Ozzy Osbourne has played on countless stages and performed alongside all kinds of musicians throughout his decades-long career. But when it comes to guitarists, there's only one that remains on Osbourne's mind after all these years.
In a new episode of his podcast The Madhouse Chronicles with Billy Idol guitarist Billy Morrison, Osbourne looked back on his career and the people he's played with, particularly his old bandmates from Black Sabbath. He had some words of praise in particular for co-founding member Tony Iommi.
“That’s the thing about a band like Black Sabbath: we came from the streets and we knew our stuff,” Osbourne said. "And Tony Iommi was, and is, the best f--king guitar player I’ve ever played with."
"It’s like the Beatles, they wouldn’t have been the same if any one of them had played [in another band], or the Rolling Stones if Mick Jagger left," he added as an example. He pointed out that he's played iconic Black Sabbath songs like "Paranoid," "Children of the Grave," and "War Pigs" with other guitarists over the years but it doesn't have the same effect as when Iommi plays them.
"They do the notes, but it’s not the same," he stated plainly. "Tony Iommi, for whatever reason, is f--king great!"
Osbourne and Iommi were bandmates from the band's formation in 1968 until Osbourne's departure in 1977. The Prince of Darkness rejoined the band in 1997 and remained a part of the group until it hung up the guitars for good in 2017.
Still, the two musicians have maintained a working relationship in recent years. Iommi's guitar skills were featured on the songs "Degradation Rules" and "No Escape From Now" on Osbourne's Grammy-winning 2022 solo album Patient Number 9. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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