Ozzy Osbourne: Speak of the Devil
Ozzy Osbourne
Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Review Date: July 22, 2012

The date was June 12, 1982.  Twelve weeks earlier, during a break to the history-making Diary of a Madman Tour, Ozzy Osbourne’s high profile guitarist, Randy Rhoades, died tragically and needlessly in a private plane crash.  Ozzy wrote years later in his autobiography that, “I don’t think I want to be a rock ‘n roller anymore.”

However, as the old saying goes, the show must go on and the tour picked up where it had left off.  In the unenviable position of having to fill the shoes of Randy Rhoades, Brad Gillis was the guitar slinger who ultimately filled the role – and quite well, as a matter of fact. He gelled nicely and seamlessly with Ozzy, Rudy Sarzo (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), and Tommy Aldridge (drums).

The dynamic of the band was captured on film that night of June 12th during an epic performance at Irvine Meadows.  The audio has been digitally restored and re-mastered in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and in DTS and is being offered to Ozzy fans on crystal clear DVD.

All the songs in the entire performance are noteworthy.  Particular Boomerocity favorites are:

The concert opener, Over the Mountain, the opening track of the album that served as the tour’s namesake had the crowd immediately on its feet and kept them there for the entire show.  Set against a then-precedent setting stage and backdrop, the audience was in mesmerized pleasure until the final song of the show.

From Ozzy’s first album, Blizzard of Oz, is the heavy metal staple, Crazy Train, which Ozzy and the boys perform flawlessly.

Finally, from my high school day is the memorable Black Sabbath classic, Paranoid, from Ozzy’s tenure with the band, is delivered as the final song of the evening, giving young and “old” fans alike a taste of original heavy metal.

Whether you’re an Ozzy fan or a Black Sabbath fan, you’ll definitely want this DVD as part of your collection.