OZZY OSBOURNE: 'If I Had My Way, I'd Do A Few Gigs Each Year And Just Make Music'

Heath McCoy of the Calgary Herald recently conducted an interview with Ozzy Osbourne. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

Calgary Herald: Way back in the early '90s you went on the No More Tours retirement tour. Now, it's more than 15 years later and you're still out there. How much longer can you see yourself doing this?

Ozzy: As long as I physically can. I always said if the audience dwindles and I end up playing clubs and theatres I'll be long gone. Why would I want to do that for? I don't want to go down to where I came up y'know. When I decided to give (retirement) a shot, the thing I found was — well, people have this misconception that in retirement if you have money you can live happily ever after. No. My father . . . (when he retired) he was dead 12 months later because he didn't have anything to live for. He wanted to do the garden and all that s---, but he went and died.

Calgary Herald: How's your health these days? I know you've had your struggles in recent years with the ATV accident and the Parkin syndrome. How difficult is it for you to perform at the wild level you're famous for?

Ozzy: In that ATV accident I died twice. They brought me back again. And the Parkin syndrome is a hereditary tremor. You know, families are f---ing great. My oldest sister Jean . . . when I got the diagnosis (for Parkin syndrome) she told me 'Oh, well mom had that.' I said 'My mother had that? Thank you now for remembering!' I thought I was going to be a in a f---ing wheelchair for the rest of my life . . . But that's what I have so I take this very small amount of medication and I don't shake anymore at all.
Calgary Herald: I read you and your family have signed on with the Fox Network to do a variety show which will feature music, comedy sketches and a game show. I'm surprised. I thought when "The Osbournes" reality series ended you said you were glad to be done with it because you were more comfortable with being a rocker than a TV star.

Ozzy: My wife loves TV and I love my wife, you know. She's great. We stand by each other and she wants to do it, so I'll do the show . . . I always think "Oh, it's gonna fail. It's gonna be a flop. It's gonna interfere with my music." In my house, I've built a full-on studio, so if I had my way, I'd do a few gigs each year and just make music. I love making music. I love being artistic. I'm excited to do the TV show but I . . . never think it's going to be a big success. That's the way I am with everything I do though. "People aren't going to like this new album. People are not going to like this artwork." I always prepare myself for the drop. Eventually things are going to go the other way.

Calgary Herald: Do you feel sometimes like the hardcore metal fans out there are unfair to your wife and kids because they're not comfortable with you being on these shows? Your family gets attacked an awful lot on these metal websites and some of the stuff is pretty nasty.

Ozzy: Believe me, I'm not going to abandon what I'm about . . . If you don't like me, you don't like me. If you don't like my wife, you don't like my wife. I can't change that. But the Osbourne family, we all stick behind each other. We're a unit you know, like every family should be. Forget my success, forget what I have and what I've done, my family comes first. I know how much it means to my wife and family for me to (do TV shows) and if they ask me, of course I will go there. I don't have to like it, but I don't have to not like it, you know?

Read the entire interview from the Calgary Herald.