As tributes continue to pour in following the death of Ozzy Osbourne, legendary bassist and songwriter Bob Daisley – a pivotal figure in Ozzy‘s early solo career – has shared a heartfelt message reflecting on their musical partnership and personal bond. Daisley, who co-wrote and played on many of Ozzy‘s most enduring songs, took to social media to express his grief and admiration.
“This is a sad day and it has brought me to tears. When I reminisce about Ozzy‘s and my times together, I think about the fun, the laughs and of course what we created together musically, which will live much longer than these mortal bodies that we inhabit.
“My condolences to everyone who you’ve left behind, Ozzy. Nothing can change the true friendship that we once had; I’ll see you ‘on the other side’.”
Daisley‘s tribute carries the weight of shared history. He was not only a bassist on several of Ozzy‘s most important albums — Blizzard of Ozz in 1980, Diary of a Madman in 1981, Bark at the Moon in 1983, The Ultimate Sin in 1986, and No Rest for the Wicked in 1988 — but also a crucial creative partner, writing or co-writing many of the songs that helped define Ozzy‘s solo identity after Black Sabbath.
Tracks like “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and “Flying High Again” wouldn’t exist in their iconic form without Daisley‘s input. His bass playing was foundational, but it was his lyrical and compositional collaboration with Ozzy and guitarist Randy Rhoads that elevated those records into the pantheon of metal classics.
Though the two had a famously complicated relationship in later years — marked by disputes over royalties and songwriting credits — Daisley‘s tribute puts all that aside in favor of something more enduring: respect, gratitude, and love.
As fans around the world celebrate the life of Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Daisley‘s tribute stands as a powerful testimony to the lasting bonds forged in the fires of creativity.
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