Ozzy Osbourne‘s follow-up to 2020’s “Ordinary Man” is expected to be released early next year.
In a new financial statement released by Sony, the BLACK SABBATH singer’s name is listed under a section titled “Selected upcoming releases anticipated over the next six months” alongside projects by Adele, Alicia Keys, BLACK EYED PEAS and Travis Scott, among others.
While no specific release date is mentioned on the report, Ozzy, who is signed to Sony Music, recently confirmed that 15 songs have been recorded for his next LP. He is once again working with producer Andrew Watt on the “work-in-progress” effort, which will include guest appearances by Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi and Zakk Wylde.
Last month, Ozzy told Metal Hammer magazine that his new album will be “similar in tone to ‘Ordinary Man’, but I can’t describe it completely. I’ve not heard it for a while because it keeps going over to the next person to add their parts — we’re fucking around with it all the time,” he said.
Watt connected with Osbourne after meeting Ozzy‘s daughter Kelly at a friend’s party and pitching her on the idea of Post Malone and Ozzy collaborating together.
Seven months ago, Ozzy told U.K.’s Metal Hammer magazine that he and Andrew had completed more than a dozen for his next studio LP. “My only concern right now is finishing the bloody thing,” he said. “We’ve got the same production time as the last time, so there’s definitely going to be some similarities. But you’ll just have to wait and see what you think.”
In December 2020, Watt told Guitar World that he and the BLACK SABBATH legend were “halfway through” the new LP. “There’s some songs on there that are like eight or nine minutes long that are these really crazy journeys. I’m really excited about it,” he said.
Like “Ordinary Man”, which featured Watt on guitar, Duff McKagan (GUNS N’ ROSES) on bass and Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) on drums, Ozzy‘s next album will feature guest appearances by a number of other notable musicians. “There’s a bunch of people involved,” Andrew told Guitar World. “I can’t say for sure until the end, but I started doing a bunch of basic tracks with Chad and Robert Trujillo [METALLICA], who used to play in Ozzy‘s band. And Taylor Hawkins [FOO FIGHTERS] also came in and played a bunch on the record as well, which adds a different flair — it kind of harkened back to Ozzy‘s ’80s era, in a great way. And I think it’s so cool for a rock fan to be able to listen to half an album with Chad Smith on drums, and then you flip it over and you get to hear Taylor Hawkins. And you know, the last album was really special for everyone involved. And so there was no point in Ozzy or me doing this again unless we thought we could bring something new to the table. And I feel like we’re achieving that.”
