Got Me'? Just go (sings opening guitar part)."

No time frame has been announced for Osbourne to make a new album, and there's conflicting information about when it might happen. An official statement says that Osbourne and his wife and manager Sharon are either planning a BLACK SABBATH tour of Canada for early 2006, while the British tabloid The Sun quotes Sharon as saying the couple is getting ready for a two-year break from the music business, during which they'll spend some time in New Zealand.

Source: Blabbermouth