OZZY OSBOURNE Bassist BLASKO: 'This Is The Band I Have Always Wanted To Be In'

BlackLabelSociety.net recently conducted an interview with OZZY OSBOURNE/ex-ROB ZOMBIE bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

BlackLabelSociety.net: How did you end up getting the gig with Ozzy?

Blasko: How did it all go down? It was sort of one of those things... I was in Rob Zombie's band for eight years and we did multiple tours with Ozzy and it was kind of a matter of visibility, ya know? In the sense of whenever you're looking for somebody, you kinda go to the people you most recently toured with. Someone that you know. The pool of people that you kinda know and stuff. Rather than putting an ad out or having to call musicians or whatever. It's kinda not really what happens at this stage in the game. So [Jason] Newsted was in the band ya know whenever [Robert] Trujillo left. And then the Newsted thing fizzled out. And I stepped in after that.

BlackLabelSociety.net: Was it hard leaving Rob's band?

Blasko: No. It was totally understood, It was like I was in the band for a long time. And whenever we sat down and talked about it, it was very professional. And if anyone understands business, it's that guy. So it was totally cool, and hey, like, we are on this tour now and we hang out. We usually have dinner together and stuff.

BlackLabelSociety.net: Now when you got the gig with Ozzy, did you actually have an audition process?

Blasko: I did audition. Played a couple of songs. It was somewhat of a formality and stuff. It was a little bit intimidating, to say the least. That was when they were still filming "The Osbournes" and stuff. So it was like, "Yeah, you are gonna audition and we are gonna have a camera crew." So it was like, yeah, we're auditioning, but then you were surrounded by cameras and stuff. People filming it. It was a little intimidating, but no, it was cool. It was good.

BlackLabelSociety.net: Anything planned for the future other than Ozzy?

Blasko: Actually, as long as this goes, man, I got tons of stuff going on, but this is priority number one. So, as long as he wants to keep making records and go on tour, then this is what's gonna happen.

BlackLabelSociety.net: Anything solo wise you wanna do?

Blasko: No, you know what, dude?! I'm not even interested in making music rather than this. I'm not a songwriter. I'm not... Like, whenever I'm home, I don't even pick up my guitar or bass.

BlackLabelSociety.net: Really?

Blasko: I don't even look at it unless I'm on tour or in the studio or practicing for something, one or the other. At this point in the game, I'm not into making music other than making it here. I just don't have a desire to do like anything on the side. THE DEATH RIDERS thing is cool 'cause it is what it is, but as far as band stuff, like side bands — totally uninterested in doing that kind of stuff. That's why I manage bands. I manage IN THIS MOMENT, who is on this tour. And to me, it's more fulfilling because I can kinda live sort of vicariously through a younger sort of hungry passion or whatever... that I don't have anymore. And I can find that in managing those bands that have that hunger and have that passion to write songs and to go on tour and do all that stuff. I mean, I love going on tour and all that, but it's a different animal whenever you are young and hungry and striving to get something out of it. You know what I mean?

BlackLabelSociety.net: That's very cool, though.

Blasko: So that's kinda where I focus my energy and attention on is to managing bands and doing that kind of thing 'cause to me it's gratifying. I get more out of it as opposed to having another band. To me, this is the band I have always wanted to be in and the level that I have always wanted to be at. So now that I'm here. I really just see this as staying here for as long as it exists, then move on latterly to something other than being in a band.

Read the entire interview at BlackLabelSociety.net.