OZZY OSBOURNE Bassist BLASKO Says Split With ROB ZOMBIE Was 'More Than Amicable'

MetalXcore.com recently conducted an interview with former ROB ZOMBIE and current OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (also ex-CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

MetalXcore.com: Are you a full-time member of Ozzy's band now, or just along for Ozzfest and the rumored 2007 world tour?

Blasko: "Since I got the gig, this is more or less the first tour that I've done. I've done some one-off things here and there but this is the first tour that we've done because the last two Ozzfests have been BLACK SABBATH. I take every day as it comes. As of today, things are going good, you know. I'm going to rehearsals and we're going to start Ozzfest here on Thursday and take it from there, you know."

MetalXcore.com: For the first time ever, at Ozzfest 2006, Ozzy is headlining the second stage half dozen times. I wish I could go to one of those Ozzfests, I think it would be awesome just to see Ozzy perform at 4 in the afternoon under the blazing sun, on a smaller stage!

Blasko: "I think it's gonna be really good, I think it's really gonna shake up the Ozzfest in general. I mean, it's like, here we are, we're going into the 11th year of Ozzfest and, you know, the way that it's done is that they have the people that buy the tickets that are in the front row and those people are there every year, and then you have all the kids that are in the grass that really kind of want to be up front. So now those kids now get to be up front. The show is now for those kids who've been patiently waiting for 11 years. Some of these shows, those kids now get to see that. So I think it's really going to mix it up a lot, and it's really going to change the dynamic of an Ozzfest... which is cool, you know. I think it's about time that something like this happened."

MetalXcore.com: You've been Ozzy's bass player for a few years now, at the same time recording and touring with ROB ZOMBIE. Was the split with Rob cordial? Did he more or less know that, one day, you would probably leave his band for Ozzy?

Blasko: "I think he knew that there was the potential because of the fact that in the midst of recording the newest record, I left for two weeks during that time to go to the U.K. with Ozzy to do a couple of little one-off shows and stuff. So I think that Rob knew that there was the potential whenever the Ozzfest started brewing, and it was announced that Ozzy was going to do some shows on it. Of course it was a concern. But the split was very cordial, and at the end of the day, it was a totally fine thing. I was able to get my replacement in place there for them, and it was cool. I did what I set out to do and I fulfilled my responsibilities. I think the situation was more than amicable of a split."

Read the entire interview at MetalXcore.com.